North GA Waterfalls
Fees, hours and walk lengths for the best waterfalls within a day trip of Helen
The short answer
Helen is a good base for waterfall chasers. Within about 20 minutes of town you can reach two of the best falls in North Georgia, and within an hour or so you can add a 186-foot freefall and a 729-foot cascade.
The table below has the practical details for each one. Fees and hours were checked in October 2026, but they change, so confirm before you drive.
Waterfalls at a glance
| Waterfall | From Helen | Cost and hours | Walk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Ruby Falls | About 20 minutes | $6 ages 16 and up, 15 and under free; 9 AM to 6 PM daily, last ticket 5 PM | Paved trail, about 0.4 mile each way, with steep sections. Twin falls: Curtis Creek about 153 ft, York Creek about 50 ft. |
| Dukes Creek Falls | About 15 minutes | $4 per vehicle per day; sunrise to sunset | 2.2 miles round trip with views toward Mount Yonah. |
| Raven Cliff Falls (Ravens Cliff trailhead) | About 15 minutes | $5 per vehicle per day | 2.6 miles each way into the Raven Cliffs Wilderness; the creek crossing can run calf-deep. |
| Helton Creek Falls | About 35 minutes | Free; open all year | Easy 0.2-mile hike with abrupt grade changes. Small pullout parking on Helton Creek Road. |
| DeSoto Falls | About 35 minutes | $5 per vehicle per day; open 24 hours | Two waterfalls on trails from the recreation area off US 129. |
| Toccoa Falls (Toccoa Falls College) | About 45 minutes | $2; Mon to Fri 10 AM to 4 PM, Sat and Sun noon to 4 PM | 186-foot free-falling waterfall at the end of a graveled path of about 100 yards. Hours change on holidays and campus events. |
| Tallulah Gorge State Park | About 1 hour | ParkPass $10 per vehicle per day | Hurricane Falls suspension bridge, 80 feet above the rocks. South-side staircase closed. |
| Amicalola Falls State Park | About 70 minutes | ParkPass $10 per vehicle per day | 729-foot falls. East Ridge Trail closed for maintenance. |
Sources: FIND Outdoors (Anna Ruby Falls), Forest Service (Dukes Creek Falls), Forest Service (Raven Cliff), Forest Service (DeSoto Falls), Toccoa Falls College, Georgia State Parks (Tallulah Gorge) and Amicalola Falls Lodge.
The easy ones: Anna Ruby and Helton Creek
A bit more effort: Dukes Creek and Raven Cliff
Both trailheads are on Georgia 348 (the Richard Russell Scenic Highway), about 15 minutes from Helen. Dukes Creek Falls is a 2.2-mile round trip. Raven Cliff Falls is a longer 2.6 miles each way into the Raven Cliffs Wilderness and involves a creek crossing, so plan on a half day and wear shoes that can get wet.
Road trips for bigger falls
Toccoa Falls is a 186-foot freefall on a college campus, so it has campus hours and may close for holidays and events. Amicalola Falls is the tall one at 729 feet, and its lodge describes it as the third-highest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi. Tallulah Gorge is about 2 miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep, with a suspension bridge over the gorge. See our Tallulah Gorge guide and Amicalola Falls guide.
Waterfalls to skip this fall
Panther Creek
The Forest Service has temporarily closed the Panther Creek Recreation Area and asks visitors to stay out of the day-use and parking areas. The trail is open to intermediate and advanced hikers only.
Vogel State Park
The waterfall at Lake Trahlyta is closed while the lake is drained for dam repairs.
When to go
Falls run fullest after rain, and flow is best in spring. In dry stretches some of the smaller ones thin out. In fall, leaf color peaks across the mountains around the end of October, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission; see our fall color guide. Wet rocks are slippery year-round, and winter can ice the trails. Always stay behind railings and out of the water above falls.
More waterfall guides
For a longer list, see waterfalls near Helen, the complete list, a one-day waterfall itinerary and DeSoto Falls.
Related Imagery from Around Helen
