Georgia · Hiking

Desoto Falls

Desoto FallsPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.9 mi
round trip
443 ft
climb
2,178 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–May, Aug–Nov
best months

Is Desoto Falls open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. It doesn't name Desoto Falls, so check the source for the area it covers (4 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Desoto Falls is an easy out-and-back hike of about 1.9 miles in the Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in north Georgia. The trail crosses the Chestatee Wildlife Management Area and is managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The route rises from about 2,022 feet to a high point of 2,178 feet, with a total elevation gain of 443 feet for the round trip. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Blairsville show October highs around 70°F with lows near 43°F, and May highs around 76°F. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run a little cooler. The hike takes about an hour. Bikes and horses are not allowed, and the trail surface is natural. Freeman and Byron Herbert Reece are both about 2 miles away. Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area, a campground, is about 2.7 miles off, and Blood Mountain, a climbing area, is about 2.5 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Mar–May, Aug–Nov

    Best time to visit Desoto Falls

    Best months: March–May and August–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      49° / 25°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      53° / 28°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      60° / 34°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      69° / 41°

      11 wet

    5. May

      76° / 50°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      82° / 58°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      85° / 62°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      84° / 61°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      80° / 55°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      70° / 43°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      61° / 33°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      52° / 29°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Blairsville Exp Stn, GA, 10.2 mi away at 1,949 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Spring 2026 Forest-wide Fire Restrictions

      Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests · Order dated April 23, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Oct 13, 2026 · Forest Service

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Byron Herbert ReecePhoto: Pete Seabolt, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Byron Herbert Reece

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Woods Hole Shelter

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Jarrard GapPhoto: Thomson20192, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

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Slaughter Creek TrailPhoto: ChattOconeeNF, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Slaughter Creek Trail

~6 min drive

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Whitley Gap ShelterPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Whitley Gap Shelter

~8 min drive

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