Amicalola Falls State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge |
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Amicalola Falls
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 Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge
Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
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| Location | Dawson County, Georgia, USA |
| Nearest city | Dawsonville, Georgia |
| Area | 829 acres (3.35 km2; 1.30 sq mi) |
| Governing body | Georgia State Park |
Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge is a large Georgia state park covering 829-acre (3.35 km2). It is located in Dawsonville, Georgia, between the towns of Ellijay and Dahlonega. The park's name comes from a Cherokee language word that means "tumbling waters."
This park is home to Amicalola Falls, which is the tallest waterfall in Georgia. The waterfall drops about 729-foot (222 m) in total. It is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia. A special 8-mile (13 km) trail starts in the park. This trail goes past Amicalola Falls and leads to Springer Mountain. Springer Mountain is famous because it's the starting point for the Appalachian Trail, a very long hiking path.
Amicalola Falls State Park also has many other things to do. You can find more hiking trails, a guest lodge, a restaurant, and cabins. There's also a special shelter for hikers who are starting the Appalachian Trail. The park has a campground and offers access to the Len Foote Hike Inn, which is an eco-friendly place to stay.
Park History
For a long time, not much was known about Amicalola Falls by people from Europe. Before 1832, the Cherokee people lived in and controlled this area. They were an Iroquoian-speaking tribe. In 1832, the Cherokee signed a paper called the Treaty of New Echota with the United States. This treaty forced the Cherokee to move far away to a new area west of the Mississippi River. This journey was very hard and many people died. It is known as the Trail of Tears. Some local settlers knew a Cherokee woman who stayed in the area until the 1850s, even after her tribe was forced to leave.
The first time someone wrote about the falls was by William Williamson. He was looking for land in the area. Williamson wrote that he found a "Water Fall perhaps the greatest in the World." He thought it was very tall and called the stream Um-ma-eolola, meaning "Tumbling Waters."
The land where the falls are located was given to an unknown settler. But the land was too rough, so the settler did not live there. The state of Georgia bought the falls in 1911. Amicalola Falls State Park was not really developed until 1958. That's when the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club decided to move the start of the Appalachian Trail to nearby Springer Mountain. A new 8.5-mile-long (13.7 km) trail was made from the bottom of Amicalola Falls to the top of Springer Mountain. This made it easier for hikers to reach the Appalachian Trail from a main road.
What You Can Do Today
Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge has four main groups of trails. One of these trails leads you right up to the top of the waterfall! The park has a lodge that is a popular starting point for hikers beginning the Appalachian Trail.
The park also helps guests check into the Len Foote Hike Inn. This inn is a special eco-friendly place to stay that is about 5 miles from the park. It's also very close to the Appalachian Approach trail and Springer Mountain.
Gallery
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Lower cascades
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Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge
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View looking downward showing the stairs of the trail alongside of the waterfall
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Series of stairs to an observation overlook
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An observation bridge spans across the waterfall
