Anna Ruby Falls
3455 Anna Ruby Falls Rd, Sautee Nacoochee, GA
Sautee Nacoochee, GA
Two mountain creeks plunge over the same cliff side by side, a rare twin waterfall reached by a short paved walk through the forest.
Anna Ruby Falls is one of the more unusual waterfalls in the Southern Appalachians, because it is really two falls at once. Two separate mountain streams, Curtis Creek and York Creek, tumble over the same cliff face right beside each other and meet in a single pool below, forming twin cascades of different heights. From the pool they join to become Smith Creek, which flows down into Unicoi Lake.
The falls sit within the Chattahoochee National Forest and are reached by a short paved trail that climbs gently along the creek to a set of viewing decks. That easy access, paired with the drama of the double drop, makes it a favorite stop for families and casual walkers exploring the mountains around Helen.
What Guests Love
- Seeing two waterfalls, Curtis Creek and York Creek, drop side by side into one pool
- A short, paved trail that reaches the falls without a long or steep hike
- The cool, mossy creek gorge and the roar of the water at the viewing decks
- Pairing the falls with a day in nearby Helen and the Nacoochee Valley
Worth Knowing
- There is a small parking and use fee collected by the national forest
- The trail is paved but climbs steadily, so take it at a comfortable pace
- The site keeps set open hours and a gate, so check before an early or late visit
- Spring runoff makes the falls fullest and loudest; late summer flows drop
Details
Sautee Nacoochee, GA
Learn about Anna Ruby Falls
The twin falls and the trail
The two cascades fall at different heights, so they never look quite the same, and the way they arrive side by side and merge below is what gives the site its charm. Viewing decks let you take in both drops at once, with the constant sound of falling water and the cool damp air rising off the gorge.
The paved trail to the falls is short but climbs steadily along the creek, passing benches and interpretive signs. It is manageable for most visitors and is one of the more accessible mountain waterfalls in the region, though the grade means it is still a bit of a walk uphill.
The name and the history
The falls are named for Anna Ruby Nichols, the daughter of a nineteenth-century landowner, Colonel John Nichols, who owned much of this land after the Civil War and named the falls for his only surviving child. That personal history is why the falls carry a young woman's full name rather than a place name.
These mountains are the ancestral homeland of the Cherokee, and the nearby Nacoochee Valley holds deep Native history, including a well-known mound. In the 1830s the Cherokee were forced west from their Georgia homeland on the Trail of Tears; their descendant nations continue today in Oklahoma, and the Eastern Band remains in North Carolina.
The forest and its wildlife
The gorge is a cool, shaded pocket of southern Appalachian forest, thick with hemlock, rhododendron, and moss along the tumbling creeks. This kind of damp, sheltered habitat is prime salamander country, and the region is famous among biologists for the many species that live in these mountain streams.
Black bears range through the surrounding national forest, white-tailed deer are common, and the woods are alive with songbirds and woodpeckers. Trout swim in the cold creeks, and the streams that feed the falls run clear and cold even in the heat of a Georgia summer.
Season by season
Spring is when the falls run highest and loudest, fed by rain and mountain runoff, and wildflowers appear along the trail. Summer is green and cool in the shaded gorge, a welcome escape from the heat, though flows begin to thin as the dry weeks wear on.
Fall is the marquee season, when the surrounding ridges blaze with color and the nearby town of Helen fills for its autumn festivals. Winter is quiet and stark, when a hard freeze can rime the rocks and railings with ice and the bare forest opens up the views.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Helen
Helen
About 5 miles, a 15 minute drive
A small mountain town rebuilt in an Alpine Bavarian theme, with shops, festivals, and tubing on the Chattahoochee River.
Unicoi State Park
About 2 miles, a 5 minute drive
A mountain park surrounding Unicoi Lake, with a lodge, trails, and beach that connect to the falls.
Nacoochee Valley
About 6 miles, a 15 minute drive
A scenic valley at the meeting of two rivers, home to a well-known Native American mound and a historic arts center.
Sautee Nacoochee
About 5 miles, a 12 minute drive
A small crossroads community with a heritage center, art galleries, and a preserved old general store.