is this a "day-trip" type event, or is it maily a camping thing?
are you on my way there??
Sounds like it's real informal . . . just hang out during the day, or maybe hike to the falls if you want to . . . take a dip in the pool under the falls if you want something to brag to your friends about (lets see someone top "I went swimming in a mountian stream in February!") . . . a big potluck dinner Saturday night . . . camping Friday and/or Saturday night . . .
Sounds like something you could stay for as much or as little of as you wanted.
I'm on your way if you go through LaFayette. There are only 4 good ways to get there from the Chattanooga Area:
Go to Trenton and take 136 up the mountian . . . Cloudland Canyon will be on your left right after you get to the top of the mountian.
OR
Go up Lookout Mountian in Chattanooga, and go down the highway past Covenant College until it dead ends into GA Hwy. 136, turn right and Cloudland Canyon is just a mile or two on your right.
OR
Go through St. Elmo and take GA Hwy 193 till it crosses GA Hwy 136. Take 136 up the mountian and the park will be on your right about 3 or 4 miles after you get to the top of the mountian.
OR
Take US 27 South to LaFayette, turn right onto Hwy 136 at the second traffic light (beside the big Wal-Mart). Stay on 136 about 17 or 18 miles to the park entrance (on your right).
If I were coming from the Cleveland area, I'd do the 27 South to LaFayette route . . . but here's how I would get to 27. Take I-75 South into GA. Take the first GA exit (Cloud Springs Road, it's the exit just about a mile past Ringgold Road). At the bottom of the exit ramp turn right and go past the old outlet mall (watch the curves . . . a drunk must have laid out this section of the road!) When you come out of the curves turn left on to Deitz (sp.?) Road at the first traffic light (There is a convieniance store at that corner . . . I think it's a Cowboy's . . . not sure though). Deitz road will cross GA Hwy 2 (Battlefield Parkway), stay on Deitz (but I think the name changes) and make two quick 90 turns right after you cross Hwy 2. The next hill you cross will have a 4 way stop at the bottom (old Hwy 2). Cross old Hwy 2 and go for several miles and you'll come to another 4 way stop. Don't turn there either . . . go for several more miles. This road will finally run into Walker County (new pavement) and will dead end into Kay-Conley Road a couple of miles later. Turn right onto Kay-Conley and go to Hwy 27 (about a 1/4 mile . . . you can see it from the intersection at Kay-Conley). Turn left onto 27 South and go about 5 or 6 miles to Hwy 136 and follow the directions above from there. :sleepy:
Actually, it's not as complicated as I made it sound there . . . let me give you the "Reader Digest" version:
Take I-75 South past Ringgold Road. Take the next exit and turn right at the bottom of the ramp. Turn left at the FIRST traffic light you come to. Stay on that road until it ends. Turn right. Turn left at the First stop sign. Look for Wal-Mart on your right. Turn on the first road past Wal-Mart. If you start down the far side of Lookout Mountain, stop and back up a few hundred yards.
By the way, ALL GA State Parks require a parking permit . . . they are (the last time I bought one) $2 per day or $25 for an annual pass that's good at any GA State Park.
