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Need an escape? I mean a true, I-want-to-get-lost-in-a-Narnia-wilderness via Georgia Trails kind of day? Raven Falls Cliff Trailhead, located along the Richard B Russell Scenic Hwy of Helen, Georgia, is a perfect day trip getaway or camping trip for those who crave an extraordinary experience with their older kids.
Georgia waterfalls and creeks that our family discovers while hiking in the gorgeous North Georgia Mountains?
Yes, please.
Georgia Trails for Families
So honestly, I’m new to this hiking up mountains gig.
Ask those who know me best – I’m terrified of heights, pretty darn clumsy, and essentially a scardy-cat when it comes to adventure but I adore God’s beautiful landscape and making memories with the fam in this new way.
I’m skittish to such things but Superman, Captain, and Princess are all thrill seekers who are up for just about any type of adventure travel activities. You never know where this crew of ours will end up.
You do have to agree with me that Georgia is unbelievably gorgeous and diverse, right? Did you know that there are mountains, flatlands, hills, beaches, maritime forests, swamps, dense pine forests, semi-deserts, wetlands, and subtropical islands?
6 Reasons to hike Georgia Trails with your Family
- Super cheap & sometimes free
- Always unique & fun time with those you love
- Sometimes it’s hard work that you can accomplish together to reach the end
- Experiencing God’s beautiful creation together
- Learning limits & pushing through them together
- Memories made while hiking in nature with your family will last a lifetime
Hiking Day
On this particular Saturday recently, our Son and his friend wanted to take us to hike the Raven Cliff Falls Trail. I didn’t ask a lot of questions, just went with the flow. It’s funny that I envisioned an uneventful, short little stroll through the woods.
Easy enough.
While normal people are strolling, shopping, and eating along Alpine Helen’s tourist town that is located just down the road from Raven Cliff Falls, the Guru family are on a rugged trail in the Raven Cliff’s Wilderness. But oh, the rewards I didn’t know were coming …
The Real Deal
Fortunately, our hike was more interesting than I imagined and even slightly dangerous at times. I also learned a lot about how not to prepare for a real-deal hike.
Note to self: wear proper hiking shoes with traction and bring a small backpack for water and maybe even a first aid kit. A walking stick is a bonus.
After we found a small parking area, I left my phone in the car (gasp) because there was absolutely no cell service at this elevation. I strapped on my camera, and we walked right pass the public bathrooms because I figured it wouldn’t take long to go along the trail and back. I’m thinking forty-five minutes to an hour at the most.
The very beginning of the trail looked deceivingly easy with its cute little bridge and wide pathways through the airy forest.
Yep, this was a sweet little hike, just as I had planned.
As we continued, the path narrowed, the forest thickened and I noticed an unbelievable quiet. I mean, Q.U.I.E.T.
Honestly, I felt slightly uncomfortable in all this stillness. It wasn’t that I was scared, we had Superman and Captain A, after all. It’s because I’m so used to noise, distractions, and checking my phone every five minutes for messages and social media. I didn’t quite know what to do with the silence.
It didn’t take long though for me to fall in love with it though. It was as if God had his best nature show on display for us. The complete quietness was replaced by a delightful creek that traveled parallel to us on the rest of the trail either on the same level with us or about fifty feet below as we ascended and wound through the vine-covered path of the mossy forest.
It was definitely tougher than what I expected with its small trail next to a drop-off, the elevation at the end, snarly roots and rocks along the entire trail, slippery mud, and the round trip distance of over five miles round trip.
Danger
Unknown to us, a gentleman in front of us decided to stir a yellow jacket’s nest with his walking stick. I looked up to see Capt. and his friend jumping and hollering quite a bit. I had no idea what they were doing.
Yeah, they had stepped into the “bee zone.” A yellow jacket swarm actually. The two of them were stung several times each along with almost losing an Iphone over the cliff from the jumping around.
Not cool “dude with the stick”, not cool.
I’m terrified of a bee of any kind after being highly allergic in my childhood and watching freaky, Sci-Fi, killer bee movies with my Dad for years. Sounds silly but very real for me as we went through the swarm zone after a little bit.
The only other danger involved me trying to climb an embankment to get away from the bees with my flimsy tennis shoes that kept making me slip in the mud – so I thought I was about to slide down the fifty-foot drop-off to my death. {remember that I’m afraid of heights so all things get drama-tized in my mind}.
The Prize
This was a waterfall like none other that I’ve ever seen. The water “falls” between two huge cliffs that I would say were about eighty feet high that cascades down to a pool at the bottom.
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: Took us about 3 1/2 hours in and out
Price: only $3 for parking since it’s a State Park
Getting back to nature: PRICELESS
So when are YOU going hiking on a Georgia Trail with your family?