Above: The fall color of Amicalola Falls draws leaf peepers from all over the southwest U.S. Photos courtesy of the Parks, Recreation and Historical Sites Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources identifies these Georgia State Parks as the Top 10 for fall color. They’re listed here in alphabetical order.
Amicalola Falls State Park
Nearby community: Dawsonville
Features: Amicalola Falls is the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeastern U.S., the state park system says. A short walk leads to a boardwalk providing views. The park also offers activities ranging from stories around a campfire to zipline rides.
More information: amicalolafallslodge.com
Black Rock Mountain State Park
Nearby community: Clayton
Features: Black Rock is Georgia’s highest park. Roadside overlooks and the visitors’ center offer views of the Blue Ridge Mountains with spectacular fall color.
More information: gastateparks.org/BlackRockMountain
Cloudland Canyon State Park
Nearby community: Rising Fawn
Features: Cloudland provides views of the canyon and the sandstone cliffs of the Cumberland Plateau. A hike that includes a long staircase takes you into the canyon to see waterfalls (and then, offering more of a challenge, makes you hike back up to return to your car).
More information: gastateparks.org/CloudlandCanyon
F.D. Roosevelt State Park
Nearby community: Pine Mountain
Features: This 9,049-acre park, the state’s largest, is 80 miles southwest of Atlanta. It offers trails through hardwood and pine forests and past small waterfalls. Visitors can view a life-sized bronze statue of President Franklin Roosevelt at Dowdell’s Knob, where he sometimes picnicked.
More information: gastateparks.org/FDRoosevelt
Fort Mountain State Park
Nearby community: Chatsworth
Features: The park is probably best known for a mysterious rock wall that stands along the mountain’s highest ground and was presumably built by early Native Americans. The park also features a 17-acre lake, complete with a beach, for springtime fun or fall color.
More information: gastateparks.org/FortMountain
Moccasin Creek State Park
Nearby community: Lake Burton
Features: The state’s smallest state park is located on the shores of Lake Burton. It offers hikes and a wildlife observation tower. A fully accessible fishing pier sits above a trout-filled creek open only to people 65 and older and children 11 and younger, as well as all ages with a Georgia disability fishing license, the park’s webpage says.
More information: gastateparks.org/MoccasinCreek
Smithgall Woods State Park
Nearby community: Helen
Features: Visitors can picnic near Dukes Creek or hike a 1.6-mile loop that features views of Mount Yonah. The parks system describes Dukes Creek as one of the state’s premier trout streams, but warns that fishing is limited, so visitors should call ahead for reservations.
More information: gastateparks.org/SmithgallWoods
Tallulah Gorge State Park
Nearby community: Clayton
Features: Tallulah Gorge is two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep. Hikes along the canyon rim include overlooks with waterfall views or, with a permit from the park office, to the bottom of the canyon. A suspension bridge sways 80 feet above the bottom, offering views of the river and waterfalls.
More information: gastateparks.org/TallulahGorge
Unicoi State Park and Lodge
Nearby community: Helen
Features: In addition to the 100-room Unicoi Lodge and restaurant, the park offers paddleboard lessons, archery and beginner’s fly-fishing lessons. Visitors can also hike the trails and see Anna Ruby Falls.
More information: unicoilodge.com
Vogel State Park
Nearby community: Blairsville
Features: Vogel is located at the base of Blood Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Twisting roads around Vogel and hikes through the park offer some of north Georgia’s prettiest fall color and scenery, the state park system says.
More information: gastateparks.org/Vogel
Source: Georgia State Parks
Leaf Watch Reports
To spread the word on which park is at its fall color peak on any given weekend during leaf-viewing season, the state parks service operates the “leaf watch” web page at gastateparks.org/leafwatch and a Facebook page at facebook.com/georgiastateparks.