Stairs, fall leaves and 729 feet of falling water
Amicalola Falls State Park near Dawsonville, Georgia, is home to a 729-foot waterfall, the tallest in Georgia and, by the park’s count, the third-highest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi. It is also where many Appalachian Trail thru-hikers start, on the Approach Trail to the southern end of the AT at Springer Mountain.
We went in early November 2024 with the leaves near peak. From the signs at the bottom you can head to the base of the falls or start up the AT Approach Trail.
🥾 The staircase
The classic way to see the falls is a long wooden staircase that climbs beside the water, with a bridge across the falls partway up. Park sources count anywhere from 425 to 604 steps, depending on where you start.
🥾 Apples on the way home
We stopped at Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge and came home with bread and jam.
🥾 Trail facts
- Falls: 729 feet, the tallest in Georgia
- Approach Trail to Springer Mountain: about 8.5 miles (sources give 8 to 8.8)
- Fees: ParkPass $10 per vehicle per day, or $70 a year
- Note: the East Ridge Trail was posted as closed for maintenance in mid-2026
- Managed by: Georgia State Parks; the lodge and park are operated by the North Georgia Mountains Authority and Coral Hospitality
Trail facts checked October 2026. Sources: Georgia State Parks: Amicalola Falls, ParkPass, Amicalola Falls Lodge: the waterfall. Step counts and the Approach Trail length differ by source. Trails and roads change, so check with the managing agency before you go.
