The Raven Cliffs waterfall is possibly the most unusual in North Georgia.

Raven Cliffs Falls can be found along a 2.5 mile trail one way, within the Ravens Cliff Wilderness Area. One of the more uncommon waterfalls in this region. The waterfall drops 100 feet below a split faced rock outcropping that the water comes through. The waterflow joins the Dodd’s Creek which also features three additional waterfalls. Raven Falls Creek is about 6.38 miles from Helen, GA. Take HWY GA 75 north from Helen, turn left on ALT 75 and turn right on to the Russell Scenic Highway.

Silke and I had just checked out of our motel room in Helen, and decided to do a little exploring before we left this beautiful region of Georgia. After parking in the gravel parking lot we headed across the road and into the forest on a winding foot path. This is a Wilderness area so there are stream water crossings, be prepared to get your feet wet to really know the Wilderness character experience. Wilderness areas are lands designated by congress to be kept in the most natural (untrammeled) state possible while still allowing some recreation opportunities.

We had just gotten started working our way along the trail when we were already offered a challenge to cross the creek. Option one, cross on the rotting wet log or option two, go a little further down stream and take off our shoes and simply walk across. Feeling adventurous, we opted for option one. It turned out to be less intimidating than it looked and we were across it in no time at all. This crossing was really the only challenging part of the whole trek but it kind of set the tone for our little afternoon hike.

The forest at Raven Cliffs Falls is beautiful with moss covered trunks and countless Magnolia bushes along the trail. We visited in early February but will definitely be back in during the late spring/early summer season when flowers are in bloom.

The Raven Cliffs Falls Trailhead is open year round.

It offers tent camping, picnic tables, outdoor toilets, and parking for 30 vehicles. The maximum stay for tent campers is 14 days. ATV’s, Golf carts and UTV’s are NOT allowed on the campground sites or on  the forest service roads.

The closest town to Raven Cliffs Falls is Helen, Georgia. Park passes accepted at this site include; America the Beautiful, Senior or Access Pass/Golden Age. The trailhead’s physical address is 3000 Richard Russell Hwy, Helen, Georgia. You shouldn’t have a problem finding it with your GPS.

The Raven Cliffs Falls trail draws a regular crowd so we always had fellow hiking companions with us. The parking lot was full when we arrived late morning, but had dwindled down to about half when we finally got back to our car. With three other waterfalls to look at before arriving at the main attraction there is plenty to see and do for nature lovers. The hike itself is moderate in difficulty.

It always felt like there was something to photograph around every curve in the trail. I actually had my trusty ten year old Canon camera with us this time and as an added bonus, I had my memory card in it as well! I’ll spare you the story of the afternoon spent photographing at a park only to find out that I didn’t have one (memory card).

A wooden bridge leads over Dodd’s Creek.

Raven Cliff Falls is just one of several wonderful waterfalls in the Helen, Georgia area.

These waterfalls include: Anna Ruby Falls in the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest, Dukes Creek Falls, and the Horse Through Falls. We intend to check these out the next time we are in the Helen, Georgia area. If your travels bring you to the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Georgia, be sure to set aside a couple of hours to fully immerse yourself in this amazing wilderness area.

Do you have a favorite Waterfall hiking trail? Be sure to leave us a comment below. We would love to hear from you.