Did you know that Georgia has its very own Grand Canyon? Well, it’s true! My husband and I just had to see this mini-Grand for ourselves, so we packed a lunch, loaded the kids in the van and drove northwest to Cloudland Canyon State Park in Rising Fawn, Georgia.
Despite the fact that we couldn’t wait to see the canyon, we began our visit by playing a round of disc golf (which my family calls Frisbee golf). Cloudland’s disc golf course offers beautiful views and is a lot of fun, with challenging hills, trees and rocks around which to throw your disc. Bring your own Frisbee or buy one at the Visitor’s Center.
Scoop Tip: Our Frisbees from home were very lightweight and not as easy to go the distance, but I noticed the Frisbees at Cloudland were heavy and durable. There is a small fee to play disc golf ($4 per person), but you definitely get your money’s worth! Take water with you on the course on a hot day, as the course is long.
Bursting with excitement to see the canyon, we finally drove to the viewing area where we could witness Georgia’s own mini-Grand. We were absolutely amazed! Autumn is a wonderful time to view the abundant colorful changing leaves, yet the winter season might offer the best time to see the canyon in all its rock glory, as the trees will have shed their leaves to reveal the canyon’s full wonders.
You also can walk down an adventurous path and stairs to see two beautiful waterfalls. We made it to the first waterfall, which is breathtaking. The water falls down into a small lake surrounded by huge rocks. I felt like I was in a movie scene.
We didn’t make it to the other waterfall, as we really weren’t prepared for all the stairs and didn’t have water with us. So, next time we will carry water bottles and maybe walking sticks (we saw lots of children and adults with walking sticks—good idea!). It’s an easy walk down, but don’t be deceived… going back up from the first waterfall can be strenuous. Nevertheless, everything is so beautiful at Cloudland, I can’t wait to go back and go the distance!
Cloudland Canyon State Park also offers caving, geocaching, horseback riding and fishing activities. You can find more information on Facebook. Visit ScoopOTP Forced Family Fun category for more recommendations too.
Connie Briggs is a contributing writer to Scoop OTP. Originally from Florida, she grew up in Cherokee Country and has lived for 9 years in Canton with her husband and three children. Currently, she is a Graduate Teaching Asst. at KSU while pursuing a Master’s of Professional Writing Degree.
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