Toccoa Falls
A 186-foot waterfall at the end of a 100-yard path, about 45 minutes from Helen
The short answer
Few waterfalls this tall are this easy to reach. Toccoa Falls falls 186 feet, a plunge the university counts among the tallest free-falling waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. You pay $2 at the Gate Cottage Gift Shop, walk about 100 yards down a graveled path, and the whole drop is in front of you. It's a short stop, so it works well alongside Tallulah Gorge or the waterfalls closer to Helen.
Hours, cost and the walk
Checked with the university, October 2026
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 10 AM to 4 PM |
| Saturday and Sunday | 12 PM to 4 PM |
| Admission | $2, paid at the Gate Cottage Gift Shop |
| Walk | A 100-yard graveled path to the falls |
| Closures | Hours change around holidays, campus breaks and scheduled events, so check before you drive |
The waterfall is on a working campus, at 107 Kincaid Drive, so keep to the visitor route and respect any event closures.
The campus and its name
The school was founded in 1907 by Richard A. Forrest and moved to this site in 1911. It was Toccoa Falls College until July 1, 2026, when it became the University of Toccoa Falls. It's affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, and its 1,100-acre campus borders the Chattahoochee National Forest.
The 1977 dam failure
The falls are also tied to a tragedy. In the early morning of November 6, 1977, the Kelly Barnes Dam above the campus failed after heavy rain, and the flood killed 39 people. The dam was not rebuilt. It's worth a quiet moment of respect while you're there.
Getting there
The falls are at 107 Kincaid Drive on the University of Toccoa Falls campus, about 26 miles and 45 minutes from downtown Helen by car (OSRM routing, no traffic). Put the address in your map app, head for the Gate Cottage Gift Shop, and pay the $2 there before you walk down. The university's visiting page doesn't publish parking or accessibility details, so if you use a mobility aid, call the campus ahead; the only thing it commits to is a 100-yard graveled path.
Days the falls may be closed
Because this is a working campus, public access can pause around holidays and breaks. The university lists these as times the falls may be closed to visitors.
Holidays
Campus breaks
Check the visiting page the day you go; the list says "may be," not "will be."
Pair it with
Since the visit itself is short, build a day around it. Downtown Toccoa is the natural lunch stop. Tallulah Gorge State Park is roughly 35 minutes north of the falls (an approximate OSRM figure) and about an hour from Helen, so Toccoa Falls fits on the way home if you're heading that direction. For waterfalls on Helen's side of the mountains, see Dukes Creek Falls and the waterfall day plan.
Toccoa Falls questions
How much does it cost to see Toccoa Falls?
Admission is $2, paid at the Gate Cottage Gift Shop on the University of Toccoa Falls campus.
What are the hours?
Monday through Friday 10 AM to 4 PM, and Saturday and Sunday 12 PM to 4 PM. The university says hours can change for holidays, campus closures and events, so check its visiting page before you go.
How tall is Toccoa Falls?
186 feet. The university counts it among the tallest free-falling waterfalls east of the Mississippi.
How far is it from Helen?
About 45 minutes by car, roughly 26 miles.
Is it a long walk?
No. It's a 100-yard graveled path from the gift shop to the falls.
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