During the week leading up to the trip, I talked to Mom about the trip and accidentally invited her to join us – without talking to Susan about it first. Mom liked the idea, so I discussed it with Susan and Andrew and they both thought it was a great idea.
This led to another search, this time for a plane ticket for Mom. We thought it would be good to meet her in Atlanta on the way up and drop her off there on the way back. Fine idea, but way too expensive on short notice. So we considered Orlando instead. Again, too expensive and not as convenient to the trip. Finally we tried Melbourne, arriving the night before the trip and leaving the following day. This turned out to be the best price and the most convenient option for everyone, so that’s what we booked.
Friday
Susan and Andrew picked up Mom at the airport Thursday evening, and our road trip began Friday morning. The GPS routed us across Florida through Orlando, then up I-75 towards Atlanta, then around the bypass and finally up to Dawsonville. Along the way, we planned a stop at our first State Park – High Falls.High Falls State Park is located minutes east of I-75. Our first stop was the visitor center to buy our Georgia Park Pass for the day. Then we walked down the short trail to the falls.
The river dropped slowly over large sheets of rock and was very inviting, but signs everywhere said to stay off the rocks. That was a very hard rule to obey. We might have climbed on a rock or two while we were there.
Saturday
The next morning, we planned to see Amicalola State Park, Brasstown Bald, and the Bavarian town Helen. After doing our Insanity workout in the cramped motel room, we grabbed a bite and were on our way.Amicalola Falls State Park contains the highest waterfall in the southeast. We arrived at the visitor center and picked up our park pass and map. While there, we talked to two naturalists who were showing owls. They told us to be at the lodge at 1:00 to see and hear more. We got back in the car and drove up the steep winding road to the lodge at the top of the falls.
From the lodge, we walked down a trail, crossed over a part of the Appalachian Trail, and arrived at the top of the falls. From there, it was an easy 200+ stairs down to the falls viewpoint. The hike was worth it, as the falls are amazing. The only thing that could have made them better would have been a rainbow through the mist.
The hike back up to the lodge was a little less easy, but we made it in time for the raptor presentation. The lady leading the discussion was both informative and entertaining. The kids were all leaning forward to get a better look and to hear what she had to say. The birds put on a good show too, each pooping on the floor, causing the kids to break out in laughter.
The next destination was Brasstown Bald mountain, but along the way, we made a quick stop at Vogel State Park. Vogel State Park is down in a valley and has a nice lake with a beach and boat rentals. We explored the beach area, then continued to our next planned stop.
The next stop of the day was Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia. We arrived just after 5:00, so the visitor center and gift shop was closed for the day. Regardless, we hiked the 0.6 mile paved trail up to the observation area at the top.
According to the placards, you could see Tennessee and the Carolinas, but it was far too hazy for that.
After the hike back to the car, Andrew wanted to go for another hike to another waterfall. it was too early to call it a day, but it was getting too late to drive to another park. We decided to stop a Anna Ruby Falls in Unicoi State Park, just outside Helen. We arrived just before sunset and the road to the falls was closed. Andrew was anxious to see something, so we parked the car and hiked a little ways into the woods along the creek that was surely downstream of the falls. We didn't get far before we realized that we wouldn't make it before dark, so we returned to the car.
Our last stop of the day was Helen. Helen is a small town with a Bavarian theme. It was crazy busy with people and cars everywhere. We found a place to park, then began our search for somewhere interesting to eat. We found a place called The Troll Tavern with outside seating along the Chattahoochee River. The place was rowdy due to a Georgia football game that was being shown on several TVs. During dinner, a fireworks show erupted from the other side of the river, adding to the festive mood.
Sunday
The plans for the day included visits to Tallulah Gorge and Black Rock Mountain, and perhaps another waterfall somewhere along the way.Tallulah Gorge State Park is home to the Tallulah Gorge, a two mile, 1000 feet deep wonder. Our first stop was a gift shop, where we picked up some peach cider and mailed some postcards. Then we drove across the bridge to the north rim, bought another day pass, and parked at the Visitor Center. As we stepped out of the car, the rain started to fall. It had been threatening to rain all weekend, and now it finally started to drizzle. Luckily, it didn't last long.
Outside the Visitor Center, the trails lead to five overlooks. We hiked to all of them and they were all fantastic. One trail led down to the base of Hurricane Falls, crossing a suspension bridge along the way. With the encouragement of another family, we decided that Mom could manage the hike to the bridge and back.
The trail down to the falls was basically a series of staircases with numbered platforms with benches along the way. According to the sign, the trip down and back was over 1000 stairs.
The trail ended just above the pool below the falls. To continue into the gorge, you'd need a special permit from the Visitor Center.
After several hours in the gorge, we ate lunch and continued on to Black Rock Mountain State Park. Black Rock Mountain is the highest state park in Georgia. It is very close to the North Carolina border and the Great Smoky Mountains. When we reached the top and walked down to the lookout, we were surprised to meet a couple from Washington, who offered to take our picture and gave us their park map.
On the way back down the mountain road, we stopped at the campground and hiked the short 0.25 mile trail down to Ada-hi Falls. We were not prepared for what we found at the end of the trail. The falls were, um, how should I say it, cute I suppose. The hike back up the trail made me reminisce of Washington. The sky was getting dark, the air was moist with humidity, and the temperature was cooling quickly - a typical day in the northwest. If only I could find a slug, the feeling would have been completely realized.
Monday
The final day of the trip was all about the drive home and a stop at Stone Mountain. That said, we still found some time after breakfast to take some pictures of an old train in Gainesville before heading south.Stone Mountain is an enormous rock with a carving of southern Civil War heroes. It is amazing. We could have easily spent half a day exploring the trails and climbing to the top, but we didn't have time.
We stopped a few more times on the way home. The first was a family produce stand, where we ate lunch and bought peaches. The others were for gas and a quick bite along the way.
The trip was a complete success and reminded me how much I love the mountains. Having Mom along to share the experience made it even better.
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