Georgia Natural Wonder #109 - Long Creek Falls - Suches. 1,016

[Top Row Dawg]

Georgia Natural Wonder #109 - Long Creek Falls - Suches

We explored the Jones Creek Falls with GNW #86.  I talked about loving to drive the Winding Stair Gap Forest Service Road 77. Halfway between Suches and Dahlonega lies the Winding Stair Gap Road. From Dahlonega you go west on GA 52. From Ellijay you go east on GA 52 and go past Amicalola State Park. From either direction, go North on Nimblewill Church Rd. (It loops around and intersects twice with 52). When you get to the church from either direction, find Forest Service road (FS 28-1) and go north again. You drive a mile or so and fork left on Forest Service Road (FS 77). This is the Winding Stair Gap Road. It follows the ridge overlooking Penitentiary Cove to the east and Jones Creek to the west. It is really something in the winter because you get a view both ways on a seemingly razor thin ridge. You see the Frank Merrill Ranger Camp water tower down on the right. We talked about that our last waterfall post GNW #107  Waterfalls of Camp Merrill and Camp Wahsega. You come up to the Appalachian Trail and all the different roads at the top of the mountain. This is the Three Forks. So if you're looking for a shortcut through the mountains or just out for a scenic drive through the forest, check out Winding Stair Gap Road (FS 77).



We have several future Georgia natural Wonders in this area and we have already done a tangent on Fannin County. I wanted to bring you to Long Creek Falls and use it as an excuse to tangent a little on the Appalachian Trail in this section with a couple of short hikes I found to some wonderful spots right on the edge of this first and southern wave of of mountains from the Three Forks over to Suches and Woody Gap.



All this adventure all around, the Three Forks spot is pretty cool. There are four roads intersecting here (FS 77) and FS 58) are the two coming up the ridge. Then you have (FS 42) Following the ridge and the Appalachian Trail along this ridge, it counts for two roads leading from the Three Forks. 



We have explained how to get here from Hwy 52, the south. Directions from Blue Ridge: Take GA Hwy. 515 .8 mile east to Windy Ridge Road. Turn right and go .2 mile to the dead end with Old US Hwy. 76. Turn left, go .2 miles to Aska Rd. Turn right and go 13.5 miles to the end of the road. Turn right on Newport Road, go 4.5 miles. Turn left onto Doublehead Gap Road, and continue .8 mile to the intersection with USFS Road 58 on the right. Turn onto USFS 58 and go 5.3 miles to Three Forks. Noontootla Creek, a great trout stream is on your right as you go up the hill. Now you have three ways to get to the Three Forks.

Long Creek Falls: Appalachian Trail from Three Forks

The adventure departs from a trailhead on Forest Road 58, following the Appalachian Trail northeast. Long Creek flows parallel to the AT on the trail’s left, running clear and broad over a colorfully-graveled creek bed. The hike follows two iconic, long-distance hiking trails: the white rectangle-blazed Appalachian Trail has converged with the white diamond-blazed Benton MacKaye Trail – and both blazes mark the trail to the waterfall. Long Creek Falls Trail is an almost 2 mile round trip trek that offers an easy-to-moderate climb along the combined Appalachian Trail, Benton MacKaye, Sec. I and the Duncan Ridge Trail to a beautiful waterfall that flows fully even in the middle of the summer. For through hikers the falls are only a short distance from the main trail making this side trip well worth the few minutes (and steps) to the falls.


TRD at Falls.

Any trail that ends in a waterfall is a great trail, by definition, and Long Creek Falls is no exception. Well known to through hikers, in the past few years these wide, full falls have become a destination for day hikers as well, frequently filling the parking area near Three Forks. In fact, this portion of the trail and the parking lot is so heavily used that we strongly recommend a trip to the falls on a weekday.



To the west from the parking area at Three Forks is the bridge spanning Chester Creek. To the east the trail will take you to Long Creek Falls. The footpath begins a gradual rise in elevation along Long Creek. This creek, along with Chester Creek and Stovall Creek join at Three Forks to form Noontootla Creek, a tributary of the Toccoa River. The trail passes through a wide plain of grass, ascending gradually with the creek nearby. A few feet in is a sign indicating that Long Creek Falls is 1 mile (at this point it is actually less than that and on our GPS we measured a total one way length of .96 miles).



Shortly after the sign is a break, sharpened stumps intended to prevent motorized vehicles, mountain bikes and horses from accessing the hiking path. It has long been a problem in this area, specifically with mountain bikes. The Forest Service is aware of the problem and routinely patrols the area.



The path follows Long Creek throughout the journey to the falls, only once moving away from the creek a short distance into a cove to cross an unnamed, frequently dry stream that empties into the creek. The path is a favorite of ours because it does parallel Long Creek; the flowing stream lends a comforting sound to the hike.The trail climbs elevation, rising above the creek’s banks. Side trails depart on the trail’s left, leading to a series of small, tumbling waterfalls on Long Creek. As the path climbs the drop to the stream reaches 80 feet at one point and cascades along the way are so loud that they can mislead a hiker into thinking they have reached the falls.



Just before the Duncan Ridge and Benton MacKaye Trail leaves the Appalachian Trail, the path to Long Creek Falls is marked by a trail sign. A few steps leads you to these wide, almost always full falls. The sound can be overwhelming, especially after a rain. Long Creek tumbles over some small rocks, then widens over a single large rock, fanning out and dropping to a clear, shallow pond beneath the falls.
There are no facilities on or near the trail.



At .8 mile, the hike meets a signed intersection: a blue-blazed trail leads north to Long Creek Falls, the Benton MacKaye Trail departs northwest, and the Appalachian Trail continues its epic, 2200+ mile hike north to Maine.



This hike follows the blue-blazed trail, reaching the double-tiered waterfall at just under 1 mile.



The stunningly beautiful waterfall tumbles over 50 feet, cascading twice over the lower and upper waterfalls before tumbling into a deep, calm, blue pool below.



Hemlock trees soar high into the sky above the waterfall, and dark green rhododendrons frame the creek’s cascade as it drops from the sharp, sheer rock cliff.


TRD cools his hade.

Large strewn boulders and rock outcrops provide a shaded resting spot for viewing the waterfall.



This is one of our all-time favorite spots in Georgia: the waterfall is simply beautiful, and the rhododendron-choked valley is lush in every season.


Looking at my pictures compared to the net, I may not have made it it to Long Creek falls, instead I got fooled by the early cascade.



Departing the waterfall, the hike retraces the blue-blazed side trail and the Appalachian Trail to the FR 58 trailhead and completing the adventure at just under 2 miles. It is a worthy destination.


These are not the same falls, hell y'all better google the directions too. Time for a revisit.

Note: slippery rocks and fast moving water can be extremely dangerous! Please don’t climb, stand on, swim near, or jump from any waterfall.

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Going east from the Three Forks on (FS 42), you head roughly along the first ridge and the AT. After a few mile you can go left and north back down to Hwy. 60 on Forest Service Road (FS 69). We came up this road a little bit in our GNW #105 - Little Rock Creek Falls – Fall Branch Falls - Fannin County. This drive along FS 42 is wonderful as it crosses the AT several times. At one point (FS 80) goes right back down to Camp Merrill. The AT goes left up the sharp hill. We explored up this trail a little bit and found this great boulder and overlook.



Now looking at my map, this is between Hawk Mountain and Gooch Mountain. Sorry I can't give better directions, pretty sure it is uphill AT right at intersections of (FS 42) and (FS 80).



Once we made a turn up a steep road and it dead-ended into a Four Wheel Drive path that ended on a rocky peak marked for helicopter landing Ranger training I suppose. Was rambling blindly. By god we made it up that hill in the FWD though.


Winter hikes and drives are the bomb diggity. All three of these photos from same boulder.

You keep going east on (FS 42) and you eventually wind your way back to Suches just north of Woody Gap.

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Suches is an Unincorporated community in Union County, Georgia, United States. With an elevation approaching 3,000 feet, Suches describes itself as "The Valley Above The Clouds"' and is one of the highest-elevation communities in the state.



It is the birthplace of Arthur Woody, a forest ranger who was a key figure in the early history of Chattahoochee National Forest. Suches is approximately one mile north from the Appalachian Trail (AT) as it passes through Woody Gap.



The local school is Woody Gap School, the smallest public (charter) school in the state of Georgia.



It has 65 students in grades K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 5 to 1.



The historical marker in front of the school lists it as the homestead of Joseph E. Brown, governor of Georgia during the Civil War.



The current businesses in Suches include Two Wheels of Suches,



Biker Mecca.



High Valley Resort, Budget Propane, the general store, Mountain Property Limited (the local realtor), and the U.S. Post Office.



Suches is an attraction to many for it’s beautiful views and mountainous terrain.



All seasons.



Suches is also known for it’s steep curvy road which attracts many bicyclists and motorcyclists.





The cliffs along 60.


I rappelled this cliff back in the 1980's.

Until recently, the annual Tour de Georgia bicycle race has gone through Suches on its way to Dahlonega.



There are two main highways that travel through the area: State Highway 60 and State Highway 180.


60 gets the views going north to Woody Gap from Dahlonega.


180 really twist south from Vogel State Park.


Motor Bikes have been a fascination to Georgians for decades.

Wooooooo! We get to rank the GNW Gal of the day again. Biker Club Babes in Suches.