Cathy Ellis Trail at Smithgall Woods State Park

About Us

0.5 mile one way; 2.8 miles from Visitor Center.
Also called the Chunanee Falls Trail, this memorial trail is in honor of Cathy Ellis, who loved the north Georgia mountains. A plaque at the trail head tells the historical significance of this 640-acre tract. 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, and is a cool retreat in warm weather.