August 11, 2015
Tallulah Gorge Trails - GA
Trail information
We hiked the Shortline Trail as a loop starting at the upper end and hiking to the lower end on the old highway 441 on the shoreline of Tallulah Falls Lake. Next, we hiked the Shortline Trail back to the parking area and continued up the shoreline road past the swimming area up to the new highway 441 and hiked the South Rim Trail. Spectacular gorge views along the rim trail! Total hiking distance today - 6 miles with only a couple of gentle hills. Difficulty rating - mostly easy except for three of us who hiked across the gorge via the staircase and suspension bridge
Directions
Tallulah Gorge State Park is about 10 miles south of Clayton, GA on Highway 441. For the Shortline Trail, turn to the right at the traffic light in Tallulah Falls (if coming from the north) then turn right and park at the gravel parking lot at the historic Tallulah Falls Jail on the right just before the bridge. Walk across the bridge and turn right up the short hill to the start of the Shortline Trail. Another great day for a hike! WILD
Conditions
Fair skies with temperatures ranging from 68 to 75 degrees F.
Hikers (7)
- John Bellamy
- June Bellamy
- Phil Brownrigg
- Tim Hale
- Bob Magee
- Tony Presley
- Vic Robson
Flowers in bloom
Coreopsis, Queen Ann's Lace, Goldenrod, Jewelweed, Joe Pye Weed, Black-eyed Susan, Crane-fly Orchid, Wild Potato Vine, Virgin's Bower, Arrowheads and Lobelia
Birds identified
Black Vulture, Blue Jay, Cliff Swallow, Cardinal, White-breasted Nuthatch, Goldfinch and American Crow
Photos (14)
The parking lot for the historic Tallulah Falls Jail. The piers for the old Tallulah Falls Railroad. The first part of the loop takes us down old Highway 441 along the lake. The hydro plant Terrora which is fed by the water from Lake Rabun. Crossing the suspension bridge on the Shortline Trail. The Shortline Trail follows the railroad bed of the old Tallulah Falls Railroad. Two Black Vultures watch us from the old railroad piers. The older we get, the more Vultures watch us! The upper part of Tallulah Gorge The Tallulah Gorge Suspension Bridge Tempesta Falls! View from the suspension bridge looking down onto the upper part of Hurricane Falls. Cranefly Orchid The Tallulah Falls Dam. The OFHC gang for today's hike. (l-r) Bob Magee, June Bellamy, Phil Brownrigg, John Bellamy, Tony Presley, Vic Robson and Tim Hale.