The Chattahoochee National Forest
Waterfalls, wilderness ridges and scenic drives, all within an hour of downtown Helen.
The short answer
The sites near Helen
Fees and drive times
| Site | From Helen | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Ruby Falls | About 20 min, 6 miles | $6 ages 16+; 15 and under free | Open 9 AM-6 PM; last ticket 5 PM. Paved trail about 0.4 mile each way. ParkPass not accepted. |
| Dukes Creek Falls | About 15 min | $4 per vehicle | 2.2 miles round trip. Sunrise to sunset. Pay by card, Recreation.gov scan, or America the Beautiful pass. |
| Raven Cliff Falls | About 15 min | $5 per vehicle | 2.6 miles each way into the Raven Cliffs Wilderness; a creek crossing can run calf-deep. Gravel lot holds about 30 cars. |
| Brasstown Bald | About 40 min | $10 per adult 16+, shuttle included | Georgia's highest point at 4,784 feet. 10 AM-5 PM. |
| DeSoto Falls Recreation Area | On US-19/129 | $5 per vehicle day use; camping $20 a night in peak season | Two waterfalls and a campground along Frogtown Creek. Reserve at Recreation.gov. |
| Panther Creek Recreation Area | About 50 min | n/a | Temporarily closed. The trail is for experienced hikers only; the Forest Service asks visitors to stay out of the day-use and parking areas. |
Fees from the Forest Service and FIND Outdoors, checked October 2026. Our waterfalls guide covers more falls.
Wilderness areas
No motors, no bikes, no carts
The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests cover about 867,000 acres in total, and the mountain portion, the Chattahoochee National Forest, is about 751,000 acres. It holds ten designated wilderness areas. Three are close to Helen: Raven Cliffs, Tray Mountain and Blood Mountain. Wilderness rules prohibit motorized equipment and mechanical transport, including bicycles.
The Raven Cliffs Wilderness is the nearest, reached from the GA-348 trailhead. Tray Mountain, at 4,430 feet, is crossed by the Appalachian Trail. Blood Mountain is the AT's Georgia high point and has the stone shelter the CCC built in 1934. For overnight trips on Blood Mountain, the Forest Service requires bear canisters in spring; check its current order before you go.
Camping and forest roads
Dispersed camping is allowed in most places in the forest; pack out everything you carry in. For developed campgrounds, book at Recreation.gov. See our camping guide for options near Helen. Forest Service roads can close seasonally, so check with the supervisor's office at 770-297-3000 before you drive one, especially in winter.
The forest also protects the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River, which runs through Helen and eventually supplies drinking water downstream.
A short history
Logging cleared much of these mountains in the early 1900s. In 1911 the Forest Service bought 31,000 acres from the Gennett family under the Weeks Act, and the Chattahoochee National Forest became a separate national forest on July 9, 1936. The woods you walk through today are mostly regrowth.
Keep planning
When to go
The forest is open year-round, but the picture changes by season. In fall, the Forest Service says color starts on the highest peaks and moves down about 1,000 feet a week, so Brasstown Bald and the 3,000-foot gaps lead and the valleys follow; see the fall color guide for the Georgia Forestry Commission's 2026 outlook. Helen's NOAA normals have 12 nights at or below freezing in November and 17 in December, so winter trips mean cold mornings and the possibility of seasonal road closures. Call the supervisor's office at 770-297-3000 before driving a forest road in winter.
National forest questions
Does the Georgia ParkPass work in the national forest?
No. The ParkPass is for state parks. The national forest sites near Helen charge their own fees: Dukes Creek Falls $4 per vehicle, Raven Cliffs $5 per vehicle, Anna Ruby Falls $6 per person 16 and up, and Brasstown Bald $10 per adult 16 and up.
What are the closest national forest sites to Helen?
Dukes Creek Falls and Raven Cliffs are about 15 minutes away and Anna Ruby Falls about 20. Brasstown Bald is about 40 minutes.
Can I camp in the Chattahoochee National Forest?
Dispersed camping is allowed in most places in the forest; pack out everything you carry in. Reserve developed campgrounds at Recreation.gov (877-444-6777). Camping isn't allowed inside Helen city limits.
Is Panther Creek open?
Panther Creek Recreation Area is temporarily closed. The trail is open to intermediate and advanced hikers only, and the Forest Service asks visitors to stay out of the day-use and parking areas.
How big is the Chattahoochee National Forest?
About 751,000 acres in the north Georgia mountains. Combined with the Oconee National Forest, the two cover about 867,000 acres.
Are bikes allowed in the wilderness areas?
No. Wilderness rules prohibit motorized equipment and mechanical transport, including bicycles.
Related Imagery from Around Helen
