Georgia Natural Wonder #36 - Moccasin Creek Falls and State Park. 757

[Top Row Dawg]

Georgia Natural Wonder #36 - Moccasin Creek Falls and State Park

Known as the park where spring spends the summer, Moccasin Creek State Park is a 32-acre state park nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the western shores of lovely 2,800-acre Lake Burton in Rabun County, the northeast corner of Georgia. Most of these photos today are my own.



Despite its mountain location, the park is relatively flat, offering easy navigation for large RVs, children's bicycles and wheelchairs.



A fully accessible fishing pier sits above a trout-filled creek open only to seniors 65 and older and children 11 and younger, as well as all ages with a Georgia disability fishing license.





Tour the adjacent trout rearing station, hike on several nearby mountain trails or simply relax in this peaceful setting. The parks central location makes it a perfect jumping off spot for mountain exploration. Lake Rabun area falls and Wildcat Creek just down the road south.



"Relax in the cozy family friendly campground, cast a hook in a clear mountain stream or enjoy boating on lovely Lake Burton at Moccasin Creek State Park nestled within the Chattahoochee National Forest."



Moccasin Creek State Park was established in 1963 as a campground, the result of a vision of then-Director of the Georgia Game and Fish Commission, Fulton Lovell. The 32-acre tract was purchased for $63,415 and the park was originally run by the adjacent Lake Burton Fish Hatchery. The new camping area immediately became popular with area boaters and fishermen. Just three years after it was established, the campground was turned over to the State Parks Department because it was too busy for Fish Hatchery personnel to manage. Thus, in 1966, it was renamed Moccasin Creek State Park. In 1993, a lakeside pavilion at the park was named the Fulton Lovell Assembly Shelter in honor of Fulton Lovell.



Lake Burton is a prime spot for skiing, boating and fishing. Kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and canoes can be rented during warmer months.



The park is located on Georgia State Route 197 about 20 miles north of Clarkesville, Georgia.



The adjacent Lake Burton Fish Hatchery offers an opportunity to learn how trout are raised. The Fisheries Management Section manages 500,000 acres of lakes, 12,000 miles of warm water streams and 4,000 miles of trout streams. This section provides high quality sport fishing. Fisheries Management surveys fish populations to determine sound management approaches and set regulations. We construct and maintain public boat ramps and fish attractors, investigate pollution and fish kills, assess environmental reviews, provide technical assistance to environmental agencies, operate fish hatcheries and Public Fishing Areas and sponsor a variety of kids fishing events.



Georgia's approximately 4,000 miles of trout streams are relatively unproductive when compared to streams found in other parts of the country. This is, in part, due to the calcium deficient soils found in north Georgia.Therefore, to meet the demands of over 100,000 trout anglers, stocking and special regulations are used on some streams to maintain acceptable catch rates. The Wildlife Resources Division and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service stock streams with rainbow, brown and brook trout from late March through October.



The number of trout stocked and the stocking frequency depend on a stream's fishing pressure, accessibility, and water conditions. In general, streams on public lands are stocked more often and with greater numbers of trout. Trout fishing opportunities vary and include heavily-stocked high-use streams (better for beginners), wilderness streams, streams with special regulations, and small impoundments. Some "special regulation" streams offer trophy or catch-and-release fishing opportunities.



Trout need clean, cold water to survive and reproduce. Georgians can be good trout managers by using proper land use practices. Trees left along stream banks provide shade to keep water temperatures cold while their root systems help stabilize stream banks and prevent soil from washing into the stream and smothering trout eggs and aquatic insects. Most trout streams are located on private property and the land owner controls access to, and fishing rights in, such streams. It is your responsibility to know when you cross a property line. Always get permission from the land owner before entering or fishing on private property.



The park offers easy access to the Chattahoochee National Forest and its features, such as the Appalachian Trail. One of my favorite waterfall hikes coming up, and why I have this so high on my natural wonders list.



Hemlock Falls Trail, following cascading Moccasin Creek. You go across Hwy. 197 and the trail is plainly visible up the left side of the creek. The trail easily goes to Hemlock Falls in just 1.1 miles, passing 4 other small falls along the creek before it. Most visitors stop there, but the trail continues up to Upper Falls, though it requires wading the creek to get there. That’s the part that I explored once years ago, then I failed a few years back with the kids. I could not find the trail so beware. You gotta be tougher than my kids.


Get in the water don’t just stand on the side.

The trail to Hemlock Falls starts at the end of a rough gravel road opposite Moccasin Creek State Park. The trail is just over a mile long and is an easy, uphill hike. This falls is actually a side branch that is on the other side of the creek from the trail



The first waterfall I encountered on Moccasin Creek itself was a 10 ft slice through rocks, which I thought was in a really nice setting.



Only another 0.1 miles up the creek, there was another 10 ft waterfall, and it required bushwhacking to get to it.



That didn’t take very long and in another 0.1 mi, the next drop occurred, a 10 ft two-step drop that is right before a bridge on the trail crossing to the other side of the creek. Like the first fall, it only required a minimal off-trail scramble to get to it, but I’d only recommend it if you don’t mind risking getting dirty in the mud.



The little falls were coming quickly now, and again in only another 0.1 mi was the next waterfall was a roaring 20 ft drop. It was actually causing some spray, though I was able to keep my lens dry–and I didn’t slip on the wet rocks. This waterfall was a nice setting, and again the greenery was beautiful around it.



I also found Moccasin Creek right above this fall really beautiful with many different rock textures and pools. I made it finally to Hemlock Falls with my dog. This was my old dog from the 1990’s Otis.



I had been there before with a lot of kids swimming there in the big pool below the falls.



No one hardly ever ventures past here. You have already hiked a mile and it is a mile back.



But today's hike is to the Upper Falls on Moccasin Creek in Rabun County. The trail to the upper falls trail continues past Hemlock Falls on Moccasin Creek, on the right bank.



Immediately, the trail gets tougher as it reaches the top of Hemlock Falls.


Dead fall everywhere.

After a few yards, the trail splits with one leg going down over the bank to the creek and one leg continuing up stream. The up-stream trail looks to be the most used and Mark Morrison says there is a high water crossing 300 feet up stream. You will have to cross Moccasin Creek eventually and this is as good a place as any. The water in mid May is knee-deep and swift. But it is less than 50 yards from the top of Hemlock Falls.



Looking back across the creek, this is what the crossing looks like from the other side.



Pick your way upstream at creek level for a little ways keeping an eye out for a path leading up the mountain on the left to an old railroad grade. This was the tricky part last time as it was very overgrown. You must have perseverance and determination, and no teenage kids whining.



Look carefully and you can see the railroad grade up the hillside on the left.



Once you get on the railroad grade, just follow it all the way to the waterfall. The good news is that there is a trail/path all the way! The bad news is it is still a scramble all the way, too!



The feeder streams come off a really steep mountainside. Over many thousands of years, the fast water has dug out deep gullies. The railroad just spanned the gullies with big logs and used them as bridges. The "bridges" are long gone so you have to scramble down into and, up out of, the gullies!



The railroad grade you have been following runs several feet above the creek and doesn't catch up to the creek until it reaches the top of the upper falls. Even so, you get many good views of the whitewater below.



The farther upstream you go the rockier it gets. And the mountainside to the left becomes a massive rock cliff.



In some places the railroad bed is cut from solid granite.



There is a neat medium size boulder field to your left before the last gully.



When you come to the waterfall, there is a path that angles down to the bottom. I went a little past that path up to the left to get a picture of the precipice.



From atop the falls there is even a mini Upper Upper Moccasin Creek falls. Poor Otis is worn slap out.



Back down 10 or 15 yards and scramble down the obvious path to the bottom of the falls. The waterfall is a beauty; I say 40 feet+.



In terms of isolation, character and size, the Upper Falls on Moccasin Creek is one of my favorite waterfalls in Georgia. I guess a lot of that has to do with how hard it is to get there.



Mark your trail in, to assist your hike out. Don’t carry a glass Sosbee Lizard bottle in your back pocket. Doesn’t bode well when you slip on the rocks and land on your bottom. Still a scar on my rump from that 20 years ago. I was cocky back in the 1990’s. I would allow a good four hours, don’t get stuck on this one in the dark. Anyway, I enjoyed that Natural Wonder. Woo I found a GNW gal actually on this hike.



Game weekend so I will next post a more tropical wonder next Monday may be more historical than natural as I really am digging this Georgia coast that I glossed over my entire life.