This Natural Blue Pool In Georgia Is The Perfect Last-Minute Summer Hiking Spot
It's no secret that August is the hottest month of the year in Georgia and with the overwhelming heat and humidity, you may prefer being inside where there's AC. However, hiking doesn't always have to involve sweating bullets because there are plenty of waterfalls in Georgia to help keep you chill. This natural swimming pool in the northern part of the state is fed by refreshing rapids that are a true post-hike reward.
Blue Hole Falls in Hiawassee is on the border of Tennessee and The Peach State and it's well worth the two-hour drive from the city. The falls, accompanied by a nearby counterpart called High Shoals Falls, is part of Chattahoochee National Forest in Towns County.
You can access the falls and natural pool via a super short, 1.2-mile trek down High Shoals Trail. The best part is that the hike is downhill, so it won't be too strenuous to reach the destination.
Once you find the pool, you may feel like you're in one of the tropical swimming holes in Honolulu, without the 4,500-mile trip. It's no surprise why this spot earned the name "Blue Hole" because the water is a gorgeous aqua color that glistens in the sunlight.
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It takes a brave soul to immerse into these waters though.
According to the White County Chamber, the falls maintain a 40-degree Fahrenheit temperature.
If swimming in ice-cold water isn't for you, you can at least feel the mist and cool air from the falls through the observation deck above.
Hikers can access the trail via Indian Grave Gap Road, AKA Forest Service Road 283, which is a gravel road located about 11.5 miles north of Helen.
Blue Hole Falls
Price: Free
Address: Indian Grave Gap Rd., Hiawassee, GA
Why You Need To Go: Take a dip in a natural, ten-foot swimming hole without taking a trip to the tropics.
Before you get going, check our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your trip.