Tallulah Gorge past is thrilling

Q: I’ve seen Tallulah Gorge listed as a great waterfall hike in Georgia. What is its history?

A: Tallulah Gorge, located in north Georgia’s Rabun County, is a chasm more than 1,000 feet deep with five waterfalls, numerous hiking trails, a suspension bridge and recreational lake areas. The area now is a state park, but what you’ll find there is very different from how it looked as a tourist haven in the 1800s, complete with Victorian-style hotels.

The gorge, which was carved over millions of years by the Tallulah River, quickly became a destination after visitors discovered the falls in 1819. By 1835, local residents offered food and lodging to the growing number of tourists.

In 1882, the railway arrived in the town of Tallulah Falls. Businessman Rufus Lafayette Moss Sr. built the first large Victorian-style hotel, the Cliff House Hotel, in 1882 at the edge of the gorge, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia.

The gorge also attracted tightrope walkers. On July 24, 1886, J.A. St. John, whose stage name was Professor Leon, completed the highest and longest tightrope walk ever attempted, according to Brian A. Boyd’s book, “Secrets of Tallulah.”

In July 18, 1970, Karl Wallenda re-created the professor’s aerial walk. Wallenda walked from Overlook 1 to the south rim of the gorge and performed two headstands as a salute to Vietnam War soldiers, according to said Jessica James, Tallulah Gorge State Park assistant manager. He took 18 minutes to walk 1,000 feet on the cable.

James said emergency personnel laid him down as soon as he reached the other side. “The legend is when they laid him down, he asked for a martini,” she said.

In 1909, Georgia Power Co. purchased land from the Moss family and built a dam, creating Tallulah Lake.

In 1992, Tallulah Gorge State Park was established, which covers 2,739 acres and has a 63-acre lake. Officials expect about 400,000 visitors this year, James said.

The challenging gorge floor hike takes three to four hours and requires bouldering and rock-hopping. Only 100 free permits for the hike are allotted daily, to protect natural resources and visitors.

On the gorge rim trails, you can see three of the five waterfalls from the north rim. The path to Hurricane Falls and back up to the south rim offers a workout, with a total of 1,099 stairs.