As you may know, we started a series last month where we detail the best free hikes in Georgia. We promised that once a month we would share with you an awesome hike, with a view of some sort, that is completely free! And we do not intend to break a promise!
Today, we bring you a complete guide to Raven Cliff Falls. On this particular trip, we also set up camp and stayed the night, and it was a blast! And again, the best part about it- ITS FREE. One of my favorite things! I love when you can just kick back and have fun with your loved ones and not break the bank for it.
The Location
Raven Cliff Falls is located in Helen, Georgia near the Blue Ridge Mountains. You are in luck if you have never been here, because the way to get to Raven Cliff is by traveling down Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway. This is a beautiful road that winds around the mountain, containing multiple pull offs with GORGEOUS views.
The Drive
We now take Russell on our way to Blairsville, even though it is a little further of a drive, because we think the road is just so beautiful. It is also my experience that this highway is not as curvy as our usual route, so many of our usual car sick friends don’t seem to feel as bad when we take this way. Who knows why? Maybe it’s the power of the mountain scenery!
The Hike
Raven Cliff Falls is a 5 mile hike (roundtrip), and it is gorgeous the whole way! The trail itself is very well kept, with only one rock spot that might get slippery (so just be careful). One of my favorite parts about the Raven Cliff trail is that the creek runs along almost the entire trail, so a majority of your trip is accompanied by the peaceful sound of running water.
The hike itself is fairly moderate. There are no really steep inclines, and it will doesn’t start to ascend until the very last 100 steps or so. Do not be fooled by its ease however, and make sure to bring water and a snack with you (maybe a nice lunch to enjoy on the rocks when you reach the end?). We did this our first trip to Raven Cliff, in the middle of July, and we regretted it. So don’t do that!
Another great thing about Raven Cliff is that you come to two or three waterfalls as you walk in. One in particular has a little side trail that lets you walk right to the top. So Tuan Anh and I stopped here and ate our lunch atop a picturesque waterfall. It was so cool!
The View
So you have walked about 2.5 miles in, and its been beautiful woodsy scenery, with a few gorgeous waterfalls so far. But now we are gettin to the good stuff! The cliff! When I first saw this beauty, I was in awe.
At first, you just love it because it’s like this big beautiful hidden gem of a rock in the forest. Then, you find out that there is a waterfall that literally splits the cliff in two! It is like magic!
We sat in front of it for a while, just admiring the fresh breeze and the sound of the waterfall. Then, Tuananh had this crazy idea to climb inside the waterfall, which I would not recommend. It made for great pictures, but it also made for a terrified wife!
Now, believe it or not, Raven Cliff still has more to offer (I know, amazing right?). You can actually climb to the top of the cliff fairly easily. This is, however, where things get a little steep. Just keep going up, past the waterfall, and you will notice the little opening for the climb up.
When you get to the top, you will get a bonus waterfall, and who doesn’t love little hidden waterfalls am-i-rite? Plus, you will get a peak of the mountain views through the trees, which is something that I always love.
On top of that, you have a peaceful little spot, that isn’t usually crowded, where you can just sit and relax. We were up there for a good 45 minutes, and didn’t see a single other person come up, so it was nice!
Camping
When looking for a place to camp, one of the first things I look at is price. I just think it is crazy that a place charges a ton of money when I am bringing everything, including what I am sleeping on, with me. But I do understand that they need money to pay for maintenance and things, but I digress.
So, imagine my complete excitement to find out that camping at Raven Cliff is as free as the hike itself! That is amazing! There are TONS of campsites to choose from! If you are looking for a really beautiful and secluded spot, go about a mile and a half in! There are some great options!
One thing to remember about the camping here though, is that it is first come, first serve. With that being said, we chose to camp on the same day as a veterans camp trip AND a youth group camp trip. Because of this, we settled down at the first empty site we found.
A great thing about camping at Raven Cliff is that you really can’t go wrong. So no matter where you choose, it’s going to be a great night of camping! There is plenty of water, as most of the sites have direct access to the creek. There is plenty of wood for fire, and there is plenty of opportunity for privacy as you are surrounded by trees.
When we set up camp, we go ahead and do everything real quick, that way we don’t have to worry about anything later on. We dig holes, hang the bear bag, and get all the firewood we could possibly need. Once all of this is done, THEN we take off our boots, put on our chacos, and play in the creek of course!
Because this was a shorter hike, we had camp set up fairly early. There was still plenty of daylight to spare. Now, this doesn’t always happen to us, but when it does, we are prepared. For starters, this gives us plenty of time to keep exploring, and with Raven Cliff, you never know what you are going to find.
We also bring along Phase 10 or some other card game (we also have this great UNO set that has all the National Parks printed on it!). We usually play our game, sitting by the fire, jamming to our camp playlist on Spotify. In that moment, nothing else matters accept for us and the fun we are having, and it is awesome!
One thing you need to be mindful of is where you are, and the fire rules that apply. Luckily, the Raven Cliff Wilderness is indeed a fire safe zone, so as long as you keep your fire contained in a fire pit, you are good to go.
To us, this means one thing. And one thing only…SMORES!!! Sometimes there is nothing better than a toasted marshmallow, a piece of Hershey’s chocolate, and two graham crackers carefully, and lovingly, constructed after a long day of adventuring.
Tuan Anh and I are naturally early risers, so we were up the next day, before the sun had fully risen. Unfortunately where we were, there was no view of it, although one day we plan to take our headlamps, and go back to the top of Raven Cliff to watch the sun rise!
When it is time to take down camp, we follow the same rule as set up. We start early, and pack everything up accept for what we are using for breakfast (which we will just throw in the top of our packs before heading out).
We typically build another fire, becuase mornings can be pretty chilly! And I’m not gonna lie either, if any marshmallows survived the night before, we may even roast up a breakfast marshmallow, because why not?
One of my favorite parts about this camping trip? Getting to enjoy my coffee on a rock in the middle of the creek. It was so peaceful to just close my eyes, take a sip of that delicious dark roast, and just clear my head. Not worrying about lesson plans I needed to write, or dishes that I should have washed before we went camping. I am just enjoying the beautiful earth that God created, with the person I love most.
Overall Experience
While Raven Cliff may be one of the shortest hikes we have done, it is probably one of our favorites. It is definitely one of our favorite places we have ever camped! Maybe it was something about the peaceful surroundings and overall ease of Raven Cliff, but it made us feel so relaxed, to where we could truly unwind and have a good time.
Raven Cliff is a trail that we will visit again and again! This would be a great trail for families to hike and camp, as kids would have an easy time on the trail. It would also be a great choice if you and a group of buds just wants to get away for the weekend but not go too far or spend too much money.
Whether you are just looking for a bit of exercise, or want a weekend getaway, Raven Cliff should absolutely be on your list!
Want more from us?
If you want to see what we are up to during the week, check out our instagram here!
Also, if you missed our last post about free hikes in Georgia, head over to our Sawnee Mountain guide, and prepare for a treat! Or, if you need another great place for camping and exploring, consider Providence Canyon State park. Find out all about it here.
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We are all about exploring our local area, and seeing the adventures it has to offer! Comment down below where you are from, and one of your favorite local area hikes!
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