Amicalola River Trail to The Edge of the World

Class IV Rapids

March 8, 2015 - This is a fairly easy "hike", the majority of which is a wooden boardwalk that runs from the parking area on Hwy 53 west of Dawsonville, GA. From the parking area, there is a stairway that leads down to the walkway that runs parallel to the Amicalola River for .5 miles until you reach the rapids. It is handicap accessible so all levels of mobility can take advantage of the beautiful scenery.

This trip was made a few weeks after a major ice storm hit the area, so there were quire a few downed limbs, and a large tree that was still blocking the boardwalk. 

At the end of the boardwalk, you can scramble down through some laurel, rhododendron, and a few small boulders to walk out onto the granite slabs that immerse you in the sounds of the rapids. Like all river rocks, tread carefully as they can be quite slippery in spots.

The trail continues on up into the higher elevations of the forest to the southeast of the river. Though not taken on this day, I will return soon to complete the entire loop and will describe it in a separate post.

For a quick trip with small kids or older folks, this is a definite walk to take. You won't be disappointed.