The Creeks & Rivers Around Helen
The Chattahoochee headwaters, Dukes Creek, Smith Creek and the Soque, and what each is good for
The short answer
The streams at a glance
| Stream | Where | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee River | Starts in Jacks Gap at the foot of Jacks Knob, about 3,550 feet (Wikipedia), and runs through downtown Helen. | Tubing in summer, riverside walks and dining. See the river guide. |
| Dukes Creek | Runs through Smithgall Woods State Park; Dukes Creek Falls is on the Forest Service side off GA-348. | Reservation-only trout fishing Oct to May (Wed, Sat, Sun); the falls trail is 2.2 miles round trip. |
| Smith Creek | Runs through Unicoi State Park below Anna Ruby Falls, where Curtis and York Creeks drop side by side. | Anna Ruby Falls ($6 ages 16+); the Lake Trail circles 53-acre Unicoi Lake. |
| Soque River | About 28.5 miles long, entirely in Habersham County (Wikipedia). | Not a Helen-area stop for most visitors; ask a local fly shop about access. |
The Chattahoochee headwaters
Wikipedia puts the Chattahoochee's source in Jacks Gap at the southeastern foot of Jacks Knob, in the Chattahoochee National Forest. By Helen it's a clear mountain stream, and the cold water it picks up from tributaries is why trout do well here. The river runs about 430 miles in all, to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Apalachicola River.
Dukes Creek
Georgia State Parks says Smithgall Woods was acquired in 1994 as a gift-purchase from conservationist Charles A. Smithgall Jr., and that the land was reclaimed from 19th-century hydraulic gold mining. The creek now supports reservation-only trout fishing: Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from October through May, with artificial bait, barbless hooks and all fish released. Call 706-878-3087. ParkPass is $10 per vehicle, and every visitor registers at the visitor center. More in the fly fishing guide.
Dukes Creek Falls, a separate day-use area run by the Forest Service, is $4 per vehicle. See the Dukes Creek Falls guide.
Smith Creek and Anna Ruby Falls
Anna Ruby Falls is about 6 miles from downtown Helen: twin falls (Curtis Creek about 153 feet, York Creek about 50 feet) at the end of a paved trail of about 0.4 mile each way. Admission is $6 for ages 16 and up, and the Georgia ParkPass isn't accepted there. Below the falls, Smith Creek feeds Unicoi Lake at Unicoi State Park.
Keeping the water clean
Stay on the trails
Streambank erosion sends silt into trout water. Use marked paths and designated access points.
Pack it out
Take your trash with you, including fishing line.
Check your license
Anglers 16 and older need a Georgia fishing license plus a trout license.
Mind the signs
Several waterfalls have Forest Service safety cautions. Stay off wet rock above the drops.
Which stream for which day
Match the water to the kind of day you want. Walking, fishing, tubing and waterfall-spotting each point to a different stream, and they're all within 20 minutes of town.
A creekside walk
Smith Creek feeds Unicoi Lake, where the Lake Trail is a 2.5-mile easy loop. The Smith Creek Trail to Anna Ruby Falls is about 4.8 miles one way, per the park map.
A quiet loop
At Smithgall Woods, the Laurel Ridge loop is 1.6 miles. Every visitor registers at the visitor center, and the ParkPass is $10.
Fishing
Georgia DNR lists Smith Creek as a delayed harvest stream and Dukes Creek at Smithgall Woods as trophy water where all fish are released. Read the rules for each before you cast.
Getting wet
The Chattahoochee in downtown Helen is the tubing river. Cool River's daily season ended after Labor Day weekend; check outfitters for warm-weekend openings.
Rainfall changes everything here. Helen averages about 72 inches of precipitation a year, so creeks run fullest after storms and thinner in dry weeks. October is the driest stretch, with about 4.9 inches on average (NOAA 1991-2020).
Quick questions
Where does the Chattahoochee River start?
In Jacks Gap at the southeastern foot of Jacks Knob in the Chattahoochee National Forest, about 3,550 feet up. It runs through downtown Helen.
Which creek runs through Smithgall Woods?
Dukes Creek. Fishing there is by reservation on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from October through May. Call 706-878-3087.
Is the Soque River in Helen?
No. The Soque is about 28.5 miles long and flows entirely in Habersham County before joining the Chattahoochee downstream.
Which creek feeds Unicoi Lake?
Smith Creek, which comes down from Anna Ruby Falls.
Related Imagery from Around Helen
