Updated July 2026
DeSoto Falls
DeSoto Falls is a system of waterfalls on Frogtown Creek in the DeSoto Falls Scenic Area of the Chattahoochee National Forest, with an upper drop of roughly 200 feet and a lower drop near 35 feet. Observation decks along the trail reach the Lower and Upper falls.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest (USFS) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
DeSoto Falls drops about 200 feet. That makes it the 86th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 89% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The DeSoto Falls Trail reaches it about 2.1 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 187 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Dahlonega. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest (USFS) for closures and current conditions.
No best-season window is documented for DeSoto Falls. As a general rule, waterfall flow peaks with spring snowmelt and after sustained rain, and drops sharply in late summer.
More Georgia waterfalls
- Amicalola Falls · 729 ft
- Angel Falls · 50 ft
- Anna Ruby Falls · 153 ft
- Cochrans Falls · 600 ft
- Dukes Creek Falls · 150 ft
- Helton Creek Falls · 100 ft
- Hemlock Falls · 15 ft
- High Shoals Falls · 50 ft
Sources
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