'Fall'-ing into adventure at Amicalola Falls State Park

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. - After a sweltering start to the season with record-breaking temperatures in the 90s, fall has finally settled in over North Georgia. In fact, it almost feels like winter has arrived early! And that means visitors from across the country are making the trek to one of Georgia’s most-visited state parks, a place where the arrival of autumn brings some of the most spectacular and colorful views in the Southeast.

The Good Day feature team spent the morning at Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge, located just more than an hour north of Atlanta, in Dawsonville.  Named for its top attraction — a 729-foot cascading waterfall which ranks among the tallest east of the Mississippi River — the park is also home to one of the state’s Adventure Lodges, which means there are tons of thrilling ways to enjoy the fall foliage outdoors.  

Those activities include a 3-D Archery Range, GPS Scavenger Hunts, a Birds of Prey show on the weekends, and a zip lining course designed and installed by American Adventures Park Systems, the team behind the world-famous Historic Banning Mills.

We didn’t spend the night, of course — but for those looking to make a weekend our of their trip to Dawsonville, the Amicalola Falls Lodge features King & Queen, loft, and suit options — and just about every room comes with a view of the North Georgia mountains.  

The park also contained 1, 2, or 3-bedroom cabins and traditional campsites.

State Park hours are 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, and there is a $5 entrance fee.  The Park’s Visitor Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays through Wednesdays, and 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays.

So, what kind of adventure did we “fall” into during our morning visit to Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge?  Click the video player to find out!