We’re already making our list and checking it twice, but not for Jolly Old St. Nicolas. Instead, we’re putting together our fall “must hike” list in Northwest Georgia.
Our “must hike” list considers gazing on the natural beauty of Georgia’s fall colors, and also trekking some of the trails that we like but are just more fun in cool weather with fewer buzzing and slithering “friends” joining us in nature.
The “must hike” list is in no particular order, and it’s purely our own opinions based on personal experiences. That means we’ve hiked all these, and NOT relied on some social media or AI recommendations. Plus, we’ve added a few notes about certain conditions which might optimize your trail experiences on these “must hike” trails.
Cloudland Canyon State Park. For us, this the grand daddy of them all. Consistently rated among the country’s most scenic state parks, Cloudland offers spectacular canyon and hillside vistas filled with glorious fall colors. Best of all, a short walk along the flat Rim Trail exposes the best of those views. Down in the canyon, multiple waterfalls await, with walkways and lookouts surrounded by a kaleidoscope of color. Hiking down into the canyon is best after rain, when the waterfalls have been replenished by local runoff.
Palisades East, Chattahoochee NRA. This walk winds from a small parking lot, up and down a few hills, and along side the Chattahoochee River. At the river, you’ll often hear, then see, a variety of waterfowl, plus beautiful views of the rapids and colorful hillsides. From a hillside viewing platform on the Whitewater Creek trail, you can gaze down on the Devil’s Race Course Shoals hundreds of feet below in the Chattahoochee. This hike is better in dry weather, if you want to walk the riverside trail.
Fort Mountain State Park. With the curious stone “fort” surrounding the area, Fort Mountain offers both history and mystery. A flat walk on the Lake Trail offers great views and an easy outing. The Cool Springs overlook also is an easy walk from the main road. Our favorite fall hike combines the Stone Wall, Stone Tower and West Overlook Trails. We try to reach the park on clear days, when the valley fog is lifting to reveal the expansive views.
Sloppy Floyd State Park. Tall, colorful trees line the two lakes which are the center points of this park. The best-known hike is the gentle hillside climb to an abandoned marble mine. After rains, a small waterfall flows over the mine opening. A wood walkway offers behind-the-falls views. So, we try to time visits here after a rain. We also like continuing up the Marble Mine trail beyond the mine. There, we join the ridgeline traverse of the Pinhoti Trail, before continuing down the Jenkins Gap Trail back to the main park. For flatlanders, the Lower Lake Loop trail offers a more scenic and less challenging stroll.
Red Top Mountain. Don’t be put off by the word mountain, as most trails here remain relatively flat. We enjoy both the Homestead Trail and the Iron Hill Trails for gentle walks through the woods and lakeside views. But beware that Iron Hill is shared with mountain bikes. So if you prefer a pure walking trail, Homestead is best. There, look trailside for some of the abandoned homesteads which give the trail its name.
Duke’s Creek. This one is slightly outside our “Northwest” tag, We like visiting Duke’s Creek in the late fall because the full length of the waterfall cascades down the hillside without leaves blocking the view. Still, there’s plenty of color left along the one-mile hike from the parking area to the main falls. For those who just want to see the falls, they are visible from an outlook near the parking lot. But for a close-up, bring your binoculars or a long-zoom camera.
