Follow our top ten favorite North Georgia hiking trails to soaring mountain summits, waterfalls and mossy creek valleys in Georgia's rolling southern Appalachian mountains.

Moss-covered boulders line the cool, rolling waters of a trout stream cutting swiftly through a dense backwoods forest. Sunshine streams through the mixed pine and deciduous tree canopy, illuminating a carpet of brilliant green fern below. Birds of prey soar in rising uplifts, hugging the rugged peaks of a craggy mountain summit slicing through the horizon. These are the rolling foothills and mountains of the southern Appalachians in North Georgia – and winding through them are a network of fantastic hiking and backpacking trails and outdoor adventures.

These are our top ten North Georgia hiking trails, many within a two-hour drive of Atlanta (if not less!). Grab your hiking boots, backpack and hiking gear and head to any of these trails for a weekend adventure and some fresh air in the great outdoors. Or if you're up for a road trip, explore soaring summits and 360-degree panoramic views on our top ten favorite Asheville hikes, all within 40 miles of North Carolina's favorite mountain town.

And while you're wandering the mountains, stop by our new hiking outfitter shop, Trailful Outdoor Co, located on the beautiful shores of Lake Chatuge just below Brasstown Bald, Georgia's highest peak. Our Atlanta Trails crew is in the shop every day, and we'd love the chance to say hello in person! We stock our crew's favorite, trail-tested hiking and backpacking gear and apparel, as well as our full line of Atlanta Trails shirts, hoodies, and hats. And we've got a wall full of trail info to help you find your next adventure. Hope to see you soon!

Follow our top ten favorite North Georgia hiking trails to soaring mountain summits, waterfalls and mossy creek valleys in Georgia's rolling southern Appalachian mountains. #hiking #trailrunning #camping #backpacking #atlanta #georgia #travel #outdoors #adventure

North Georgia hikes: our top 10 favorite trails

  • Blood Mountain Loop: hiking the Appalachian Trail and Freeman Trail in North Georgia

    Blood Mountain Loop: hiking the Appalachian Trail and Freeman Trail

    6 miles

    Summit Blood Mountain, the highest-elevation summit on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, on this three-trail loop hiking up, over and around the summit. It's one of the most popular North Georgia hikes – and for a good reason: the views from the summit are outstanding, stretching far and wide over the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains, and it visits a historic Appalachian Trail shelter along the way.
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  • Hike the Sliding Rock Trail at Tallulah Gorge State Park

    Tallulah Gorge Sliding Rock Trail

    3.4 miles

    Tallulah Gorge's towering sheer walls and deep waterfall-filled depths are simply stunning. Our favorite hike at Tallulah Gorge State Park catches stunning, soaring views from the gorge's rim before plunging to the gorge floor by way of a swinging suspension bridge and catching up-close views of the thundering Hurricane Falls. After climbing to the opposite rim, the hike plunges once again, scrambling over boulders to visit the Bridal Veil Falls waterfall, a natural rock slide and the only place swimming is allowed within the gorge. It's a tough hike, and requires a free permit from the park's ranger office – but the adventure is oh-so-worth-it.
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  • Hike the Raven Cliff Falls Trail to a series of beautiful waterfalls in a lush forest in North Georgia

    Raven Cliff Falls Trail

    4.9 miles

    Hike the Raven Cliff Trail through a waterfall-filled valley in the Chattahoochee National Forest to one of Georgia's most unique waterfalls, Raven Cliff Falls. These gorgeous waterfalls cascade 400 feet down through a towering cliff, slicing the massive cliff in half.
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  • Hike the Appalachian Trail in North Georgia to these stunning summit views on Preachers Rock at Big Cedar Mountain

    Appalachian Trail: Hiking Woody Gap to Big Cedar Mountain and Jarrard Gap

    11.6 miles

    Hike the Appalachian Trail from Woody Gap, exploring a ferny, shady ridgeline at Big Cedar Mountain. Catch open views from the mountain's expansive summit at Preacher's Rock before hiking the AT northbound to Jarrard Gap near Lake Winfield Scott.
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  • Hike to Panther Creek Falls, one of North Georgia's most beautiful and popular waterfall hikes

    Panther Creek Falls Trail

    7 miles

    Hike the banks of Panther Creek to one of the most beautiful, rushing waterfalls in Georgia. The trail visits the upper, multi-tiered cascades of Panther Creek Falls before dropping to a sandy beach to visit the lower waterfall. The trail is enormously popular with day hikers, backpackers and campers.
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  • Hike the Appalachian Trail to Springer Mountain from the lush North Georgia creek valley at Three Forks

    Appalachian Trail: Three Forks to Springer Mountain

    8.6 miles

    Hike the Appalachian Trail southbound from Three Forks to the southernmost point of the AT in Georgia, Springer Mountain. The hike treks from the shady, creek-filled Three Forks valley to the lofty Springer Mountain summit, packing a ton of terrain variety along the hike.
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  • Hike the Conasauga River Trail in Georgia's remote Cohutta Wilderness

    Lower Conasauga River Trail

    13.2 miles

    Hike through a remote, lush forest deep in Georgia's Cohutta Wilderness, following the Conasauga River Trail as it dives through river crossing after river crossing on this fun but challenging hike. The trail's namesake river runs nearly crystal-clear, and is home to a staggering variety of freshwater fish. It's a gorgeous, remote, scenic hike – and a great, splashy, cool hike for Georgia's scorching summertime months.
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  • Hike the Cloudland Canyon Waterfalls Trail and West Rim Loop to visit two gorgeous waterfalls, and catch stunning canyon views

    Cloudland Canyon: Waterfalls Trail and West Rim Loop

    6.9 miles

    Plunging deep from the rim of Lookout Mountain in northwest Georgia, Cloudland Canyon offers some of the state's best and most scenic hiking trails. Hike this two-trail duo to visit Cloudland's duo of plunging waterfalls deep within the canyon, and then follow the West Rim Loop for soaring views from the canyon's east and west rims.
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  • Yonah Mountain hiking trail in North Georgia

    Yonah Mountain

    4.4 miles

    Hike the Yonah Mountain Trail near Helen to outstanding summit views, scaling Yonah's elevation at a quick pace for a great workout. The trail hikes the boulder and wildflower-filled lower elevations of this iconic mountain before cresting at the summit and grabbing incredible views.
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  • Hike to Long Creek Falls on the Appalachian Trail, one of North Georgia's best waterfall hikes

    Appalachian Trail: Three Forks to Long Creek Falls

    1.9 miles

    The Appalachian Trail reaches Three Forks in Georgia 4.3 miles from Springer Mountain. At Three Forks, this classic North Georgia hike starts an Appalachian Trail journey to a beautiful, rushing waterfall in a forest of hemlocks and rhododendrons.
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  • Lake Conasauga: Grassy Mountain Tower Trail

    Grassy Mountain Tower Trail from Lake Conasauga

    5.5 miles

    Hike from the shores of the glassy Lake Conasauga, Georgia's highest-elevation lake, to a historic steel fire lookout tower on the summit of Grassy Mountain. The hike explores scenic forest in Georgia's remote Cohutta Wilderness, the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River, and climbs to incredible views of nearby Fort Mountain.
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  • Asheville hikes: our top ten favorite trails within 40 miles of Western NC's favorite mountain town

    Top Asheville hiking trails

    1 – 10 miles

    It's time for a road trip! Explore sun-drenched, grassy mountain balds and climb to outstanding overlooks on some of the highest summits on the East Coast. Follow our top ten favorite Asheville trails to stunning views, all within 40 miles of Asheville, NC.
    SEE OUR FAVORITE ASHEVILLE HIKES

  • Hiking gear list: our favorite backpacks and trail essentials

    Our favorite hiking gear

    What to pack?

    Ready to hit the trail, but wondering what to pack? Our hiking gear list features our favorite, trail-tested hiking gear for day hikes on local trails and in the Georgia backcountry. We print and stitch our Atlanta Trails shirts and hats locally in Atlanta and Asheville, and they're our favorite for trail adventures all over the South. And no matter what you pack in, pack it all back out. Please leave no trace and help preserve Georgia's beauty.
    OUR HIKING GEAR LIST

More of our favorite hiking trails

Love waterfalls? Check out our top ten list of our favorite North Georgia hiking trails to waterfalls. Love mountain summits? Check out our list of our top 25 hikes on Georgia's highest mountains. Hiking with a buddy that walks on all fours? Check out the list of our favorite dog-friendly trails in Georgia, Amber and Jake's favorite hikes. And if you're up for a road trip, hike to some seriously stunning summit views on our favorite Blue Ridge Parkway hikes near Asheville, NC, climbing to stunning mountaintops over 6,000 feet and exploring plunging waterfalls and crystal-clear swimming holes right off this great American drive.

Please leave no trace

Wherever your adventures take you, please remember to always leave no trace to help preserve the beauty of these wild places. And please follow these tips for good trail etiquette to help make sure everyone has an equally enjoyable time.


Leave No Trace: Atlanta Trails, Asheville Trails and Trailful are official Leave No Trace partners

Please Remember

Always leave no trace, pack out everything you pack in, and if you see trash, pick it up and pack it out.

Stay on the marked trail, tell someone where you're going, pack safety and wayfinding essentials, and don't rely on a mobile phone to find your way. Please always practice good trail etiquette. And before you go, always check the trailhead kiosk, official maps, and the park or ranger office for notices of changed routes, trail closures, safety information, and restrictions.