The DeSoto Falls of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

are located in

Lumpkin County, Georgia Lumpkin County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 33,488. Its county seat is Dahlonega. History This area was settled by the Cherokee, who also occupied a ...

along Frogtown Creek. There are actually three

waterfalls A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...

on Frogtown Creek, called Upper DeSoto Falls, Middle Desoto Falls and Lower DeSoto Falls. The upper waterfall drops , the middle waterfall drops and the lower waterfall drops . The overall height of the falls, as measured inclusive of non-vertical falls, cascades and steep stream bed, is .World Waterfall Database Profile of DeSoto Falls
/ref> DeSoto Falls are located at an elevation of on

Rocky Mountain The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

. The DeSoto Falls are named for Spanish explorer

Hernando deSoto Hernando de Soto (; ; 1500 – 21 May, 1542) was a Spanish explorer and ''conquistador'' who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire i ...

, who passed through Georgia around 1540. According to a sign posted on the DeSoto Falls Trail, a ''in and out'' hiking trail to the falls, a plate of armor was discovered at the base of the falls in the 1880s. The falls are part of the

Chattahoochee National Forest The Chattahoochee River forms the southern half of the Alabama and Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia border, as well as a portion of the Florida - Georgia border. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the con ...

and located in a area designated the Desoto Falls Scenic Area. There is also a campground located along the banks of Frogtown Creek. DeSoto Falls is one of four popular waterfalls in the Forest located near

Helen, Georgia Helen is a city in White County, Georgia, United States, located along the Chattahoochee River. The population was 531 at the 2020 census. History Helen was platted in 1912, and named after the daughter of a lumber official. The town was incorp ...

. The other three popular waterfalls are

Anna Ruby Falls Anna Ruby Falls is located near Unicoi State Park in White County near Helen, Georgia. The waterfall is accessible via a half mile (800 m) paved trail from a public use area with a small admittance charge. The Anna Ruby Falls Trail is designa ...

Dukes Creek Falls Dukes Creek is the creek in White County, Georgia, on which gold was found in 1828. The discovery of gold in White County and neighboring Lumpkin County led to the Georgia Gold Rush. The creek is approximately long. file geodatabase (GDB) at ftp: ...

and

Raven Cliff Falls Raven Cliff Falls may refer to: * Raven Cliff Falls (Georgia), White County, Georgia, United States * Raven Cliff Falls (South Carolina) :''This article refers to Raven Cliff Falls in South Carolina; for the Georgia falls, see'' Raven Cliff Fal ...

, all located in neighboring White County.

References

External links

Desoto Falls Trail: Hiking Waterfalls near Helen (atlantatrails.com trail review)TopoQuest Map of DeSoto FallsDeSoto Falls Hiking Trail Profile on secretfalls.com
Waterfalls of Georgia (U.S. state) Protected areas of Lumpkin County, Georgia Landforms of Lumpkin County, Georgia {{LumpkinCountyGA-geo-stub