Thousands of locals and tourists got out to enjoy the beautiful fall weather in northeast Georgia on Saturday. Many of them visited Tallulah Gorge State Park in neighboring Rabun County. While the 2-mile long, 1,000 foot deep Tallulah Gorge is a sight to behold anytime, there was even more to see Saturday as millions of gallons of rushing water cascaded down waterfalls at the bottom of the gorge during the park’s eleventh aesthetic water release since September.
On a typical day, the water flow through the gorge is 35-40 cubic feet per second (CFS). During aesthetic releases, the flow is 200 CFS.
The water will continue to flow through the gorge at this rate through this evening, Sunday, Oct. 26. After that, the water will again be held back by Georgia Power’s hydroelectric dam on Tallulah Falls Lake. Georgia Power collects and redirects most of the water in the lake through a 6,666-foot (2,032 m) pipe that travels around the falls to an electricity generation station downstream.
Hiking permits to the bottom of the gorge are not issued during water releases. However, you can hike to a suspension bridge that sways 80 feet above the bottom of the gorge to observe the river and waterfalls.
This is the final aesthetic water release scheduled for this year but several whitewater releases are scheduled for kayaking and whitewater rafting enthusiasts to enjoy next month. Whitewater release dates are Nov. 1-2, Nov. 8-9 and Nov. 15-16.
During whitewater releases the water through Tallulah Gorge typically flows at a rate of 500-700 CFS making it a Class IV-V whitewater run (advanced paddlers, no beginners). Paddlers put in at the gorge and follow the Tallulah River to Lake Tugalo. Information about whitewater rafting/kayaking through Tallulah Gorge can be found at American Whitewater online. Volunteers are needed to assist in November.
You can register now for a hike down to Bridal Veil Falls in the gorge in November to watch kayakers and rafters paddle the Tallulah River. The hike is strenuous. The cost is $15 plus $5 parking. To register call Tallulah Gorge State Park at 706-754-7981 or visit https://gastateparks.org/TallulahGorge online for more information.
