How To Explore Cloudland Canyon State Park In Georgia

Cloudland Canyon State Park is located in Northwest Georgia along the edge of Lookout Mountain in Rising Fawn, just over an hour from Rome. It is an excellent place for a day trip like we did or a camping adventure.

We happened upon Cloudland Canyon while driving on a lazy Saturday. After doing some small chores, checking on some property, and visiting with my parents, my husband and I decided to go for a drive. We didn’t have any real destination in mind (we call these types of outings our “Adventures”), so we traveled beautiful, winding, back-country roads, happening upon direction signs labeled with familiar and foreign destinations. After choosing several turns based simply on being unfamiliar with the town in that direction, we saw a sign pointing the way to Cloudland Canyon State Park. We quickly decided that this would be our destination for the day, considering a canyon sounded cool and it was a place we had never visited.

Our first stop was the visitors center, which was unfortunately closed because of our late afternoon arrival. Several signs outside of the center describe the park and what it offers, as well as instructions for campers arriving after hours. Day visitors are required to purchase a day pass which varies in cost depending on the type of vehicle you are in. We were in our car, so our pass was $5, which we purchased from a self-serve box outside of the visitors center. It is on the honor system, but we saw the park ranger checking for vehicle pass tags during our visit.

There are campsites (both primitive and camper accessible), cabins and pavilions available to rent in the park, and convenience facilities for visitors. There are also clearly marked trails and maps posted in several locations. The trails are marked with the “diamond” labeling system to assist hikers. Although initially, we didn’t understand what these meant, we learned the basics fairly quickly.

The first trail we came to was marked with a yellow diamond. The path was clearly marked, so it was easy for us, considering we had no prior hiking experience. There were a lot of large rocks that we had to step on and over to stay on the path, so good shoes were essential. Once we got to the overlook, the view was amazing.

The second trail we took led us down a little further. It was marked with a blue diamond and was mostly paved with steps leading down to the overlook. It was easier than the first trail.

The view was very similar. The only significant difference our untrained eyes noticed was the side of the mountain closest to us highlighted the beauty of the layers of rocks.

There was a tiny rock bridge. I went around because it was too close to the edge, and I didn’t trust the rails or myself. I am too clumsy to take chances around a cliff’s edge.

The trails and the rock formations are beautiful. I know that all rocks have names, and I learned how different kinds of rocks are formed during College Geology. I would love to be able to expound on the names of the rocks and their formations, as well as what caused them to look the way they do, but it wasn’t my best subject—once the class was over, most of that knowledge left. I still appreciate the differences in landscapes and rocks, though, and I love exploring and seeing the beauty of it all.

The trail to the waterfall was by far the hardest. It was steep in several places and marked with a brown diamond. The hike down wasn’t too bad, but the walk back up was a different story.

We hiked to Cherokee Falls. It is the upper of two falls (the lower one being Hemlock Falls). During the Summer and Fall, little water typically flows over the falls, which we confirmed during our hike. Other hikers told us that spring is the best time of the year to see the waterfall in full force. The sound of the water falling was so peaceful. There was a sign discouraging visitors from getting in the water, but it looked refreshing.

While we were enjoying the view and listening to the water splashing into the pool, a family was making wedding plans for the following day. I imagine it was a gorgeous wedding. It is a unique place.

After resting for a bit, we started the trek back. I’m not going to lie. The hike to the top was strenuous, but we agreed that it was completely worth it once we caught our breath. This experience has inspired us to look for other places to hike.

The cabins available for rental are lovely and have fire pits behind them. My husband said that is his kind of camping!

The campground looks nice. I grew up enjoying camping with my family, and we still occasionally go on camping trips. My husband does not enjoy it as much as I do, but he still goes and usually enjoys it!

There were several more trails we would have liked to explore (Cloudland Canyon has 64 miles of hiking trails), but, considering our late start, daylight was not on our side. There are also caves that are for expert explorers that require special permission to go into. We want to take a trip back when the leaves start to change in the fall. The view will be spectacular no matter what time of year you visit.

A trip to Cloudland Canyon would be a perfect day trip. An hour away from Rome, Georgia, and a beautiful scenic drive makes it ideal for a one-day getaway.

More information is available on the website: gastateparks.org