Hiking, Waterfalls, and Currahee Mountain
I’ve talked a lot in previous blog posts about the many activities here in Toccoa, and the Simmons-Bond Inn Bed & Breakfast is centrally located to numerous outdoor locations. In this post, I’ll talk about three favorites of our guests.
We host many folks – singles, couples, and families – who come to Toccoa for the many hiking trails nearby. From easy, beginner-level trails to more advanced and expert levels of difficulty, there are hiking trails for just about everyone.
Panther Creek Trail was named Backpacker Magazine 2007 Reader’s Choice Award as one of the top 100 hikes in America and #1 in the southeast. The trail is 6 miles one way and is for the sure-footed and those unafraid of heights.
The Colonel Robert F. Sink Trail – “3 Miles Up & 3 Miles Down” – follows the training path of the paratroopers who trained on Currahee Mountain during World War II. The trail begins with gently rolling terrain and the further you get up on Currahee Mountain, the steeper the climb and the more strenuous the hike. The surface ranges from stable to rocky and rough.
The Broad River Trail is an excellent example of an upper Piedmont hiking trail with gently rolling terrain and a stable walking surface. The trail is fairly level throughout and the elevation ranges between 920 and 1200 feet. It is 4.1 miles in length and is situated in the Lake Russell Wildlife Management area just west of Toccoa.
This is just a sample of the hiking trails in and around Toccoa, and we have much more detailed information at the Simmons-Bond Inn for our hiking guests.
Less than two miles from the Inn is the beautiful Toccoa Falls. Located on the campus of Toccoa Falls College, it is the tallest free-falling waterfall in the eastern United States. Yes, even taller by 20 feet than Niagara Falls, it provides a lovely, picturesque setting for weddings, photography, and just quiet contemplation.
Tallulah Gorge and Falls is a 20-minute drive and offers fantastic views of several waterfalls, and a hike down to the bottom of the gorge. At over 1,000 steps round trip, the journey to the bottom is for the fit hiker and requires a free permit to descend. At just over 600 steps the walk to the suspension bridge is easily made by most adults and children and offers spectacular views of the falls and canyon.
Currahee Mountain not only features the hiking trail, but visitors can see the original barracks of Camp Toccoa at Currahee. Several military exhibits and monuments can be seen atop the mountain as well.
A visit to Toccoa is an exciting adventure, and the Simmons-Bond Inn Bed & Breakfast will make your stay a memorable one.
