If there is one place where Mother Nature is alive and kicking, it is Dawsonville-Dawson County. Perched at the trailhead of the Appalachian Trail, surrounded by mountain high country and encompassing rivers and forests, backcountry trails and cascading waterfalls—not to mention a portion of the 39,000-acre Lake Lanier, Dawsonville-Dawson County offers recreation and adventure opportunities from hiking, biking, golfing and horseback riding to fishing, boating, kayaking, canoeing and whitewater rafting. Here is home to the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi at Amicalola Falls, the sprawling Dawson Forest and the very “Edge of the World” at Amicalola River—the Class IV whitewater rapids on the Amicalola River Trail and a fine place to pack a picnic lunch to share atop the rocks on the shoals.

Dawson County Hiking Trails

With the eight mile approach trail to Springer Mountain (the trailhead of the Appalachian Trail) located in Dawson County and Amicalola State Park, and miles of other trails in virtually every part of the county, getting out and enjoying nature is just as easy as putting on your boots or hiking shoes and stepping out the door. Hiking trails, biking trails and old logging roads criss-cross thousands of acres of high country in the northern part of the county including the Amicalola River, Dawson Forest and Chattahoochee National Forest land within the county. Visitors looking for gentler terrain will enjoy the trails and back country roads in the southern part of the county along the Etowah and Amicalola Rivers, in the southern sections of Dawson Forest and around the enormous expanse of 39,000 acre Lake Lanier.

Dawson County's diverse topography and change in elevation from river lowlands to mountain highlands creates a rich ecosystem including many diverse bird species. Birding has become a popular pastime for many visitors and locals alike. The City of Atlanta Tract, primarily river bottoms rising to low mountain ridges, sees annual migrations of geese and ducks, including mallards, wood ducks and other colorful species.

Camping spots in the county run the gamut from well-appointed to rustic. Private campgrounds and state park and Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds are equipped with power outlets, water supply and other modern conveniences, but more intrepid visitors may prefer the primitive sites with only the bare necessities, like fire rings and picnic tables.

The Wild Water of Dawson County

River recreation comes in many forms. Take a a jaunt along a wilderness stream,  go fishing or enjoy a wilderness hike. Others want a lazy day on slow water, or the excitement of whitewater rapids. From easy Class I to challenging Class IV, Dawson County has a float trip route for every river runner. Two major rivers—the Etowah and the Amicalola— offer a range of canoe, kayak, raft and tubing possibilities—Whether you choose sublime or extreme, a unique and solitary float experience is as easy as reading the map.