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Hike to Helton Creek Falls

Blairsville, Georgia

4.5/5
based on 2 reviews

Details

Distance

0.6 miles

Elevation Gain

22 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Christian Murillo

Helton Creek Falls is just about everything you might want from a North Georgia Waterfall. It has good size and is super easy to hike to, making it a perfect family-friendly stop along Georgia's yet to be pronounced waterfall trail.

Getting to Helton Creek Falls can be a little bit tricky. You can either access the trailhead from 348 (the less popular, more adventurous route), or you can access the trailhead easily off of highway 19.  The reason why access from 348 is a bit tricky is that the road actually has two creek crossings, so make sure your car has very good clearance and ideally 4WD.  

Once you get to the trailhead, there is not a ton of parking, considering how popular this waterfall can get on the weekends.  If parking is packed, just try not to block the road or anyone's driveway, as there are many cabins along the road leading up to the trailhead.  

Getting on the trail, you will briefly head downhill with some thick forest on your left-hand side.  Only about 100 feet from the trailhead is a spot that you can barely make out both the upper and lower Helton Creek Falls.  Continuing on down, you will find that the base of the lower falls is just before about .2 miles on your left-hand side, and a set of stairs will take you down to the bank of the inviting creek.  This is a great spot to take a dip in the refreshing water and admire the meandering nature of the 35-foot lower falls.  

Further upstream, only about 100 or so yards from the Lower Falls are the Upper Falls.  This waterfall is also super easy to get to, and there is even a viewing platform for those who do not wish to cross logs and hop from boulder to boulder to get close to the falls.  There are shallow sections to the water here, but especially close to the 60-foot falls, the water gets quite deep.  

Feel free to bring your little ones and get them enjoying some epic nature early! If you are looking for a waterfall that you can have all to yourself that is deep in the woods, this is not it.  This is a very pretty, very accessible, and therefore typically crowded waterfall.  Raven Cliff Falls, Dukes Creek Falls, DeSoto Falls, Anna Ruby Falls, High Shoals Falls, and Horse Trough Falls are all super close and can easily be combined with this hike. 

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Features

Chillin
Photography
Swimming
Hiking
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Forest
Scenic
Waterfall

Reviews

If there is one thing that could be said about this hike is that you get a lot of bang for your buck. In a super short hike you can easily see the scenic upper and lower Helton Creek Falls. Both sections are perfect to take a dip in on a warm summers day. The lower falls have a graceful curvy shape and a mild steepness, while the upper falls is significantly more vertical and about 60 feet tall. If you want to avoid the crowds, simply come early or late on weekends or just come on a weekday.

When it's not crowded this is the place to be. Driving down the gravel road and hitting the bumps are so much fun. If you're having a not so good day, head to Helton. You won't be disappointed.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Blood Mountain via Byron Reece Trailhead

Appalachian Trail from Blood Mountain to Cowrock Mountain

Hike the Trahlyta Lake Trail to Trahlyta Falls

Camp at Vogel State Park

Hike the Bear Hair Gap Trail

Hike to Hogpen Gap