Smithgall Woods / Dukes Creek

Date: Saturday, November 16, 2019
Time: 8:00 am at Intown Community Church (2059 Lavista Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329)
Difficulty Level: D2-D3 (easy to moderate)
Hiking Distance: 6-7  miles
Cost: $10 per person

Cathy Ellis Trail
0.5 mile one way
Also called the Chunanee Falls Trail…  A moderate half-mile hike (mostly downhill) leads to a beautiful waterfall on what is known as the Alabama Branch. A short wooden bridge crosses a section of a historic water ditch, part of the early gold mining history. Deeply shaded by rhododendron, the last 400 yards is alongside a noisy stretch of Dukes Creek.

Martin’s Mine Trail
0.9 mile
A wooden bridge across Dukes Creek begins this picturesque and historical trail. The 0.9-mile interprets the history of gold mining at this site. A vertical shaft of the earlier gold mining era is a focal point and provides a unique habitat for bats. A short extension from the main trail offers a view of a small, but soothing waterfall.

Laurel Ridge Trail
Located adjacent to our Visitor Center, this interpretive trail is a moderate 1.6-mile loop that climbs to Laurel Ridge and provides a seasonal view of Mt. Yonah.

Dukes Creek Falls Trail 
2 miles round trip
It is a series of three switchbacks that lead down to falls on Davis Creek at its confluence with Dukes Creek. There are water cascades on Dukes Creek While the pathway is remarkably level, it descends more than 400 feet on the half-mile walk. The sound of the waterfall can only be heard at the middle of each switchback, fading as the next turn approaches. Where the footpath switches back the sounds of the forest are louder than the falls. After the second switch the path now narrows considerably. At the falls three more observation decks have been built into a boardwalk. It’s cool here, courtesy of God’s air conditioning.

Required Items:
1 – 1.5 liters of water
Good hiking shoes or tennis shoes
Layered clothing
Lunch and snacks
Daypack

Recommended Items:
Hiking poles or stick
Camera
Sunglasses