About this spot
Helton Creek Falls is a two-tier waterfall in Union County's Chattahoochee National Forest, reached by an easy 0.8-mile round-trip hike off gravel Forest Road 118 (Helton Creek Road), about 11 miles south of Blairsville via US-19/129 — low-clearance vehicles should proceed carefully on the final stretch. Rock-rimmed pools sit beneath the upper (~30 ft) and lower (~50 ft) drops, and cliff jumping from the surrounding ledges into the lower pool is a well-documented local pastime, called out by name on Yelp and multiple trip guides. The main hazard is slick, algae-covered rock around the pools — wade to check depth rather than jumping blind, especially after rain when flow and submerged rocks shift. Free and open year-round; parking is limited and fills fast on summer weekends.