About this spot
Horse Trough Falls is a multi-tiered waterfall (reported 70-90 ft) on a Chattahoochee River headwater tributary in Chattahoochee National Forest, Union County, near Helen, GA. Free day-use parking is at Upper Chattahoochee River Campground, which closes seasonally (roughly late fall through early spring); an easy 0.2-0.4 mile trail leads to an observation deck at the base. Multiple trip reports describe climbing above the main drop to a natural rock slide (~75 ft) that empties into a swimming pool, and hikers wading and jumping around the boulders there in warm months. The real hazard is footing: boulders and slide rock stay slick even when dry, and creek currents rise fast after rain. It's public National Forest land, no permit required; swimming is unsupervised and at your own risk.