How to Get to Hemlock Falls at Moccasin Creek State Park, Georgia

Hemlock Falls, GA near Moccasin Creek State Park

[Updated September 24, 2021] More than 20 years ago, I practiced my budding photography skills while exploring many of the hiking trails with waterfalls in Georgia. From Amicalola Falls and Anna Ruby Falls to Tallulah Falls and Panther Creek Falls, these North Georgia waterfall hikes tapped into my lifelong love of nature and eventually inspired me … Read more

How to Get to Anna Ruby Falls Near Helen, GA

Mary Gabbett at Anna Ruby Falls In Helen GA

[Updated September 21, 2021] Among the 100+ North Georgia waterfalls, Anna Ruby Falls was both the first I remember visiting as a child and the last one we visited in 2020 before travel was discouraged. Not to be confused with Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Anna Ruby is one of the four most impressive waterfalls … Read more

Sampling Blue Ridge Restaurants on the Blue Ridge Mountains Food Tour

Blue Ridge Mountains Food Tour at Mercier Orchards Tasting Room

[Updated November 6, 2021] As a boy growing up near the North Georgia mountains, I tended to take the Appalachian food of my family’s roots for granted. Fortunately, traditional Southern food has come a long way over the last few decades, as has the culinary scene in little mountain towns like Blue Ridge, GA. When … Read more

Unicoi State Park & Lodge: Camping & Hiking Near Helen, GA

Beautiful scenery at Unicoi Lake-Smith Lake in Unicoi State Park, GA

[Updated on 7/20/21] Growing up in Atlanta, the mountain town of Helen GA seemed like another world, with its festive Christmas in Helen celebration and fun Alpine architecture, biergartens, bratwurst, and annual Oktoberfest Fall Festival. But even as a kid I was much more attracted to the natural beauty of Unicoi State Park, which is … Read more

Visiting Expedition Bigfoot Museum (aka Sasquatch Museum) in Cherry Log, GA

Exterior of Expedition Bigfoot Museum in in Cherry Log, GA

[Updated November 6, 2021] The Expedition Bigfoot Museum is a uniquely intriguing attraction in Cherry Log GA. Located along Highway 515 just minutes outside of Blue Ridge, it’s truly a weird and wondrous must-see for anyone visiting the North Georgia mountains. You don’t have to be a diehard believer in Bigfoot encounters to get a … Read more

Barnsley Gardens Resort Ruins: The Tragic Story Behind the Adairsville, GA Landmark

Barnsley Resort in North Georgia

Located in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains (45 miles southwest of Ellijay), the Barnsley Gardens Resort ruins offer a rare glimpse of the state’s pre-Civil War history. Most of Georgia’s early 19th century landmarks were destroyed during Maj. Gen. William Sherman’s march to the sea. The Union Army’s “scorched earth” approach was designed … Read more

Vogel State Park: Camping, Hiking & History in Blairsville GA

Autumn at Lake Trahlyta in Vogel State Park

[Updated on 7/20/21] Vogel State Park is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest. Located just 10 miles south of the quaint town of Blairsville GA, this beloved North Georgia park is a popular place for hiking, fishing, family gatherings, and viewing the area’s spectacular fall foliage. Operational … Read more