5 Notes On Visiting High Falls State Park

High Falls State Park is a Georgia State Park near I-75 in middle Georgia along the Towaliga River. It’s fairly close to Atlanta, so I’ve been able to visit several times. Here are a few notes on the Park.

The Waterfall Is Really Cool

It’s pretty rare to see a waterfall so far South, especially one as big as the one at High Falls. It’s wide, tall, and has consistent volume (though tbh, the dam behind it does help the consistency). The Park has several excellent lookouts on the trail down past the Falls. And since the Falls are south of Atlanta, it’s actually faster to get to High Falls than to any of the State Parks north of Atlanta. It makes for a fun day trip / picnic.

Also, the Falls can really roar after a rain event.

The Hiking Is Surprisingly Good

Again, I always think of North Georgia and the mountains for good State Park hiking. Also, High Falls does not, on first glance, have the acreage necessary for a solid hiking system. But – it does! The 4 miles worth of trails are all well built, well maintained, and, thanks to the unique local topography, go through several different ecosystems with interesting stops.

The Park Is Ridiculously Convenient

For better and for worse, the Park is so accessible to I-75. There aren’t even any turns after the exit. The worse part is that the small area can get crowded with a steady flow of RVs and trailers. On the upside, the Park is very accessible and easy to get to.

As a bonus, it’s also close to Indian Springs State Park and Dauset Nature Center (a wildlife recovery center). All together, they form a nice little loop with I-75 and US 23.

The Park Has a Lot for It’s Acreage

Despite the small acreage, the Park has a decently sized and well-laid out campground, yurts, boating, fishing, mini-golf, and a soon-to-come pool (in 2025).

The Real Downside of Being Small

The area right around High Falls is highly developed…with commercial stores, RV campgrounds, and single family homes that do not blend into the landscape…at all? The commercial inholding right at the Park entrance and the residential development on High Falls Lake is especially dissonant. And of course, it’s nothing against the property owners – I just wish the State of Georgia had not cheap-ed out on land acquisition back when they were securing the Park boundaries.

That said, the planners at the Georgia DNR have done a good job insulating much of the Park (especially the trails, falls & campground) from the inholdings.

Either way, it’s a lovely Park that is worth a stop in, especially when combined with a trip to Macon or other public lands in the area.