My 1st Visit to Cloudland Canyon State Park

Cloudland Canyon State Park in North Georgia

I recently ventured out of Atlanta to spend a few days in Chattanooga for a change of scenery and my first trip since the beginning of Covid-19.

As I headed home, I decided to first make a visit to North Georgia’s Cloudland Canyon State Park along the way. I had never been there but saw friends share photos on Facebook while I was isolating at home and I was excited to check it out. It is just a 40-minute drive from Chattanooga and about 2 hours from home.

My dog Cookie and I arrived in the late afternoon on a very hot July day. I found a shaded parking lot close to the main lookout.

Hike to the Lookout

The main lookout was just a short hike on a well-maintained path. When we got to the lookout, it was really incredible! Check out Instagram for more photos.

We wandered around the lookout a bit and asked a ranger how to get to the waterfalls. He warned that they were down 200 steps for the first one and 400 steps for the second one. I was not sure that in 90-degree heat and without water that Cookie or I would be up for that climb back up. She made the decision easy when she refused to navigate the steps!

Waterfalls

We came across several hikers as we walked closer to the waterfalls. Some were coming back up the steps and others were, like me, deciding against it.

I think on a cooler day with water (and no dog) in tow I will manage the steps just fine. But for now, the vistas of the canyon were worth the stop.

According to the Georgia State Parks website, Cloudland Canyon State Park is on the Western edge of Lookout Mountain. You’ll find plenty of picnic areas and shelters. For overnights, you have the option of tent, trailer or RV camping or their walk-in or backcountry campsites or one of their yurts or cottages.  There are 64 miles of hiking trails, 30 miles of biking trails plus fishing, horseback riding and disc golf.

Also, read about nearby Prentice Cooper State Forest!
And don’t miss this post about Things to do in Mentone, AL

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