I grew up in East Tennessee, going camping and hiking in surrounding state and national parks, and yet somehow completely missed ever hearing about Cloudland Canyon State Park just a few hours away in north Georgia. It wasn’t until my sister-in-law invited me to spend Fall Break this year with her and my nephews that I found out about this gem. I have been spreading the word ever since.

My sister- in-law spent her childhood summers with her grandparents in Cloudland Canyon and has fond memories of hiking to its waterfalls that she was eager to share with her two boys. After visiting, I can see why.

The park is a gorgeous place that is perfect for any family vacation. You can pick from a a variety of lodging options (cabins, yurts, campgrounds) to relax after hiking scenic trails with astounding views or steep, heart-pumping trails to the waterfalls at the bottom of the canyon.

Enjoy a round of disc golf or sit back with a pole and spend the afternoon fishing on the stocked pond. If you are a mountain biker, you’ll find lots of trails in the adjacent 5 Points Recreation Area. There is even a gourmet restaurant nearby for the foodies.

And the best part is that Cloudland Canyon is just 2 hours north of Atlanta or 45 minutes south of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Hiking In Cloudland Canyon

Trail Descriptions Of The Most Popular Trails As Well As The Lesser Known Ones

There are 3 main hikes that are by far and away the most popular in the park: 1) the Overlook Trail, 2) the West Rim Loop Trail, and 3) the Waterfalls Trail. Each of these hikes should be on your to do list on any visit (even repeat). If you have limited time, you could do all three in one day as long as your kids are fairly mobile and you start early.

Other trails in the park to check out if you have time are Sitton’s Gulch Trail, Meadowlands Trail, and Bear Creek Backcountry Trail.

The Overlook Trail

1 mile RT, easy, 3o minutes

Extending along a flat section of the east rim of the canyon and encompassing multiple awe- inspiring view points, this trail is a highlight for anybody visiting Cloudland Canyon State Park. Its only drawback are the crowds during the summer and on fall weekends.

The Overlook Trail is the first thing day visitors to the park encounter, so it tends to get quite busy. But the kids will have fun clambering down to the Main Overlook as well as testing out the echo from there. (We thought the echo was the best from the West Rim Trail but it was pretty good from here too.)

Do walk over to the Bear Creek Overlook near the eastern end of the Overlook Trail as it was a little quieter than the Main Overlook. Also, check out the signs along the trail explaining the geology of the canyon and identifying the landmarks you can see from the overlooks.

West Rim Loop Trail

5 miles RT, moderate, 3- 4 hours

The West Rim Loop Trail has been voted by Backpacker magazine as one of the Top 10 hikes in the US and they weren’t lying. It is 5 miles of simply spectacular scenery.

What I thought made it most appealing for families though, were the frequent points of interest. Every 15-20 minutes it seemed that there was something to pique the kids’ interest- overlooks, bridges, streams, giant boulders, cool bent trees, etc.

The twins discovered that many of the overlooks had an echo across the canyon. After that, our hiking speed dropped precipitously as they spent forever yelling random words out and giggling when the rocks answered them back.

Rated moderately strenuous because of its length and 2 short sections of gentle ascents of 100-200 feet, we found the West Rim Loop Trail easily doable with two 10 year old boys. We saw plenty of other families on the trail, including babies in carriers, so I would think this trail is achievable for most families.

One section of the trail I would watch out for though, is near the West Rim Campground where the trail gets narrow with a decent drop-off on one side. Probably a hand- holding section for little kids. Very near to this, the trail then crosses a large rock outcropping with several deep crevices where a little kid could easily fall into if they aren’t paying attention.

If someone gets a blister or taps out, there are numerous points (campgrounds, picnic areas, cabin areas) where you could wait while someone hikes back to the car. This trail was also good for dogs as evidenced by the numerous new friends we met on the trail. Need to have a max of a 6ft leash though.

Waterfalls Trail

2 miles RT, strenuous, 45-60 minutes

The Waterfalls Trail is another of the signature trails at Cloudland Canyon, and it is well worth the 600 stairs you will have to climb down (and back up!) to see the two tall waterfalls.

*I will warn you that the waterfalls may be dry if you are there in late summer or during a dry spell in the fall. Still a fun hike but not nearly as a cool as when the water is roaring.

From the West Rim Trail, follow the signs to the waterfalls and start heading down, down, down. Near the start of the trail, you will find a large alcove under a huge rock outcropping. My nephews had fun posing trying to hold up the rock, just as my sister-in-law did when she was a child. She said it looked exactly the same as when she was 10 years old, log bench and everything.

The trail splits soon after the huge rock outcropping. Go left on a short spur to reach the 60 foot tall Cherokee Falls. Go right and hike 0.5 miles of more stairs to reach the 90 foot tall Hemlock Falls. I would go down to Hemlock Falls first before heading back up if only because Cherokee Falls makes a nice break spot on your way back up all the stairs. (So. Many. Stairs.)

There is a little viewing platform so you can see Hemlock Falls from a distance, but at Cherokee Falls you can get closer to falls themselves and the pool just below. It is a lovely spot for a picnic or just to explore the rocks for awhile.

*The Waterfalls Trail is not dog- friendly because the metal stairs have small grates that hurt dogs’ feet. I saw people having to carry a 40lb pooch up 600 stairs because it refused to go further. Maybe it was some sort of CrossFit challenge but it did not look fun.

Sitton’s Gulch

6 miles RT, strenuous, 3-5 hours

The first mile of the Sitton’s Gulch trail is the same as the Waterfalls Trail. When you climb the stairs all the way down to Hemlock Falls, you will see the large bridge that crosses Daniel Creek and which marks the start of the Sitton’s Gulch Trail, an out and back trail.

From the bridge, you have a few more stairs and a pretty steady but mild descent for the next 2 miles until you reach a parking lot. This is the back entrance to the park and where you turnaround to head back to the canyon. The trail follows Daniel Creek at the beginning until it meets up with Bear Creek to form Sitton Gulch Creek.

This is a great trail as 90% of your fellow visitors will stop at the waterfalls and do not continue on to Sitton’s Gulch Trail. Plus, there are 2 more small but lovely waterfalls on this trail and I always like hiking near a creek.

The big downside to this trail is the unforgiving rule of “What goes down, must come up.” From the turnaround at the parking lot at the back entrance of the park, you are looking at 3 miles of uphill, gentle at first but with the last mile being almost completely stairs. It can be a slog, probably too brutal for those with small children.

Meadowlands Trail

1 mile RT, easy, 30 min

A pretty trail and great for those with small kids as you can explore the paths around the meadow and find a ton of grasshoppers and other assorted bugs. The trail goes by the park’s fishing pond which is stocked with catfish (you can borrow a pole for free from the Interpretive Center open on Sat & Sun). No fishing license is needed.

Bear Creek Trail

7 miles RT, strenuous, don’t know time because haven’t done it

This is probably the most remote of the trails in Cloudland Canyon so head here if it is too busy for you in the rest of the park.

Get there by taking the trail down from the picnic area on the East Rim (by the Overlook Trail) and be prepared to get wet because you will have to ford Bear Creek. There is no bridge and you cannot rock hop across. I have heard that the creek crossing is the most scenic part of the trail and well worth the trip just for it.

After you cross Bear Creek, you climb back up to loop around some of the forest on the far east side of the park. Two of the primitive campgrounds are on this loop but not much else, so make sure you have water and snacks.

Lodging In Cloudland Canyon

Spoiled For Choice- Cabin, Yurt, Tent, or RV

Choose between 16 cabins, 10 yurts, 2 RV/ tent campgrounds, 1 walk-in tent only campground, and 13 primitive backcountry campsites to find the place perfect for your family.

Check in for all lodgings at the Visitor Center near the main entrance to the park. All lodgings, including backcountry campsites, can now be reserved online.

*If you become a member of Friends Of Georgia State Parks, you can get free nights camping and 10% discounts on lodging. If you are planning on spending a few nights, this can be a great deal. We have a collaboration with them (because we love anyone who volunteers at parks) so you can get discounts on a membership using the link above.

Cabins

There are 16 cabins in the park, split between the east and west rims of the canyon.

14 cabins are two bedroom cabins that sleep either 6 or 8 people and have 1 or 2 bathrooms. The park also has two larger cabins with 3 bedrooms/ 2 baths that sleep 8 people.

The kitchens in all the cabins have pretty decent pots and pans but don’t expect much else, i.e. spices, vegetable oil, sugar, etc. We did have filters for the coffee maker in ours.

The cabins come with very basic supplies, such as 2 rolls of toilet paper, a dishwasher pack, and dish soap. No soap or shampoo for the bathrooms. You will also need to bring your own charcoal for the outdoor grill if you are planning on using that.

The cabins all have wood fireplaces and outdoor fire rings. You can buy approved wood at the Visitor Center ($6 a bundle) or at the nearby country store just outside the park boundaries. Bring your own matches or fire starter though as our cabin didn’t come with those handy things. (Hello last minute gas station outing).

The cabins come with linens for bed and bath (including the most amount of towels I have ever seen for a rental cabin). The bedroom sheets were nice enough and each room had extra blankets. I would bring my own heavy duty blanket if you are renting in the dead of winter, especially for snuggling up on the couch.

The cabins do have central air and heat that seemed to work just fine, no complaints there.

The cabins don’t have washer/ dryers but you can find coin- operated ones at the campground restrooms.

The beds in the cabins are full- sized, not queen, for the most part, so sleeping 2 adults in a bed is a little cozy but doable. The couches aren’t pull-out, so don’t plan on having someone sleep there.

You can reserve cabins online up to 13 months ahead of time, and there is a 2 night minimum, except during the dead of winter. Cabin rentals will run you $100-210 a night, depending on the season and cabin size.

Cabins on the East Rim

Cabins #1-5 are between the East Rim Campground and the main Rim Trail. Cabins #1 and #3 have three bedrooms/ two baths while cabins #2, #4, and #5 are two bedroom/ two bath places.

The cabins on the east rim have larger screened porches, all have two bathrooms, and are generally a little spiffier than the cabins on the west rim. Unfortunately though, they are also right along the main trail, close to each other and to the East Rim Campground, and very near to the day use parking/picnic area of the park. Expect vehicular and hiker noise when relaxing on the porches.

Cabins on the West Rim

Cabins #6-#16 are on the west rim of the canyon, are on their own access road, and are set back a little from the main Rim Trail. All are 2 bedroom/ 1 bath cabins except #16 which is listed as a “premier” cabin. It has much fancier decor and a second bath but is still a 2 bedroom place. Cabins #6 and #7 are dog friendly (with a deposit). They are the only dog- friendly cabins in the park.

I like the West Rim cabins better as they are much quieter than those on the East Rim and are set farther apart from each other. It is a 1-2 minute walk on a connecting trail to the Rim Trail, so it is very easy to pop out there for sunrise and sunset pictures.

We stayed in cabin #10 and really liked it (although we could occasionally hear sounds from people on the porch of #11 as it was not that far away.) You can’t see cabin #9 at all, though, from cabin #10 as there is a huge gap between. My favorite cabins are #6 and #7 as you really can’t see any other cabins from them on either side.

Yurts

On the west side of the park, you’ll find 10 yurts if you want to split the difference between tent camping and a cabin rental. Each yurt sleeps 6 people, containing a full bed on a bunk bed frame with a futon below, plus an additional futon.

There is a nice central bathhouse (shared with fellow yurt dwellers) and it’s no more than a minute or two walk from any of the yurts. The yurts are all bunched together and the bathroom is in the middle. The yurts also have their own playground with a large covered picnic area right next to it.

Each yurt comes with electrical outlets, a small heater in the winter, an outdoor grill, a picnic table, and a water spicket. No dogs allowed. Yurts cost around $100 a night, depending on season.

I think the yurts look awesome, and I am definitely interested in reserving one on my next visit. Stay away from #5 though as it is super close to the Rim Trail. You might hear some road noise from yurts #1 and #10 as they are closest to the park road.

Yurt # 7 is closest to the bathroom which could be great if you are staying with little kids. Yurts #2 and #3 would be my first choices as they are the farthest away from other yurts.

RV and Tent Campgrounds

There are 2 main campgrounds in the park, appropriately named East Rim Campground and West Rim Campground. All the sites in these campgrounds have electrical outlets and a water spicket. The bathrooms have free hot water showers and a coin operated washer/ dryer. You will find a nice playground in both campgrounds, although geared more for the 10 and under crowd.

The sites are, unfortunately, very close together in both campgrounds and definitely aimed more for RVs than tent campers. I would pick the West Rim campground over the East Rim as it has more tree cover and the sites are slightly farther apart.

The East Rim Campground is also next to the day-use area and main road so you will have tons more traffic noise. On one part of its loop, you can only camp on one side of the road because the other side is so close to the road.

These campsites cost $30-38, depending on season, and you can reserve online. Leashed dogs are allowed.

Tent Only, Walk-In Campground

If you are tent camping, this would be my choice over the East and West Rim Campgrounds. The Walk-In Campground is on the West Rim, near the West Rim Campground, on a mile long hiking loop with good-sized campsites situated decently far from each other. There is one main bathhouse near the parking area so some of the campsites are decently far from it.

Each site has a fire ring, grill, and picnic table. Most also have a tent pad marked off. Leashed dogs are allowed.

The sites furthermost away from the parking area are the most quiet but then you also have to carry your stuff the longest distance, so dealer’s choice. The trail to the restrooms starts at the parking area so if your bladder typically calls out to you in the middle of the night, you might want to set up closer to the parking lot. Go for the sites on the north side of the loop as they are closest to the bathroom and a little more spaced apart.

To get to the main Rim Trail from the Walk-In Campground, you can take an easy 5 minute connecting trail. Campsites cost $20-25 depending on season and you can reserve online.

Atlanta Trails has a good blog about the walk- in campground and some nice pictures.

Backcountry Camping

If you really want to get away from it all, check out the 11 backcountry sites on their own 2 mile loop trail. Each site has a fire ring, a picnic table, and a pit privy (think outhouse). Sites cost $8-$10. Leashed dogs are allowed and you can reserve online.

For those who like to get as far away from other people as possible, try primitive campsites #12 and #13 which are a 6 and 7 mile hike respectively down Bear Creek Backcountry Trail.

Just keep in mind that many of these backcountry sites are situated near the edges of the park so while you may not hear other campers, you may hear noise from the surrounding areas, i.e. roosters on farms, ATVs, etc.

Other Activities Available In Cloudland Canyon

Mountain Biking/ Horseback Riding/ More Hiking

Adjacent to Cloudland Canyon State Park and connected by the 14 mile Cloudland Canyon Connector Trail is Five Points Recreation Area, a former coal mining area that now has 23 miles of trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders.

You can rent mountain bikes from the Visitor Center at Cloudland Canyon State Park and they will deliver them to the main parking area at 5 Points Trailhead. It costs $35 dollars per half day and $55 for a full day’s rental. No kids bikes unfortunately. (No horse rentals either so BYOH.)

The main parking at 5 Points Trailhead has a changing area and a port a potty but that’s about it, so make sure to have all the water and snacks you may need.

There are lots of trails to choose from, mostly short green and blue single track trails, but you will find 2 black diamond trails and the 14 mile long Cloudland Connector Trail for those who are into endurance riding. (Cloudland Connector Trail is listed as only 3.4 miles on the following map because that only includes the section inside the 5 Points Recreation Area and not the part of the trail inside Cloudland Canyon park.)

Singletracks has a great review of the mountain biking at 5 Points.

Fishing

You can fish without a permit at the catfish stocked pond by the Meadowlands Trail. Borrow a pole for free from the Interpretive Center by the Main Overlook, open on Saturdays and Sundays.

You can even keep your catch if you are fishing between Labor Day and December so go grab yourself some dinner. (The rest of the year is catch and release or everyday is catch and release if you are like me and don’t love catfish.)

Disc Golf

You’ll find an 18 hole disc golf course near the Meadowlands Trail as well. I don’t play myself but from talking to other people, it seems to be a decent course that is fairly easy so families with younger kids should have a good time.

It costs $4 per person to play, payable at the Visitor Center. You can also buy frisbees/ discs there.

General Information About Cloudland Canyon

Park Fees

Admission to the park is $5 per car per day, even if you are paying for lodging. The Visitor Center will charge you for the appropriate days and give you a tag when you check in.

The park closes at 10pm, so those staying at the park get a code for the gate when they check in. If you are arriving after 10pm, check with the park on how that works.

*We recommend joining Friends of Georgia State Parks, an awesome group of people working hard to maintain these parks through volunteer efforts and fundraising. An annual membership gets you free admission into all the parks plus knowing you are helping to keep these parks such a great family experience. We have a collaboration with them so you can use the code “Happy Trails” to get a discount on memberships. Some of the memberships get you free nights camping and discounts on lodging, well worth it if you are thinking of renting a cabin at Cloudland Canyon. The link above will tell you more.

Supplies

The Visitor Center sells wood for $6 a bundle and has a decent amount of supplies- firestarters, ponchos, toilet paper, peanut butter, tent repair kits, etc.

For general supplies, head to the Canyon Quick Stop, just 0.5 miles away from the park entrance on Highway 136. You will find a small selection of groceries, some camping supplies, and a decent beer and wine selection as well. It also has a little grill in the back for sandwiches and hamburgers for a good price.

You can drink alcohol in your cabin, yurt, or campsite but not in any public use areas.

Nearby Restaurants

You will find a few restaurants within a 10 minute drive of the park if you don’t fancy cooking over a campfire or in your cabin.

Cafe 136 is next to the Canyon Quick Stop and has country cooking in a cute atmosphere- definitely opt for the screened porch if you can.

Canyon Grill is fancy dining in an unpretentious building and is known for their fish. Open Wednesday -Sunday from 5pm- 9pm and reservations may be a good option during busy summer weekends. BYOB and you need to bring your own corkscrew too (county blue laws). This place gets written up in Chattanooga magazines so it is definitely on my list to try on my next visit.

Lookout Mountain Pizza Company does amazing wood- fired pizza. Open Thur from 5-8pm, Fri & Sat from 5pm until 9pm, and Sun from 1130am- 4pm. Also BYOB ($2 surcharge if you do).

Trading Post Smokehouse does BBQ and does it well. Not a big place so you might be better off ordering the family pack and bringing it back to your lodgings. Open 10-8 everyday.

Trenton, Georgia is only a 10 minute drive away, albeit a windy one as the road snakes down off the mountain. You will find more options in Trenton, although not a whole lot more as it is not big (2,300 people to be exact).

Final Thoughts

I am already planning my next visit to this awesome park-- definitely going for a yurt stay next time just because I am dying to see what it is like. I also want to try Bear Creek Backcountry Trail and bring my mountain bike to checkout the trails at 5 Points Recreation Area.

There is so much to do, I think I could come back quite a few times before I feel like I have seen it all. The kids were already planning their return visits as well so I’d say Cloudland Canyon State Park was a crowd pleaser across the board and certainly going on our list of “go to” state parks in the southeast.

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