Tucked into the mountains of northeast Georgia, a short hike off Indian Grave Gap Road leads to one of the state's quieter water spectacles. High Shoals Falls sits at the end of a 2.4-mile round-trip trail near Hiawassee, and the reward comes in pairs: two waterfalls for one walk.
The drive up to the trailhead is part of the fun — a winding mountain road that sets the tone before you've laced your boots. From the parking spot, the trail drops downhill into a small, leafy valley rather than climbing, which means the return leg is the uphill portion. Along the way you'll pass several backcountry campsites, a sign this valley sees overnighters as well as day hikers.
Your first stop is Blue Hole Falls, the smaller and more intimate of the two cascades. Keep going and the trail finishes at High Shoals Falls itself, where a wooden boardwalk platform gives you a proper viewing spot without scrambling over wet rocks. It's a moderately challenging hike by most measures — the descent and climb back out will raise a sweat — but the distance is short enough for a half-day outing.
What makes this spot appealing is the seclusion. Georgia's better-known falls, like Amicalola or Tallulah Gorge, draw heavy crowds, while High Shoals tends to stay under the radar despite sitting in a region dense with hiking options. Hiawassee itself makes a convenient base: a small lake town on the shore of Lake Chatuge, close to the North Carolina line and the southern edge of the Appalachian Trail.
For travellers, the formula here is simple — a scenic mountain drive, a forested valley walk, two waterfalls, and a boardwalk viewpoint, all wrapped into an easy morning or afternoon. Pair it with a lakeside afternoon in Hiawassee or add it to a broader North Georgia mountains road trip through Helen, Blairsville, and the Chattahoochee National Forest. Wear proper footwear for the rocky sections, bring water, and aim for a weekday or early start if you want the falls to yourself.
