Helton Creek Falls
- The Helton Creek Falls Trail is an easy 0.2-mile walk with many abrupt changes in grade, ending at an observation deck. It is free and open all year, with no restrooms or drinking water. U.S. Forest Service
- From Blairsville, take US 19/129 south for 11 miles and turn onto Helton Creek Road just past the Vogel State Park entrance. Go 2.2 miles to a small pullout parking area, and the trailhead is on the right. U.S. Forest Service
The trail is short but uneven, with steps and abrupt drops, so wear shoes with grip and stay on the trail and deck; the Forest Service posts a waterfall-danger warning for the site.
DeSoto Falls
- DeSoto Falls Recreation Area is off US 19/129, about 17 miles south of Blairsville, inside a 650-acre scenic area. It has a campground and trails to two waterfalls, and trout fishing is popular along Frogtown Creek. U.S. Forest Service
- Day use at DeSoto Falls costs $5 per vehicle per day. Camping costs $20 a night from April 1 to October 31 and $10 a night from November 1 to March 31, when there is no water. U.S. Forest Service
Trail guides put the lower falls about a quarter mile from the trailhead and the upper falls three-quarters of a mile to a mile, or about two miles round trip to see both. The Forest Service page doesn’t give a distance.
On the way: Sosebee Cove
Sosebee Cove Scenic Area is a 175-acre, high-elevation, north-facing cove forest known for very large yellow poplars, yellow buckeyes and spring wildflowers. It is free, open year-round and has no water. (USFS) It isn’t a waterfall, but it’s a ten-minute walk among some of the biggest trees in the mountains, and it pairs well with Helton Creek on the same drive. From Blairsville, take US 129/19 south about 9.5 miles and turn right (west) onto GA 180. Go two miles to the Sosebee Cove parking area on the right (north) side of the highway.
Closed for now
- Trahlyta Falls at Vogel State Park: closed with the lake loop while Lake Trahlyta is drained for dam repairs (Georgia State Parks).
- Track Rock petroglyphs: As of the Forest Service’s August 2026 update, the Track Rock petroglyph site is temporarily closed. The Arquaqua Trail parking lot and trailhead nearby remain open. (USFS)
Waterfall questions
Is Lake Trahlyta at Vogel State Park open?
Not right now. Georgia State Parks says the lake is drained for dam repairs and maintenance, and the Lake Trahlyta Loop Trail and Trahlyta Falls are closed. No reopening date has been given.
Source: Georgia State Parks
How long is the Helton Creek Falls trail?
It's an easy 0.2-mile walk with abrupt changes in grade, ending at an observation deck. It's free and open all year, with no restrooms or water.
Source: U.S. Forest Service
Are the Track Rock petroglyphs open?
Not at the moment. The Forest Service's August 2026 update lists the petroglyph site as temporarily closed; the nearby Arquaqua Trail parking lot (as the Forest Service spells it) and trailhead remain open.
Source: U.S. Forest Service
How much does DeSoto Falls cost?
Day use is $5 per vehicle per day, paid with the Recreation.gov app. Camping is $20 a night from April through October.
Source: U.S. Forest Service
Dates, hours and fees change. For anything official, the city has the final word: City of Blairsville official site
