Cloudland Canyon State Park

Cloudland Canyon State Park is one of the largest and most scenic state parks in Georgia, set dramatically on the western edge of Lookout Mountain in the rugged northwestern corner of the state. The park’s centerpiece is a deep, wild canyon — carved by Sitton Gulch Creek to a depth of nearly 1,000 feet — with towering sandstone cliffs, lush forested slopes, tumbling waterfalls and sweeping overlooks that make it a breathtaking and beloved destination.

From the canyon rim, dramatic overlooks gaze across the chasm and the surrounding ridges and valleys of the Cumberland Plateau country. Trails descend into the gorge to two beautiful waterfalls — Hemlock Falls and Cherokee Falls — via long staircases, and lead to wild caves, cliffs and the rugged backcountry. With its deep canyon, sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, caves, extensive trails, camping and stunning vistas, Cloudland Canyon is a treasured natural jewel of northwestern Georgia and one of the most spectacular parks in the state.

Cloudland Canyon State Park offers superb recreation — hiking the rim trails to dramatic canyon overlooks, descending long staircases into the gorge to the beautiful Hemlock and Cherokee falls, exploring wild caves (with permits, for experienced cavers), mountain biking, backpacking, disc golf, camping (including yurts and cottages), and birding. The combination of a deep, rugged canyon, sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, caves and sweeping vistas makes Cloudland Canyon a premier and beloved destination for hikers, cavers and outdoor lovers in the northwestern Georgia mountains and the Cumberland Plateau country.

Spring brings the fullest waterfalls and wildflowers, while fall brings spectacular color across the canyon and ridges, a premier autumn time. Summer offers cool shade in the gorge and lush green, and winter bare-canyon views and the chance of ice on the falls. The waterfalls are best after rain and in spring; fall color over the canyon is a highlight. The park is popular on warm-season and fall weekends, so arrive early. The canyon overlooks and the waterfall trails reward visits year-round in this scenic northwestern Georgia park.

Cloudland Canyon, long a scenic landmark on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, became one of Georgia’s largest and most scenic state parks, with the Civilian Conservation Corps and later development building access to the dramatic canyon and waterfalls. The rugged Cumberland Plateau country of northwestern Georgia, with its sandstone gorges and caves, has long drawn admirers. Protected as a state park, Cloudland Canyon preserves the deep canyon, the waterfalls, the cliffs and the caves for the public, a treasured destination in the corner where Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama meet.

Cloudland Canyon is carved into the western edge of Lookout Mountain, part of the Cumberland Plateau, where Sitton Gulch Creek and its tributaries have cut a gorge nearly 1,000 feet deep into the layered sandstone over softer rock. The resistant sandstone caprock forms the towering cliffs and the rim, and the ledges over which Hemlock and Cherokee falls tumble, while the soluble rock has also formed caves in the area. The layered plateau rock, the down-cutting creeks and the long erosion created the deep canyon, the cliffs, the waterfalls and the caves of this dramatic landscape.

The canyon, forests, creeks and caves of Cloudland Canyon State Park host white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, foxes, and a rich community of birds, while the cool, moist gorge shelters salamanders and amphibians, the caves provide habitat for bats, and the creeks support aquatic life. The biodiverse Cumberland Plateau forest supports abundant wildlife. The park is a fine place for wildlife watching and birding amid its deep canyon, cliffs, waterfalls and caves in the rugged northwestern corner of Georgia, where varied habitats shelter diverse species.

Cloudland Canyon State Park protects a biodiverse Cumberland Plateau ecosystem, where the deep, cool canyon, the sandstone cliffs, the waterfalls, the caves and the lush forest support diverse plant and animal life, including cave-adapted species like bats, salamanders in the moist gorge, and rich forest communities. The cool microclimate of the canyon and the cave habitats add distinctive ecological value. Protecting the canyon, the cliffs, the creeks’ water quality, the caves and the forest sustains both the ecology and the spectacular scenery of this treasured park in northwestern Georgia.

Cloudland Canyon, with its deep, rugged canyon, sandstone cliffs, waterfalls and sweeping vistas, holds a cherished place among Georgia’s state parks as one of the largest and most scenic, a beloved destination in the dramatic Cumberland Plateau country of the state’s northwestern corner. The breathtaking canyon and its waterfalls have drawn generations of hikers, cavers and nature lovers, making Cloudland Canyon a treasured natural landmark that showcases the rugged beauty of Lookout Mountain and the plateau where Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama meet.

Cloudland Canyon State Park is in northwestern Georgia on Lookout Mountain near Trenton and Rising Fawn, off State Route 136 near Interstate 59, about two hours northwest of Atlanta and a half hour from Chattanooga, Tennessee. A parking fee applies. The park offers rim trails and overlooks, staircase trails into the gorge to the waterfalls, wild caves (by permit), campgrounds, yurts and cottages, and a disc golf course. The waterfall trails involve hundreds of stairs. Check Georgia State Parks for fees, cave permits and conditions before visiting.

Georgia State Parks protects the canyon, cliffs, waterfalls, caves, creeks and forests of Cloudland Canyon State Park. Visitors help by staying on trails and staircases, keeping back from cliff edges and the tops of waterfalls, following cave rules and permits (which protect bats, including from white-nose syndrome), packing out everything, protecting the creeks’ water quality, respecting wildlife, and not damaging the formations. Protecting the canyon, the caves, the waterfalls and the forest sustains both the ecology and the spectacular scenery of this treasured northwestern Georgia park.

Cloudland Canyon’s rim has steep, dangerous cliffs — stay on trails and overlooks and keep well back from the edges, supervising children closely. The staircase trails into the gorge are strenuous, with hundreds of steps and slippery rocks near the falls; pace yourself, hold railings, and do not climb on the falls or slippery rocks. Wild caving is for experienced, equipped cavers with permits only. Wear sturdy footwear, carry water, take care in wet or icy conditions, be bear-aware and store food, and respect the canyon’s depths and the dangerous cliffs and water.

A parking fee applies. Stay on trails and overlooks and back from cliff edges and the tops of waterfalls. Wild caving requires a permit and is for experienced cavers; follow bat-protection rules. Camp only in designated areas; yurts and cottages require reservations. Store food in bear country; pets must be leashed. Drones require authorization. Collecting is prohibited. Pack out all trash. Check Georgia State Parks for current rules, cave permits and conditions before visiting.

The towns of Trenton and Rising Fawn, the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee (a half hour away, with Lookout Mountain’s attractions), and the Cumberland Plateau country where Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama meet lie near the park, with the Cloudland Canyon backcountry and the broader plateau within reach. Atlanta is about two hours southeast. The rugged plateau and Lookout Mountain define the region. Cloudland Canyon anchors a scenic region of canyons, cliffs, waterfalls and caves in northwestern Georgia, a centerpiece of an outdoor getaway near Chattanooga.

Take in the dramatic canyon from the rim overlooks, then descend the long staircase trails into the gorge to the beautiful Hemlock and Cherokee falls — best after rain or in spring for the fullest flow, or in fall for spectacular canyon color. Pace yourself on the hundreds of steps, keep well back from the dangerous cliff edges, and wear sturdy footwear. Camp in a yurt or cottage, explore the wild caves only with a permit and experience, store food in bear country, and pair the park with nearby Chattanooga.