Darnell Creek Falls is a wonderful hidden gem waterfall located mere minutes off a one-lane dirt road just east of Dillard. About 25 feet high, this beautiful waterfall squeezes through a slim chute before dropping into a deep pool, which doubles as an excellent swimming hole. The setting feels like a lush, pristine gorge, even though Darnell Creek Falls is reached by a quick 0.15-mile walk from Darnell Creek Road (FR 150). The easy and flat trail makes this waterfall a perfect choice for families and elderly folks. Darnell Creek Falls marks the beginning of a treasure trove of waterfalls within the greater Darnell Creek watershed, and is by far the easiest one to reach.

Today, we all get to enjoy Darnell Creek Falls thanks to the generosity of Bill Kelly. Kelly was among the founding members of the Rabun chapter of Trout Unlimited. For many years, Kelly and his family owned a 24-acre tract along Darnell Creek. As an avid fisherman, he dreamed of preserving this outstanding trout habitat in its natural state. Kelly and his two sisters eventually sold the property to the White County Water Authority for a stream conservation project.

Having developed a reservoir in White County that flooded a trout stream, the water authority was required by law to then restore a different trout stream. Darnell Creek turned out to be the ideal choice. After completion of the project, the property was donated to the Chattahoochee National Forest in 2013. Kelly sadly passed away in 2012, but his memory lives on. A large boulder is engraved at Darnell Creek Falls with the following text: "in recognition of Bill Kelly / trout fisherman and friend of conservation."

For detailed directions, see page 342 in Mark Ozboyd's "Waterfalls of Georgia" guidebook.