High Shoals and Blue Hole Falls: trail and what to expect
The High Shoals Falls Trail near Hiawassee passes two named stops on one out-and-back hike: Blue Hole Falls, a swimming spot partway along, and High Shoals Falls itself farther up the trail. Both sit on the same roughly 2.5-mile round trip in Chattahoochee National Forest, which is why they're covered here as one stop in our waterfalls in Georgia guide rather than two separate destinations.
No sourced coordinates are on file for this spot yet — see methodology.
Fact box
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | High Shoals Falls Trail, Chattahoochee National Forest, near Hiawassee, Towns County |
| Height | High Shoals Falls, about 50 feet; Blue Hole Falls, a roughly 25-foot drop into a deep swimming pool (both figures from trail reports; no official Forest Service measurement) |
| Access | About 2.5-mile round-trip hike; the final approach road is narrow, rough gravel |
| Fee | None |
| Legal status | Public land, U.S. Forest Service, Chattahoochee National Forest |
| Season | Fuller after winter and spring rain; like most of north Georgia's creek-fed falls, flow thins during a dry summer |
Trail and access
The drive in does the filtering here: the final Forest Service road stretch to the trailhead is narrow, rough gravel that standard passenger cars need to take slowly, so budget extra time before the hike even starts. From the trailhead, the High Shoals Falls Trail runs about 2.5 miles round trip through Chattahoochee National Forest, with no fee station or permit required. Blue Hole Falls comes first along the route, a deep, clear pool that draws summer swimmers, followed farther up the trail by High Shoals Falls, the taller of the two drops at about 50 feet.
The falls and the swimming hole
Most hikes in this guide end at their waterfall; this one puts the swimming stop first. Blue Hole Falls drops roughly 25 feet into a pool deep and clear enough for swimming, which makes the trail as much a warm-weather cooling-off destination as a photo stop, while High Shoals Falls, the taller 50-foot drop farther along, is the more conventional overlook-style waterfall. Visitors doing the full out-and-back see both in one trip.
How this guide was researched
This page was compiled from U.S. Forest Service recreation information for the Chattahoochee National Forest and published trail reports. We haven't visited this site ourselves. Trail and road conditions change seasonally; verify current status with the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest before you go. Last checked August 2026.
FAQ
Are High Shoals Falls and Blue Hole Falls the same hike?
Yes. Both sit on the same roughly 2.5-mile round-trip High Shoals Falls Trail; Blue Hole Falls comes first, High Shoals Falls farther along.
Can you swim at Blue Hole Falls?
Yes, it's a deep, clear pool used for summer swimming, though it's not lifeguarded or officially managed for swimming.
How tall is High Shoals Falls?
About 50 feet, per trail reports; the Forest Service doesn't publish an official figure.
Is the hike to High Shoals and Blue Hole Falls free?
Yes, no fee or permit is required.
Is the road to the trailhead easy to drive?
No, and trail reports call it the hardest part of the visit: narrow, rough gravel that standard passenger cars need to take slowly. Allow extra driving time.
We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked August 2026. Read our full methodology.