Fall size:150'
Beauty Scale:5
(1-worth seeing-10 awesome)
Activities: hiking
Facilities :Resort
Fees: none for falls
Closest town: Hiawassee, Georgia
For more information:
Enota Mountain Retreat
1000 Highway 180
Hiawassee, GA 30546
enota@enota.com
800-990-8869
706-896-9966
Fax 706-896-4737
Please say you saw it on www.GreatGeorgiaProperties.com!
Directions from Hiawassee
Follow Hwy. 76 east about three miles and turn right on hwy 17/75. Follow Hwy. 75 south for almost 7 miles and turn right on Hwy. 180. Go approximately 2.5 miles to the Enota sign on the left.
Directions from Helen, Ga.
Follow Hwy 75 north about 11 miles through Robertstown, over Unicoi Gap and down the mountain to Hwy. 180 on the left. Follow Hwy 180 approximately 2.5 miles to the Enota sign on the left.
Joel Creek is just outside of Hiawassee Georgia located on the Enota Mountain retreat and Eco Village. This 150 ft falls can be seen from the high trail a short hop behind and to the left of the Visitors Center past the trout pond.Up the trail and crossing the creek over a log you get a great view of the waterfall just 1/4 a mile in. The trail is not real steep a walk but the drop off is so watch your step. On the other side of Joel Creek you will find another trail that leads to the bottom of the falls. The lower falls is smaller but closer to the visitors center. Fishing is not permitted in the area, but you can see large rainbow trout if you look closely. You can reach many falls on good trails at the Enota Mountain Retreat.
To take a nice hike in the woods and get to the top of this waterfall by walking about 200 yards down the drive to the trail marking the way to the Appalachian Trail. Take the trail to the right working your way uphill about half a mile and look for the tree with the faded blue arrow. Not much to see as the fall drops off quickly but a nice wooed place by the rushing creek to just absorb the nature around you. We continued to follow this trail upward for about a mile, a nice walk in the woods but no real views so we turned back.
The Enota Retreat & Eco Village is private property so you should obtain permission at the Visitors Center to visit the falls. Better yet spend the weekend in one of their cabins or campsites. At the very least please patronize the establishment by buying a snack at their country store which also has a nice selection of hand made musical instruments and other collectable's. Nearby is the access road to Brasstown Bald, Georgia's highest peak. You should also check out Gurley Creek Falls also located on the Enota property.