Spend a day in the clouds
Cloudland Canyon State Park is one of Georgia's best-kept secrets.
Covering 2,300 acres of land, Cloudland Canyon is part of the Lookout Mountain terrain. About an hour and a half drive up I-75 from the city of Atlanta, the canyon sits just outside Lafayette, Georgia. (Include driving directions?)
The canyon itself resembles a miniature "Grand Canyon" only with granite instead of silt rock. Still, the view is colorful and inspiring as one can see the rolling hills of the CUmberland Plateau for miles.
The Rim Trail follows around the top of the canyon about .8 miles. Here, one can witness from well-planned overlooks, the vista from 900 feet above the bottom floor of the canyon. There are a series of steps which also take the visitor to the bottom of the canyon. At a large overhanging rock, the trail splits. The right trail goes to the lower falls where Daniel Creek cascades 900 feet from the top of the canyon. The left trail goes to the upper, shorter falls. However, take heed: the steps leading to the bottom floor of the canyon are not for the faint-hearted.
In addition to the waterfalls, Cloudland Canyon offers camping, rental cabins, swimming and tennis.
There is a $2 fee implemented in 1999.
Cloudland Canyon State Park
122 Cloudland Canyon Park
Rising Fawn , GA 30738
Located on Ga. Route 136, 8 miles east of Trenton and I-59, and 18 miles west of LaFayette.
Park Hours: 7AM-10PM
Office Hours: 8AM-5PM
Facilities
3,485 Acres
73 Tent, Trailer, RV Campsites ($22)
30 Walk-in Campsites ($10)
11 Backcountry Campsites ($5/person)
16 Cottages ($65-$115)
6 Picnic Shelters ($30)
2 Group Shelters (seat 80-175, $90-$110)
Pioneer Campground ($40)
Group Lodge (sleeps 40, $175)
Gift Shop
Reservations (800) 864-7275
Park (706) 6574050
http://www.gastateparks.org/info/cloudland/
