Georgia Natural Wonder #41 - Lake Rabun Area. 958

[Top Row Dawg]

Georgia Natural Wonder #41 - Lake Rabun Area

There are five waterfall hikes around this lake to bring it up on my list of natural wonders, including one of the best falls in Georgia. Then there is the nostalgic drive among 1930’s cottages and colorful boathouses. The driver must concentrate on this small winding road, but this is truly a magical spot in Georgia. Directions: From the Tallulah Gorge bridge, go 1.7 miles north on US 441 and turn left on old 441. Go 2.5 miles and turn left on Lake Rabun Road.



Nestled deep in rolling mountains, Lake Rabun’s winding shoreline and glassy waters are a favorite North Georgia destination for hiking, boating, kayaking, and camping. Just below the lake’s dam, the Tallulah River plummets in a series of enormous waterfalls deep in the steep-walled depths of Tallulah Gorge.


Tallullah Gorge - An original of the 7 Natural Wonders of Georgia

Lake Rabun has been a popular recreation area for many years. Houses and cottages were built on its shores as early as the 1930s, and today its 25-mile shoreline is dotted with homes. Georgia Power Company, which owns most of the shoreline and leases land for homes, limits development, so sprawling motel complexes are not present. This 8-mile drive is winding and scenic, offering a stop at the popular Rabun Beach Recreation Area located just off Lake Rabun Road. You pass Hall's Boat House in the little town of Lakemont. We mention Lake Rabun Hotel & Restaurant, Bear gap Outfitters and Glen-Ella Springs hotel and restaurant. There are certainly others, perhaps home rental for a weekend blast with friends.



It ends at the very top of Lake Rabun at the base of the dam on Lake Seed at the Nacoochee Park Recreation Area.



It offers picnic tables and restrooms just off Lake Rabun Road.



Lake Rabun is a twisty 835-acre reservoir with 25 miles of shoreline located in the Northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Georgia in Rabun County. It is the third lake in a six-lake series that follows the original course of the Tallulah River. The series begins with Lake Burton as the northernmost lake, followed by Lake Seed, Lake Rabun, Lake Tallulah Falls, Lake Tugalo, and Lake Yonah. Lake Rabun was built in a deep valley located along a 10-mile section of the Tallulah River.



The lakes are owned and operated by the Georgia Power Company to generate hydroelectric energy for Georgia's largest city, Atlanta. At one time these lakes were the largest producers of electricity in the state of Georgia. Now, they only provide peak power supply.

History

Lake Rabun began filling in May 1915 with the completion of the Mathis Dam to form a reservoir of over ten million gallons covering 834 acres with a normal water level of 1,690 feet above mean sea level. The property was purchased by the Georgia Railway and Power Company (later renamed Georgia Power Company). The Mathis Dam is an ambursen-type concrete dam with a height of 108 feet and a span of 660 feet. The Terrora Hydroelectric Plant at Mathis Dam has a generation capacity of 16,000 kilowatts. The reservoir elevation is listed as 1,683 feet on topographic maps, but Georgia Power considers the lake full at an elevation of 1,689.6 feet



Mathis Dam was completed in 1915, but the lake was not actually impounded until almost ten years later. This delay was due to construction of a mile long tunnel dug between the lake and the power generator at Tallulah Falls. By 1925 the lake became a haven for many residents of Atlanta, who would make the day long trip by car to enjoy the area. Lake Rabun at an elevation of 1689 feet , with a surface area of 835 acres and 25 miles of shoreline, is the second largest lake in the six lake chain. While not as large as Lake Burton, Rabun offers water skiing, fishing, and wonderful afternoon cruises.



Family members have been building memories and community on Lake Rabun since 1915. The Lake Rabun Association, was chartered on October, 25 1928 as a succeeding organization to the “Lakemont Boat Club.” The list of charter members read like Atlanta’s Who’s Who of the 1920’s. The original LRA became inactive shortly thereafter due to the Great Depression. The current Lake Rabun Association was formed in 1970 and remains very active on both the lake and in Rabun County.



Lake Rabun Today

Lake Rabun remains a haven for many families. With a proximity of only 90 miles from Atlanta, it is the perfect getaway from the heat and traffic of Atlanta summers. The traditions and love for the lake remain constant, even as vintage wood boats and modern jet skis cross paths. The community is very strong and active due to the efforts of the Lake Rabun Association.



The Lake Rabun Hotel and Louie’s on the Lake restaurants are the favored hang outs for the community. Fridays seem to be the night to enjoy some incredible pizza at Louie’s while the regulars move to The Lake Rabun Hotel for the latest in farm to table cuisine on Saturdays.



Daytime activities are centered on enjoying the water. Early morning ski clubs enjoy the glassy waters before the tubing and jet skis get going. When the days wind down cocktail cruises begin and some very rare and classic wood boats, cruising the lake at near idle speed, begin to appear.



Whether you’re religious or not, Sunday morning Boat Church in Hall’s Cove is worth a wake-up call. The dress code is pajama friendly, and though the thirty-minute floating service is run by Clayton First United Methodist Church, all are welcome. The sound of the choir’s voices echoing off the mountains will beckon you back long after you’ve gone.


Boat parades and floating church service have been going on for a while on Lake Rabun.

4th of July Traditions

Lake Rabun has a rich and unique Fourth of July celebration that is sponsored and coordinated by the Lake Rabun Association. Each year there is a wooden boat parade that follows the shore lines of the lake. Prizes are given to the most decorated boat and boat house.



Another tradition is the Rabun Ramble Road Race, a 5K & 10K, that winds along the shores of the north side of the lake. The race is a marathon qualifier attracting both serious runners and families alike with over 800 participants each year. The race is a fundraiser event providing funds for the Lake Rabun Foundation that gives back to the local community. In the evening a spectacular fireworks display is given directly on the lake. Spectators watch the display from hundreds of boats crowded along the lower basin of the lake.



Beyond the summer, Lake Rabun is an ideal spot for enjoying all four seasons of the year.



Every other year, the LRA conducts a tour of homes which is open to the public. The tour is designed to raise money for local scholarships and other worthy area causes. The LRA sells up to 600 tickets with the tour starting at the historic Hall's Boathouse Marina.



Lake Homes

Due to the large growth of Atlanta in recent years, Lake Rabun has become a second home to some of the most wealthy and politically connected individuals in the state of Georgia. Although Lake Rabun has experienced a huge housing boom due to leased lots by the Georgia Power Company, most home owners are summer weekend residents. Due to the small size of the lake and strong home owners association, and powerful board members, the lake has resisted many attempts to further commercialize and potentially damage its quaint appeal.



Lake Rabun Hotel & Restaurant

Memorable experiences have been daily fare at the historic Lake Rabun Hotel & Restaurant in the small arts village of Lakemont, Georgia, since 1922. Located near Clayton, Georgia in the Blue Ridge Mountains, our hotel is across the street from beautiful Lake Rabun. It was named one of the top hotels in North America because of its authenticity and sense of place by National Geographic Traveler. The unique mountain architecture and rustic flavor have inspired past and present owners to preserve the magical atmosphere that so many have come to love. We think you will too. There is nowhere else like it.



Once you’ve settled in, slip into your swimsuit. The hotel rents both pontoon boats and kayaks. Mornings - just as the sun peeks over the mountains and steam rises off the water - are the best time for a quiet paddle before the skiing, wakeboarding, and tubing commence.

Boating Lake Rabun

Or crank up a pontoon and putter over to the historic Hall’s Boathouse, a marina residents saved from development in the 1980s, for a six-pack, ice, and picnic provisions. Ask to poke your head in the boat shop, where vintage Chris-Crafts, Centurys, Gar Woods, and Hackers get refinished and repaired. Also known Lake Rabun Boat House, this is a gathering spot for locals with slips for lease, a store, and a service shop. However, you can still find Lake Rabun boat rentals here. Visitors can rent pontoon boats for half a day or a full day depending on their needs.



You can take out a pontoon boat for half or whole days when you rent with Bear Gap Outfitters, and the friendly and knowledgeable staff are always happy to arrange rentals for single families or larger groups. They’re well known for helping travelers have a memorable and fun time. Once you’re out of the water, you can use some rented water skis or wake boards to get your adrenaline up, or simply soak in a beautiful North Georgia day. Along with the rentals, you may opt to let someone from Bear Gap Outfitters do the driving and take a sunset or stargazing cruise along the lake on one of their pontoon boats. They also offer cruises in their classic Century ski boat.


Damn this may be same boat.

A boat launch area is near the swimming area at Rabun Beach Recreation Area, if you bring your own watercraft.

Glen-Ella Springs Inn & Restaurant

No matter which of these Lake Rabun boat rentals you use, you can be sure you’ll have a good time on your North Georgia getaway with a stay at Glen-Ella Springs. Our rustic yet elegant accommodations will keep you in the utmost comfort while you enjoy Clarkesville and the North Georgia Mountains. The variety of rooms and suites available at our inn means that you’ll be able to find the perfect place to call your home away from home. Each morning you’ll be treated to a full homemade breakfast, so you’ll have the fuel to start your day of adventuring on Lake Rabun. Our onsite Restaurant is one of the best fine dining establishments in the area, and you’ll find inventive dishes using fresh local ingredients on our menu, which changes seasonally. We know that you’ll have a memorable trip when you stay at Glen-Ella Springs! We can’t wait to see you soon!



To replenish the calories you’ve burned, take the boat to Louie’s on the Lake - which feels like a retro summer-camp dining hall sans KP duty - and you’ll be rewarded with a just-greasy-enough slice of pizza and one of the lake’s best sunset views.



RABUN BEACH RECREATION AREA AND HIKING TRAIL. Located amidst lovely mountain scenery of 934-acre Lake Rabun, the hiking trail starts from camping area number two on Joe Branch and goes .5 mile to Panther Falls and 1 mile to Angel Falls. From late spring until July, the trail travels through an outstanding display of flowering rhododendron.

Directions: From the Tallulah Gorge bridge, go 1.7 miles north on US 441 and turn left on old 441. Go 2.5 miles and turn left on Lake Rabun Road. It is 5 miles to the campground.

Facilities: two camping areas on the opposite side of the road from the beach contain 80 campsites, restrooms.

Activities: Hiking, boating, fishing, swimming.

For more information: Rabun Beach Recreation Area, Chattahoochee National Forest, Tallulah Ranger District, 825 Highway 441 South, PO Box 438, Clayton, GA 30525. Phone (706) 782-3320.



Cradled in the hills of the North Georgia Mountains overlooking beautiful Lake Rabun, this developed recreation area offers camping and hiking. Across the road, the lake offers plenty of water activities like swimming, boating, fishing, and ample opportunities to absorb the peaceful lake scenery.



Lake Rabun is located in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, a place of exploration and wonder. This National Forest is rich in history and is said to be a hiker's paradise with its winding trails, scenic mountains and rolling hills.



At the rear of the campground, visitors will find the trailhead for the popular Angel Falls/Panther Falls Hiking Trail (trail length 1.7 miles). The swim area has two picnic tables, a roped-off area for swimmers and restrooms. A boat launch area is near the swimming area. Lake Rabun is home to bass, bream, perch, trout and catfish. Check State regulations before you fish.



Tangent on above photo………

A 14-lb., 2-oz. walleye caught Friday, Feb. 19 2016 at Lake Rabun has been certified as a new state record. Guide Wes Carlton, one of GON‘s long-time fishing report contributors, caught the fish during a trip to Rabun with one of his regular customers and a mutual friend.

“We started out that morning fishing for largemouth,” Wes said. “The bite was slow, so after about 20 minutes, I said, ‘Let’s go catch a walleye.'”

The surface temperature was 44 to 45 degrees that morning, and Wes said this time of year he expects to find walleye over an 18- to 35-foot bottom. He marked some fish on his electronics and dropped live blueback herring on three downlines. He also put out one flatline behind the boat and had just cast a jig with a crappie minnow toward the bank and was bouncing it back toward the boat when he noticed one of the downlines was getting bit.

“She actually bit four times before I got a hook in her,” Wes said. “I just happened to grab the rod. Guides typically stick a lot of fish and hand the rod off, and this time I grabbed it.”

WRD fisheries biologists and technicians have worked hard to establish a viable walleye fishery in north Georgia through a hatchery and stocking program.

Facilities:

The campground offers 80 campsites, 21 of these campsites have electricity and a majority have water. The restroom facilities include hot water showers. Each campsite includes a grill, picnic table and lantern post. The campground features one group campsite which includes five campsites. Firewood can be purchased at the campground. On-site camp hosts are available and the campground features a boat ramp and dump station.



Visitors to the campground can enjoy nearby Anna Ruby Falls; Brasstown Bald Recreation Area (Georgia's highest point); Minnehaha Falls; Panther Creek Falls; Tallulah Gorge State Park; Clayton, GA; historic Lakemont, GA; whitewater rafting on the Chattooga River.


Lakemount Village.

Panther Falls and Angel Falls

Near the historic lakeside town of Lakemont, the Angel Falls Trail explores two tumbling waterfalls, Panther Falls and Angel Falls, in a beautiful creek valley. Hiking less than two miles, round trip, the trail is a fantastic family-friendly hike for campers at the Lake Rabun Beach Campground, and worthy of a visit for anyone exploring the namesake lake of Rabun County.



Angel Falls Trail: the hike

The adventure begins at a trailhead in Loop 2 of the Lake Rabun Beach Campground. The trail follows Joe Creek upstream, crossing a wooden bridge and catching sight of a small, multi-tiered waterfall near the trailhead. The hike ascends stone stairs, climbing elevation into a sun-dappled forest filled with fern, rhododendron and mountain laurel.



The hike continues to ascend, with Joe Creek tumbling over a rocky creek bed on the trail’s right side. The hike reaches a historic, moss-covered stone bench at .3 mile, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps at the site of a small spring in the early 20th century. Now diverted, the spring once flowed through the stone channel below the bench, a source of water for the nearby CCC camp.



The trail passes a large, rocky, mossy outcrop on the right before crossing two bridges, and the sound of tumbling water grows louder. The trail reaches Panther Falls at just under .6 mile, where Joe Creek cascades down a stair-stepped rock outcrop into a tranquil pool of water below.


Panther Falls

Departing Panther Falls, the hike hangs a right, climbing the trail’s steepest stretch through a sharp switchback. (Metal cables serve as a safety railing on this stretch of the trail; take extra caution with dogs and children.) The hike climbs, reaching a trail loop; a turn in either direction leads to Angel Falls.


Angel Falls.

The trail reaches this hike’s second waterfall at .9 miles, catching views of Angel Falls from a wooden platform. Above, the waterfall cascades down over an angled, multi-tiered rock face framed in leafy rhododendron.



Departing the waterfall, the hike retraces its outbound steps to the trailhead. The hike reaches the trailhead at the Rabun Beach Campground at 1.75 miles, finishing the adventure.

Minnehaha Falls

This is the hike to the fall I said was one of the best in Georgia. My daughters sit on it in my signature photos. This .2-mile trail follows Fall Branch until it dead-ends at 50-foot-high Minnehaha Falls.


Top Row (midway) Minnehaha Falls

Directions: From the Rabun Beach Recreation Area above, continue past the recreation area for 1 mile and turn left, crossing the river below Lake Seed Dam. Follow the left fork of the road for 1.7 miles to a sign marking the trail on the right side of the road.

Near the banks of Lake Rabun, Falls Creek cascades down into a beautiful forest, forming one of North Georgia’s most popular waterfalls. Minnehaha Falls spills over a cliff in a gorgeous, multi-tiered falls before continuing downstream to the Lake Rabun shore. The trail is exceptionally short, and an easy one as well. But it’s well worth a visit on a warm spring or summer afternoon to catch views of this outstandingly beautiful waterfall.



The waterfall’s unique name derives from the Dakota (Native American) word for ‘waterfall.’ (No, it doesn’t translate as ‘small laugh’ – but it is often misspelled ‘minihaha.’) It’s also a common place name in Minnesota, and the state has its own Minnehaha Falls: a single-drop, 50-foot waterfall in Minneapolis. The beauty of this taller, multi-tiered North Georgia waterfall, despite the trail’s short length, makes it well worth a visit. It’s especially kid-friendly, too.

Minnehaha Falls Trail: the hike

The hike departs the trailhead, marked with a green diamond and the number 147, located off the unpaved Bear Gap Road near Lakemont, Georgia (view maps and driving directions). The hike ascends a wooden staircase, trekking southwest toward the waterfall.



The hike gently rolls elevation, trekking on a well-worn trail beside Falls Creek. Gnarly-branched rhododendron cover the landscape; their blue-green leaves a contrast to Georgia’s iron-rich, orange-tinged soil. The rhododendron’s thick, leathery leaves are evergreen, making the hike green and color-filled hike in any season.



The waterfall quickly becomes audible, thundering down into the creek valley. Several smaller waterfalls form the waterfall’s lower falls, visible from the trail between thickets of dense rhododendron.



The hike reaches Minnehaha Falls at just under .2 mile, entering a clearing below the waterfall. Several enormous, scattered boulders dot the landscape below the falls. The crest of the waterfall towers overhead, Falls Creek spilling from down over sharply angled terraces.



After admiring the falls from a distance, the hike retraces its outbound steps, reaching the Bear Gap Road trailhead at just under .4 mile and completing the adventure.



I throw in two more hikes since so close.

Crow Creek Falls (34.77415, -83.52367):

Crow Creek Falls is less a waterfall and more a series of “mini-falls”. It is not a marked waterfall nor does it have much in the way of parking. From Minnehaha Falls go down Bear Gap Road back to the west. Go about 1.5 miles and you’ll take a left on Low Gap Road (this little “intersection” usually has four or five dogs lounging around in the sun – drive carefully!!). If you get back to the dam on your left, you’ve gone too far. Go a short distance on Low Gap Road and stay straight (slightly veer to the right) down Crow Creek Road (there is a sign). Go down Crow Creek Road for about 3.7 miles. Drive slow as you’ll usually jump deer or run across wild turkeys.



There are some places where you feel like you are driving through someone’s driveway. Don’t worry. Keep driving as it is a well traveled road believe it or not. Once you get to that mileage you should see a small pull off on the right hand side. The first set of falls you can see from the road on your left just before you park. It will actually look like there are two trails depending on how far up you park but you want to take the one on the left (where you have to climb up a little rock/dirt mound to get started).



This trail runs to the right of Crow Creek for a few miles but you don’t have to go any further than a half mile back to find some good spots. It’s a pretty wide trail with moss covered rocks on one side and mountain laurel and rhododendrons making an overarching canopy over the top so it feels like you’re walking in a tunnel. The best sets of falls are the first couple.


My girls years ago.

There is one (the third bigger one from the road) about a .25-.3 miles back that is our favorite as it’s easy to climb on and wade around in.



But the whole creek is full of dozens of them and there is a ton of privacy here. Just be respectful as there are full time residents that live near the little parking area.


I must have missed this lower one.

Bad Branch Falls (34.76713, -83.51951):

From Crow Creek Falls, turn around and go back in the direction you just came. Just like Crow Creek Falls, there are no signs for Bad Branch Falls and no real parking. There are a few small, not marked, pullouts where the road widens directly after you pass the trail although we suggest parking in Lake Seed Primitive Camping (see below) parking lot if you don’t want to deal with the hassle. Once you park there, walk up the gravel road about an 1/8 of a mile. It’s easiest if you make note of it as you drive past it on the way up to Crow Creek so pay attention to your odometer when heading up and you’ll notice a very small trail cut up on the left hand side of the road at about the 2.7 or 2.8 mile mark. It’s small which is why we want you to make note of it when you drive past it. But from Crow Creek Falls, the trail is about a mile back down the road on your right.



The trail runs up about a quarter of a mile and is slightly uphill at the beginning before leveling out. What makes Bad Branch Falls amazing is that it is an old rock quarry. The falls are covered in rocks with dynamite holes in them. There are a couple of huge flat areas for camping or to spread out for a picnic.



This is one of our favorites because the falls are gorgeous and shoot out a few feet away from the rock wall and we have never seen anyone here. We have also been told by our neighbors that there are all kinds of bio luminous plants that “bloom” here in the Spring and the whole forest glows a few days a year during this time!



There are other nearby falls but they are more on Lake Seed and Lake Burton so I will feature them in a future Natural Wonder. We return to the coast as this sea to mountains month long exploration of Georgia continues.


Our GNW gal of day at Crow Creek Upper Falls.