Tallulah Gorge

The gorge runs about three kilometres and drops around three hundred metres, and it was a major tourist destination in the late 1800s with hotels along the rim. Georgia Power dammed the river in 1913 and took the water, which ended both the falls and the tourism; the river bed is dry most of the time. Scheduled water releases on the first two weekends of April and the first three of November return substantial flow for whitewater paddling, with extra releases on spring and autumn weekends for the sight of it. A suspension bridge crosses the gorge, and permits for the gorge floor are limited. Karl Wallenda, then 65, walked a high wire across the gorge on July 18, 1970.

What you'll find

• A gorge about three hundred metres deep - and three kilometres long.
• A suspension bridge - across the gorge.
• Scheduled water releases - weekends in April and November.
• A dry riverbed most days - the water goes to the power station.

When to go

April to October; check the release schedule for flowing water. Half a day.

Practical notes

Without a release the falls are largely dry - most visitors do not realise. Gorge floor permits are capped at a hundred a day and gone early. The descent is over a thousand steps. Release weekends crowd the rim trails.

Nearby

Clayton is north; Lake Rabun is west.

Key facts