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Gainesville, Georgia

Looking for the best hiking in Gainesville? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Gainesville. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking Spots in and near Gainesville

  • Cumming, Georgia

    Hike the Indian Seats Trail

    4.3
    3.24 mi / 453 ft gain
    The Sawnee Mountain Preserve is easy to get to with a GPS and offers plenty of parking. To get to the Indian Seats Trail you will start down a short (.17 mile) trail that will take you to the trailhead. The Indian Seats Trail is a loop so once you reach the marked trail you can go either left or ...
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  • Cumming, Georgia

    Mountainside Loop Trail

    4.0
    5.35 mi / 823 ft gain
    Mountainside Loop Trail is a loop trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Cumming, Georgia.
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  • Dahlonega, Georgia

    Lake Zwerner (aka Yahoola Creek Reservoir)

    5.0
    3.24 mi / 367 ft gain
    Lake Zwerner (aka Yahoola Creek Reservoir) is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Dahlonega, Georgia.
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  • Suwanee, Georgia

    Sims Lake Park Trail

    5.0
    1.17 mi / 135 ft gain
    Sims Lake Park Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Suwanee, Georgia.
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  • Cleveland, Georgia

    Hike and Climb to Yonah Mountain

    4.9
    4.53 mi / 1417 ft gain
    The trail starts at "Mt. Yonah Trailhead" and is 4.4 mile round-trip with elevation of 1,500' to 3,166'. The trail stays below moderate tree coverage until around the halfway point where you will come upon a clearing known as the first LZ (landing zone). The mountain is shared with hikers by Army...
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  • Cleveland, Georgia

    Mount Yonah Trail

    4.17 mi / 1430 ft gain
    Mount Yonah Trail is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Cleveland, Georgia.
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  • Duluth, Georgia

    Bunten Road Park Loop

    1.66 mi / 121 ft gain
    Bunten Road Park Loop is a loop trail that takes you through a nice forest located near Duluth, Georgia.
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  • Helen, Georgia

    Hike to Dukes Creek Falls

    4.2
    1.9 mi / 300 ft gain
    Starting with a scenic overlook of Yonah mountain and ending with three waterfalls, Dukes Creek falls is the perfect hike on any occasion. This easy 1 mile trail has spectacular views and is great for dogs and families. The trail is gravel and boardwalk the whole way and great for any age. The pa...
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  • Cleveland, Georgia

    Hike the Appalachian Trail to Preachers Rock

    5.0
    2.1 mi / 425 ft gain
    The Appalachian Trail is arguably the most famous thru-hike in the world.  Along its 2,181-mile journey, there are many beautiful mountain views, and Preachers Rock is definitely one of them.  A large granite slab near the summit of Big Cedar Mountain reveals mountain views that are truly the epi...
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  • Helen, Georgia

    Raven Cliff Falls

    4.6
    4.78 mi / 584 ft gain
    The hike to Raven Cliff Falls round-trip is about 5 miles. The scenery is amazing the whole way through with beautiful cascading waterfalls and running streams filled with wildlife everywhere you look. Along the way, there are a few campsites where during the warm months you'll see many tents set...
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  • Cleveland, Georgia

    Hike to Desoto Falls, Georgia

    3.7
    2 mi
    The Chattahoochee National Forest is another kind of jungle.  On hot summer days well over 95 degrees, the forest canopy provides a shelter for human and wildlife alike. Here adventurers can enjoy hiking the Desoto Falls trail(s), try their luck at fishing, or take in the solitude of the North Ge...
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  • Helen, Georgia

    Hike to Hogpen Gap

    4.0
    1 mi
    Hogpen Gap is one of six "Gaps" of North Georgia. If you are planning to go on this trip from town, you will be starting from a parking lot at the bottom of the trailhead. If you happen to be thru-hiking on the AT, you just take an extra half-mile of your hike and begin following the blue blazes....
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  • Helen, Georgia

    Hike the Unicoi Lake Trail

    1.9 mi
    Unicoi State Park is a pleasant, refreshing park just outside of Helen, GA. There is a hiking trail, kayaking/canoeing launch, paddle boat rentals, camping area, and even a 3 segment zipline course (all three were fantastic)! Fishing is allowed, and when we went last there were a few kayakers fis...
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  • Dawsonville, Georgia

    Amicalola Falls

    4.3
    0.73 mi / 292 ft gain
    Adventurers access the falls through the state park entrance. From the parking lot, hikers follow the clearly marked signs to the base of the falls. The incline begins by the pond at the base of the falls. From the pond, follow the incline along the cascading portion of the falls to the stairs. A...
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  • Dawsonville, Georgia

    Hike to Springer Mountain

    3.5
    19 mi / 4346 ft gain
    Begin your journey from Amicalola Falls State Park. Despite the steep climb, you should park at the base of the falls and climb the steps for a great view of one of the grandest falls in the South. (For more on that hike, see: "Climb the Stairs to Amicalola Falls"). From the top of the falls, fol...
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  • Dawsonville, Georgia

    Amicalola Falls Loop via Upper Observation Platform

    5.0
    1.93 mi / 666 ft gain
    To get there you can use Google Maps or Waze to “Upper Observation Platform” – W Ridge Staircase, Dawsonville, GA 30534. The other option is to start at the visitor center. If you start at the visitor center, it will add about a mile to your hike so parking in the upper parking lot like us will s...
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