Located in Northwest GA, the famous Cloudland Canyon Georgia State Park is honestly one of the coolest spots in Georgia! This 3,485 acre park opened in 1939. If you’re into waterfalls, killer mountain views, and epic hiking trails, you’ve totally found the right place. I can’t even tell you how much I love this park. I have been to this park numerous times for school trips mostly. We actually had a field class here when I was in college to observe the different ecosystems present in Cloudland Canyon which is one of the notable Georgia State Parks.
Cloudland Canyon State Park is where I first laid eyes on a real waterfall, and oh man, it was incredible! Honestly, words just don’t do it justice—you really need to check it out yourself. With those awesome sandstone formations all over the place, the cool forest trails meandering by the creeks, and that refreshing splash of water dripping from the rock walls hitting you right in the face as you stroll through, it’s got a little bit of everything. If you’re looking for a taste of nature in one spot, this is totally the place to be within Georgia State Parks. This particular park is not super close to the Atlanta area, maybe about an hour or two away. One cool thing about this park this that they do have campgrounds and cabin areas if you want to sleep overnight.
Waterfalls
The two waterfalls you will discover at this Park are Hemlock Falls and Cherokee Falls. You can hike the steep popular Waterfall Trail via stairs. I will tell you that this trail will take some work so make sure you’re ready for a lot of leg work. Cherokee Falls is the steepest hike out of the two Waterfall Trails. These hikes may take a lot of effort but it’s worth it in the Cloudland Canyon area nearby other Georgia State Parks.
During the Waterfall Trail, you will be led through a stretch of boardwalk and steep stairs. The trail splits away from the Western part of the Park and turns into a picture-ready oasis within the Cloudland Canyon area, which is an admired part of Georgia State Parks.
Reservations
You will be happy to know that Cloudland Canyon provides a lot of accommodations for your convenience and enjoyment. This Park provides reservations for campsites, picnic areas, cottages and cave tours. You can make reservations for any of these accommodations on the GA State Park website.
Additional Amenities
- 10 Yurts
- Bike rentals
- Terrain Action Trackchairs for people who use Wheelchairs | Reservations are required | These chairs can be utilized at several State Parks including Cloudland Canyon
- 74 RV/Tent Campsites
- 6 Picnic Shelters
- 19 Cottages
- EV Charging Stations for electric vehicles
- Disc Golf
- Trails for Horseback Riding
- Enchroma Glasses | These are available upon request and you will need to fill out a form to obtain due to a limited number of glasses
Parking
The parking has been pretty decent the couple of times I’ve been at this Park. There is a $5 parking fee and an annual pass is valid for all State Parks in Georgia, including Cloudland Canyon, for $50. As mentioned with Additional Amenities, EV charging is also available for electric vehicles. Georgia State Parks like Cloudland Canyon offer good parking facilities which can be convenient when planning a visit.