The echoing of a thundering waterfall drowned out the noise of my footwear scuffing alongside the path. But I nonetheless couldn’t see it. My tempo quickened. Just a number of extra steps. I got here round a bend within the path, and there it was – the dual waterfalls of Anna Ruby Falls.
Curtis Creek cascaded 153 toes whereas York Creek freely fell for 50 toes. At the underside, the newly shaped Smith Creek flowed away alongside the path I had simply hiked, dumping into Smith Lake I handed driving to the waterfall.
Anna Ruby Falls just isn’t precisely a secret, however it’s additionally not the simplest waterfall to seek out. Here’s all the pieces it’s essential know to plan a mountain climbing journey to the majestic waterfall within the north Georgia mountains.
Anna Ruby Falls is in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest covers 867,000 acres in northern Georgia, abutting Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina and Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee. The nationwide forest boasts over 800 miles of mountain climbing trails, the favored Chattooga River District, and dozens of recreation areas and campgrounds.
The Anna Ruby Falls Recreation Area is positioned within the Chattooga Ranger District, however it’s operated by FIND Outdoors, a non-profit group serving to folks uncover the good outside.
READ MORE: The Complete List of All National Forests within the U.S. (and the Ones I’ve Visited)
Did ? FIND Outdoors operates the services at Brasstown Bald, the very best level in Georgia, the Cradle of Forestry in America on the website of the nation’s first forestry college, and the Northwest Trading Post on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Unicoi State Park
Part of the confusion of discovering Anna Ruby Falls is that it’s operated by a non-profit primarily based in North Carolina, positioned within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, and you need to drive by Unicoi State Park to get there. Did you get all that?
Unicoi State Park is one among Georgia’s premiere resort parks. The park options zip traces, paddleboarding and kayaking on the lake, and dozens of mountain climbing trails, a few of them main on to Anna Ruby Falls. Spend the night time – or a number of nights – on the lodge or one of many park’s fascinating historic barrel cabins.
Anna Ruby Falls Tickets
Fortunately, there is no such thing as a admission to drive by Unicoi State Park. However, you’ll need to pay when you attain the ticket sales space on the Anna Ruby Falls Recreation space entrance.
Admission to Anna Ruby Falls is $5 per grownup 16 and older and free for anybody youthful.
The Interagency Access Pass, extra generally often known as the America the Beautiful Park Pass, will get you free admission to the nationwide recreation space.
READ MORE: 12 Things to Do in Helen, GA – The Alpine Village of Georgia
Anna Ruby Falls Hours
Anna Ruby Falls is open from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. all year long, however the each day schedule adjustments with the seasons. No admission is allowed after 4 p.m.
From March 1 – December 31, the recreation space is open 7 days every week. But through the winter peak from January 1 – February 28, the recreation space is barely open from Thursday – Sunday.
Anna Ruby Falls Visitor Center
Anna Ruby Falls Road ends on the customer middle for the nationwide recreation space. There is loads of parking for private vehicles and RVs.
The customer middle has a pleasant assortment of native arts and crafts, souvenirs, and books. You’ll discover restrooms and water fountains, that are good earlier than an extended hike. Pick up a map of the Anna Ruby Falls Trail – you would possibly wish to try another trails when you’re there.
3455 Anna Ruby Falls Road, Helen, GA | 706-754-6221 | https://gofindoutdoors.org/anna-ruby-falls/
Hiking the Anna Ruby Falls Trail
The 0.4-mile Anna Ruby Falls Trail is misleading. It’s a paved path, which is odd to see slicing by a nationwide forest to a waterfall. But simply because it’s paved doesn’t imply it’s straightforward.
From the car parking zone, the path ascends about 200 toes in elevation. It’s a gradual climb, by no means greater than about fifteen levels, however a gradual climb nonetheless. At least which means you’ll have a downhill hike to stay up for on the best way again.
The path is paved and huge, however that doesn’t essentially imply it’s handicap accessible. A motorized wheelchair may probably make it to the waterfall, however it’s not really helpful. And it’s positively not really helpful to strive in a handbook wheelchair.
But it’s a straightforward hike with your personal toes.
READ MORE: 20 Spectacular Waterfalls in Ohio You Need to Visit
The paved path crosses Smith Creek on a sturdy picket bridge only a tenth of a mile from the car parking zone. The path by no means wanders removed from the creek, offering a number of stunning vistas of miniature cascading falls alongside the best way.
After a couple of twenty-minute hike, the echoing sounds of a thundering waterfall fill the air. It drowned out the noise of my footwear scuffing on the path and brought on me to quicken my tempo. I used to be wholly unprepared to see Anna Ruby Falls for the primary time.
A Lower Observation Deck on the path’s finish has a reasonably good view of the dual waterfalls. It’s a superb place to chill out if a gaggle of individuals is crowded on the opposite deck. But folks have a tendency to maneuver on shortly, so it didn’t take lengthy for me to work my means as much as the Upper Observation Deck.
From right here, I had a commanding view of the waterfalls. To the left, the 153-foot cascading waterfall from Curtis Creek left a wonderful mist within the air. To the fitting, the 50-foot free-falling waterfall from York Creek stuffed the air with a reverberating cacophony.
Built-in benches on the statement deck had been the right place to benefit from the view.
Insider Tip: More adventurous hikers could benefit from the 4.6-mile Smith Creek Trail that begins close to the lake at Unicoi State Park and follows the route of the creek to Anna Ruby Falls.
Lion’s Eye Trail to Smith Creek
Although the Anna Ruby Falls Trail just isn’t handicap accessible, the Lion’s Eye Trail is – and it was particularly constructed for that goal. The fascinating path options braille signposts detailing factors of curiosity within the nationwide forest. The Lion’s Eye Trail is a couple of tenth of a mile lengthy and results in Smith Creek from the Visitor Center.
Waterfalls Near Helen, GA
There are 10 unbelievable waterfalls to discover close to Helen within the north Georgia mountains:
- Amicalola Falls
- DeSoto Falls
- Helton Creek Falls
- Raven Cliff Falls
- Minnehaha Falls
- Tallulah Falls
- Panther Falls and Angel Falls
- Toccoa Falls
- Holcomb Creek Falls
- Anna Ruby Falls
FAQ
Anna Ruby Falls is positioned within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, 4 miles north of Helen, Georgia.
Anna Ruby Falls is 4 miles from downtown Helen, Georgia. It takes about ten minutes to drive there.
You can drive so far as the Anna Ruby Falls National Recreation Area customer middle. From there, it’s a half-mile hike to the waterfall.
Parking at Anna Ruby Falls is free. However, you will have to pay admission to go to the waterfall.
Anna Ruby Falls opens at 9 a.m. seven days every week from March by December after which at 9 a.m. on Thursday – Sunday in January and February.
Anna Ruby Falls closes at 5 p.m. seven days every week from March by December after which at 9 a.m. on Thursday – Sunday in January and February. The final entry is allowed at 4 p.m.
While horseback using, Confederate General John Nichols found the dual waterfalls. He named each waterfalls after his solely daughter, Anna Ruby Nichols.
From the customer middle, it’s a 0.4-mile hike to Anna Ruby Falls that takes about twenty minutes at an off-the-cuff tempo.
Anna Ruby Falls is a reasonably straightforward hike with a gradual climb and an elevation change of about 200 toes.
No, Anna Ruby Falls just isn’t wheelchair accessible.
No, Anna Ruby Falls is a part of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.
No, Anna Ruby Falls just isn’t a nationwide park.
No, you can not swim on the base of Anna Ruby Falls.
Anna Ruby Falls is 2 waterfalls. On the left, the cascading waterfall from Curtis Creek is 153 toes tall. On the fitting, the freefalling waterfall from York Creek is 50 toes tall.
No, Anna Ruby Falls and Ruby Falls will not be the identical. Anna Ruby Falls is an outside twin waterfall within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest close to Helen. Ruby Falls is an underground waterfall beneath Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee.