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Cloudland Canyon State Park, Rising Fawn, GA

Photo: Ronmacal, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite

Cloudland Canyon State Park

122 Cloudland Canyon Park Rd · Rising Fawn, GA

Why you should go…

Cloudland Canyon State Park sits on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, where creeks have cut a gorge more than a thousand feet deep through sandstone. The Overlook, West Rim Loop and Waterfalls trails are part of 64 miles of hiking, and the Waterfalls Trail drops to Cherokee Falls and Hemlock Falls. You can also ride 30 miles of mountain bike trails, play disc golf, fish a pond or book a cave tour. Cottages, yurts and campsites let you stay overnight.

  • #state park
  • #waterfalls
  • #canyon overlook
  • #hiking trails
  • #camping

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Cloudland Canyon State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Rock City

    $25–$50

    Follow a garden trail through rock formations to Lover's Leap, a swinging bridge and Fairyland Caverns.

    12 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

    Under $25

    Ride a cable car about a mile up the side of Lookout Mountain on a track with grades up to 72.7 percent.

    14 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park

    Free

    Drive and walk Civil War battlefields lined with monuments and cannons, then take in Chattanooga from Point Park.

    14 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Ruby Falls

    $25–$50

    Underground waterfall inside Lookout Mountain reached by elevator, with cave tours and seasonal ziplining.

    15 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Little River Canyon National Preserve

    Free

    Drive the canyon rim to overlooks and waterfalls, including Little River Falls and Grace's High Falls.

    28 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Fall Creek Falls State Park

    Free

    Hike to overlooks and trails above the 256-foot Fall Creek Falls, Tennessee's highest waterfall, in a huge park on the Cumberland Plateau.

    57 mi awayMore like this