Anderson Creek / Amicalola Falls OHV (GA)
*** This trail is closed until further notice. ***
The Friends of Anderson Creek were unable to get it back open. This OHV area is located arouund Dahlonega, GA.
You can find a map of the Anderson Creek / Amicalola Falls trails here .
We really should try to keep this trail system open. For beginner to intermediate drivers, the Amicalola Fall trails cannot be beat. The trails offer shallow river crossings, small v-ditches, hill climbs, rock crawling, and mud bogging. There are several trails that can be run with stock 4wd vehicles. The Anderson Creek trail, which is connected to the Amicalola trails near the bottom, offers more severe v-ditches and rock climbing for the advanced driver. Most obstacles on either trail offer a drive around alternative route though.
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The Amicalola Falls are located just north of Dawsonville off of Highway 52 about an hour and a half from Atlanta. It can be accessed from either I575 or by taking 400N. From 400N, pass the outlet malls on your left and turn left onto 52. From there you will see signs for Amicalola Falls and can follow them all the way to the park entrance.
Once you are in the park take the long hill up toward the lodge. This is the 1st left after entering the park and just across from the ranger station. At the top of the hill and across from the parking lot for the top of the falls take a left like your going to the campground (which is where you were probably going anyway) and then take your first right just before the campground and follow the road that is in front of the cabins. This leads you into the trail.
Follow the trail (which is actually Shoals Cr. Rd) and you will come to a T junction where Nimblewill Rd. comes in from the right. For one of the trips you can take Nimblewill road out and back. It's a nice little trail. For now just continue straight ahead. You'll pass the little church and after that the trail becomes a little rougher and less traveled.
After a couple of little creek crossing (very small creeks) you'll come to what we call our 1st obstacle. A short series of uphill V ditches. Theses aren't bad. There is a bypass for the very first one one the left. From here you simply follow the trail as it skirts around the mountain side. Keep a lookout on you left as you round the corners and eventually you'll see what looks like a trail leading straight up the side of the mountain. This is insane-o-hill. Not many try this especially if it's wet. Continue onward and you come to a parking area with three trail leading off. This is where insane-o-hill comes back down so you can ignore the trail coming steeply down the hillside.
From the parking lot there are three trails. The one on the left is the main continuation of the Anderson creek ride. The trail that goes about the 2 o'clock position leads to another set of harder V ditches and comes out at Old Bucktown Rd. The one on the left leads out to a gravel road bypassing the hard V ditches. Take the rd to the left to continue to Anderson Creek. After a while you hit another parking area where often people camp. There are 3 trails leading from here. The one on the left leads to an old ORV area. Don't know about that. The one leading straight ahead also don't know where that goes. You want to take the trail on the right at the end of the parking area. You'll know you picked the right one because it's the only one that descends on a rocky path. This will take you down along Anderson creek and out the V ditches to Hwy 52. You do a couple of stream crossings and a few other wet parts. When you get to the V ditches you will be traveling between some farm land. Along here there are numerous No Trespassing signs. These are for the land off the trail, not the trail itself. The ditches are not hard - just pick a line that keeps you straddled on the ditch and have fun.
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