The spring season seems to arrive suddenly in Georgia, pushing winter’s chill aside. Days stretch longer and the weather warms as everything from trees to wildflowers explodes into bloom.
Spring brings some pretty amazing hiking weather, too, making it one of our favorite hiking seasons in Georgia. After a few months of wintery weather and bare-branched trees, sunshine and greener landscapes are a highly welcome change, and warm rays of sunlight on the trail just feel oh-so-good.
Catch some trail time on our top ten favorite springtime trails, including an Appalachian Trail hike with stunning views, hikes to beautiful North Georgia waterfalls, and a few local Atlanta favorites. Grab a hiking buddy (in boots or on four paws) and hit the trail for a springtime adventure before summer’s heat sets in.
Georgia spring hikes: our favorite trails
FD Roosevelt State Park
Pine Mountain Trail Wolfden Loop
6.45 miles
Spring arrives early in southern Georgia, bringing longer days and warmer weather long before the North Georgia mountains. Hike this exceptionally beautiful loop on the Pine Mountain Trail to five cascading waterfalls, open grassy meadows, beaver ponds and a rocky wolf den set in a towering cliff.
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Bartram Trail in North Georgia
Bartram Trail at Warwoman Dell
1.4 miles
Cascading waterfalls and carpets of wildflowers are the springtime attraction in this shady, lush forest dell east of Clayton, GA. Hike the Bartram Trail to Becky Branch Falls, and then loop through Warwoman Dell, named for a highly-respected Cherokee woman who was said to enjoy the area’s rich botany and beauty.
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Skidaway Island State Park
Skidaway Island Sandpiper & Avian Loop Trails
2 miles
Savannah’s South Georgia location brings warm weather and springtime weather early in the season, making this Skidaway Island hike one of our early spring favorites. Hike Spanish moss-draped forest to beautiful coastal views and catch stunning sunsets before the Summer heat sets in.
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Dockery Lake to the Appalachian Trail
Dockery Lake Trail
7.1 miles
It’s a gorgeous hike throughout the year, but especially beautiful in springtime. Hike from the shores of Dockery Lake, a small, glassy lake nestled in the mountains north of Dahlonega, climbing through a lush, green forest filled with wildflowers, trickling creeks and vibrant green moss. The final destination: the Appalachian Trail, where a left turn leads to Preachers Rock at Big Cedar Mountain.
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Spring on the Appalachian Trail
Woody Gap to Preachers Rock & Jarrard Gap
11.6 miles
This classic North Georgia Appalachian Trail hike treks to outstanding views at Woody Gap and Preachers Rock at Big Cedar Mountain, catching views of trillium and other wildflowers that carpet the forest in spring.
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Spring on the Chattahoochee River
East Palisades Trail
3.4 miles
Hike or run this Chattahoochee River trail at the East Palisades to catch trillium wildflowers in bloom on the river’s banks in Spring. The East Palisades Trail also treks to beautiful, elevated river views and a bamboo forest, making it our favorite Chattachoochee River hike in any season.
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Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield
Kennesaw Mountain Environmental Trail
1.35 miles
It’s the most kid-friendly hike on our list of springtime favorites, but despite the short distance, it doesn’t spare any beauty! Hike or run the Environmental Loop at Kennesaw Mountain, exploring a diverse forest ecosystem at the base of the mountain. Interpretive signs throughout the trail teach about the tree, plant and animal species that call the forest home.
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Waterfall hikes near Lake Rabun
Angel Falls Trail
1.75 miles
Two beautiful waterfalls, Panther Falls and Angel Falls, are the highlight on this just-under-2-mile adventure near the shore of Lake Rabun. Hike through a mossy, fern-filled forest, gently climbing elevation along Joe Creek between thickets of gnarly-branched rhododendron to explore the cascading duo of falls.
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Arabia Mountain in spring
Arabia Lake, Boardwalk, & Summit Trails
5.1 miles
Hike this four-trail combo at Arabia Mountain near Atlanta in spring, catching beautiful views, wildflowers and a rare, crimson-red succulent named diamorpha in bloom on the cratered mountain summit.
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Spring in Georgia’s Cohutta Wilderness
Emery Creek Falls Trail
6.2 miles
When spring weather hits North Georgia, we love to hit one of our all-time favorite waterfall hikes, the Emery Creek Trail. Multiple creek crossings make this hike a challenging (and wet) one – but the often-secluded waterfalls at trail’s end and abundant wildflowers are well worth it.
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Wildflowers, waterfalls and a towering cliff
Raven Cliff Falls Trail
4.9 miles
Wildflowers frame the many spilling waterfalls in the Raven Cliff valley in spring, making this falls-filled trail even more beautiful. And the Raven Cliff Trail finale is a can’t-miss, unique waterfall that splits an enormous, sheer cliff in two.
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Springtime at Stone Mountain
Stone Mountain Walk-Up Trail & Cherokee Trail
7 miles
Year-round, Stone Mountain offers spectacular sunsets, sunrises and Atlanta skyline views, but this massive domed mountain is especially beautiful in spring, when wildflowers and flowering trees pepper the park’s landscapes.
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Chasing waterfalls in springtime
Panther Creek Trail
7 miles
Panther Creek Falls, beautiful in any season, is especially gorgeous in Spring, thanks to early season rainfall and the vibrant spring green that frames the waterfalls. Hike the Panther Creek Trail as a day hike – or backpack in for an overnight adventure.
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What to pack?
Our favorite hiking gear
Ready to hit the trail, but wondering what to pack? Our hiking gear list features our favorite, trail-tested hiking gear for day hikes on local trails and in the Georgia backcountry. We print and stitch our Atlanta Trails shirts and hats locally in Atlanta and Asheville, and they’re our favorite for trail adventures all over the South. And no matter what you pack in, pack it all back out. Please leave no trace and help preserve Georgia’s beauty.
OUR HIKING GEAR LIST
Bonus spring hikes: a few more of our Georgia favorites
Please Remember
Always leave no trace, pack out everything you pack in, and if you see trash, pick it up and pack it out.
Stay on the marked trail, tell someone where you're going, pack safety and wayfinding essentials, and don't rely on a mobile phone to find your way. Please always practice good trail etiquette. And before you go, always check the trailhead kiosk, official maps, and the park or ranger office for notices of changed routes, trail closures, safety information, and restrictions.
