Anna Ruby Falls

We decided today (July 29th) to visit Anna Ruby Falls. It is located just north of the Alpine village of Helen and adjacent to Unicoi State Park. The photo was the work of Jack Anthony whom you will run across surfing the Internet on the beauty of North Georgia. See www.jjanthony.com

The 1600 acre USDA Forest Service recreational area is also located on Tray Mountain, the 7th tallest in the State of Georgia (4430 feet) and on the Appalachian Trail. Brasstown Bald is the tallest mountain in Georgia at about 400 feet higher. That means the five other mountains in between are in the range of 4430’ to 4875’.

From the visitor center we walked a half mile up hill to the base of the falls. All along the trail we heard the roar of the mountain stream. The sun was kept off our eyes by the canopy of the forest. It was hard to believe that this land was completely clear cut at the year 1900. The trees standing there today were seedlings after the turn of the century (1900).

Anna Ruby Falls got its name from the owner of this land who was a Civil War veteran and who had a daughter, named Anna Ruby Nichols-Payne. He was Colonel John H. Nichols who lost his wife and two sons. He named these falls in her honor as the sole surviving family member.

The falls are the junction of two creeks coming down on Tray Mountain -- Curtis and York Creeks. Curtis Creek drops 153 feet and York Creek 50 feet to form the twin falls.
From these falls, the creek continues to roar downhill to Unicoi Lake and then to the Chattahoochie Rive. The journey continues south to the Appalachicola River in Florida and ends 550 miles south of here in the Gulf of Mexico.

We thoroughly enjoyed the hike and the flora, including the mountain laurels and rhododendrons. We ended the visit with lunch at the Loddge in Unicoi Stated Park. There we met a neighbor from Paradise Valley Campground -- Maureen Richards -- who works there at the Lodge.