In Praise of Unicoi

This summer we spent a pleasant weekend at Unicoi State Park in the North Georgia Mountains. Unicoi is a few miles outside of Helen, GA, a re-created alpine village and popular tourist attraction, particularly during the annual Oktoberfest celebrations.

On our first morning we enjoyed a great breakfast at a German bakery. Later in the weekend we had a lovely dinner at Edelweiss just outside of town.

We rented a barrel cabin overlooking the lake. While modest on the outside, the inside was comfortable and clean with more conveniences than you might expect to find in a state park cabin. The inside was all pine, with a modern kitchen, fire place and a nice loft bedroom with a queen size bed. There was nice little deck, overlooking the lake, with two chairs and table. After some spider removal we enjoyed sitting out there in the canopy watching breeze move the leaves.

The first morning we hiked the 2.5 mile lake trail. The trails was well maintained and easy walk. We encountered a few other people on the loop, jogging and dog-walking, as we passed the beach, canoe rental and picnic areas. There were small docks dotted around the lake for taking in the views. After a rain the night before, the air was fresh and earthy. Mushrooms and wildflowers fringed the trail. For such a pristine and natural setting, there was a strange absence of bird life.

We didn't fish, but were informed by the ranger that the lake and streams were stocked with trout. We stopped at the visitor center at Anna Ruby Falls, above the park,and bought some fish food to toss into the creek. Their were monster trout lurking in the shadows under boulders and in the deeper holes that rose to devour the pellets. The trail to the falls was fairly steep, but was paved and easy to navigate. Families with strollers and old folks with walking sticks were making their way to the observation deck below the falls. It was a warm day but the steepness of the gorge, the dense canopy and the cool water of the stream and falls made the hike very pleasant.










I highly recommend this weekend getaway destination, and will undoubtedly visit again soon.