With cooler weather heading our way, it’s a great time to seek the outdoors and discover the thousands of hiking trails, gorgeous waterfalls and the natural flora and fauna that surrounds us.
In nearby Fort Oglethorpe, Cloudland Canyon State Park is considered the most scenic park on the western edge of Lookout Mountain.
Kim Hatcher, Public Affairs Coordinator for the Georgia Department on Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites Division said the park the landscape was shaped by erosion of sandstone over many millions of years to form the canyons of Bear and Daniels creeks.
She said since it was difficult to access much of the terrain, sections of the park avoided the ravages of industrialization. Hatcher said old-growth Yellow Poplar, Hemlock, Mountain Laurel, and Catawba Rhododendron can still be found in certain areas.
“Valued for its rugged beauty and unique geological formations, Cloudland Canyon was designated a state park in 1938 when the state began acquiring land from private owners,” Hatcher said. “Two of these were the Mathews and McCaig families who still live in the area today. Land acquisitions continue sporadically as new property becomes available.”
When the park opened it covered 1,924 acres. Today the park covers 3,538 acres.
“Currently, Cloudland Canyon offers a variety of trails snaking through some of the most pristine and beautiful wilderness in the state; among these are a Waterfall, Backcountry and Rim trails,” Hatcher said. “The gorgeous geology of the canyons and the variety of rare flora within them render Cloudland Canyon a special and unique wilderness resource.”
The various hiking and biking trails are suited for beginners and experienced travelers.
The short Overlook trail is an easy one mile (round trip) hike on a flat service leading along the rim of the canyon. There are plenty of benches along the path to take a break, if needed. It is the park’s easiest trail.
Another easy one-mile trail is the Meadowlands trail. This short trail takes visitors to an observation deck overlooking the unique meadow ecosystem and fishing pond area of the park. Guests can borrow a fishing pole for free from the Interpretive Center (open year-round Saturday-Sunday). The pond is stocked with catfish and the Catch and Keep season runs Labor Day to the end of December.
For intermediate hikers the two-mile Back Country Loop takes you through the woods and into the park’s campsite. In a clockwise fashion, the trail slopes gently downward through oak woodland on its way to a small stream and dark groves of eastern hemlock. The trail then climbs approximately 200 feet back up to the trailhead.
For the advanced hikers there are three trails to test your abilities. The Waterfall trail is 1.8 miles, but it involves 600 stairsteps one way. Visitors who take the Waterfalls Trail are rewarded with the site of Cherokee Falls after half mile and then Hemlock Falls about half mile further down the along those steep steps. The quantity of water over the falls varies greatly from month to month, and currently parts of our area are in drought conditions. It is not advised to take pets along this trail.
The Western Rim Loop is a 5-mile hike roundtrip providing several overlooks that showcase the park’s rugged geology, deep canyons, dense woodland, and views. From the Main Trailhead, hikers drop down to Daniel Creek and cross over it. The trail then proceeds uphill to a rocky promontory. The West Rim Loop Trail is marked by yellow blazes and is most easily accessed from the Main Trailhead. Overnight guests can also access it from the Yurt Village, West Rim Campground, Walk-In Campground, and West Rim cottages.
The most difficult trail is Sitton’s Gulch. This six-mile roundtrip excursion takes visitors along cascading, boulder-strewn creeks downward to the mouth of Cloudland Canyon. The first portion of the trail also serves as the Waterfalls Trail, and the trail ends at the Canyon Park Drive parking lot. At this point, you retrace your steps back upward for a good climb.
The Five Points Recreation Area and the Cloudland Connector Trail (CCT) is a large new area of the state park, offering great workouts for mountain bikers, trail runners, and long-distance hikers. The CCT can be accessed from four trailheads and is 14 miles one way. In addition to pedestrians and mountain bikers, the CCT is open to horseback riding.
The park also offers disc golf, picnic areas and overlooks. Guests seeking an overnight experience can choose from fully equipped and comfortable cottages, quirky yurts or several different types of camping and backpacking options.
“Cloudland added two new cottages recently and they’re quite nice – 3 bedroom and big porches,” Hatcher said. “The park also renovated its campground a year or two ago.”
Reservations, Accommodations & Facilities
- 16 Cottages
- 10 Yurts
- 72 Tent, Trailer & RV Campsites
- 30 Walk-In Campsites
- 13 Backcountry Campsites
- 4 Pioneer Campsites (Before making reservations, call park for capacity limits.)
- 6 Picnic Shelters (Before making reservations, call park for capacity limits.)
- 1 Group Shelter (seats 175. Before making reservations, call park for capacity limits.)
- 1 Group Lodge (sleeps 40. Before making reservations, call park for capacity limits.)
- Gift Shop/Camper Store
- Playground
To find out more, visit gastateparks.org/CloudlandCanyon
