Tallulah Gorge Park Trails

Tallulah Gorge State Park Hiking

Tallulah Gorge is one of the oldest geological features in North America. Being one of the most spectacular canyons in the eastern U.S., it is two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep. Home of Tallulah Gorge, an ancient, awesome 1000-foot chasm carved over millions of years by the Tallulah River, Tallulah Falls is actually a series of six waterfalls cascading down through Tallulah Gorge.

Visitors can hike rim trails to several overlooks, or they can obtain a free permit to hike down to the gorge floor (limit 100 per day, not available during scheduled water releases). A suspension bridge sways 80 feet above the rocky bottom, providing spectacular views of the river and the top of Hurricane Falls. 

The North and South Rim Trails consist of 3 miles round-trip which will take approximately 2 hours to hike. It is a mulched trail with exposed roots that is a leisurely walk. From the Interpretive Center there is a recycled rubber tire trail that accesses Overlooks 2 and 3.

North Rim Trail – Access this trail behind Interpretive Center. It is approximately 3/4-mile one-way, moderate with some inclines and stairs. This trail has five Scenic Overlooks described below:

Ø  Inspiration Point - Best southern view into the gorge. Oceana Falls is below with a view of the amphitheatre / horseshoe bend rock formation. Gorge depth is 900 plus feet.

Ø  View of Oceana Falls, with Bridal Veil Falls at the far end of the gorge. Tightrope walker Karl Wallenda walked from this overlook to his tower on the south rim in 1970.

Ø  View of L’Eau d’Or (pronounced Ladore) Falls, top of Tempesta Falls, and Hawthorne Cascade and Pool. Gorge depth is 350 feet.

Ø  View of L’Eau d’ Or Falls, Hawthorne Pool, and remains of a water compressor plant used in building Tallulah Falls Dam.

Ø  Good view of Tallulah Falls Dam (completed in 1913) and upper portions of the gorge.

Ø  View of upper gorge and southern view to Hawthorne Pool and Overlooks 2 and 3. Gorge depth is 250 feet.

South Rim Trail – Located on the opposite side of the gorge from the Interpretive Center and is approximately 3/4-mile one-way, moderate with inclines. This trail has five Scenic Overlooks described below:

Ø  View of Hawthorne Pool, North Rim Trail Overlooks 2 and 3, top of Tempesta Falls and down gorge towards Hurricane Falls. Gorge depth is 350 feet.

Ø  View of Hawthorne Pool, Tempesta Falls and Pool. Gorge depth is 400 feet.

Ø  View of Hurricane Falls and Pool, “Devil’s Pulpit” outcrop below, and the Interpretive Center is across the gorge. Gorge depth is 500 feet.

Ø  View of Hurricane Falls, Oceana Falls, Caledonia Cascade (600 feet), and North Rim Overlook 1. Gorge depth is 650 feet.

Ø  View of Caledonia Cascade and the Wallenda north tower area. Bluff to far right is approximately 1,000 feet high.

The Tallulah Falls Rail-Trail (also known as the Short Line Trail) spins a short, smooth circuit through Tallulah Gorge State Park. From its trailhead beside Tallulah Falls Lake, the 1.7-mile paved path meanders through a beautiful southern Appalachian forest and crosses a small suspension bridge over the Tallulah River. You can ride out and back or combine the trail with a short road segment to form a loop.