Ellsworth Falls
Photo by Christopher Cockfield
Waterfall Info: From the bottom, this is the fifth and final waterfall in the Thomas Creek watershed. Being located high up in the headwaters of North Fork Thomas Creek, it is better seen during wet weather. The waterfall is just upstream of Alliance Falls, but it is a distinctly separate waterfall. When Christopher Cockfield first documented this waterfall in 2021, he decided to name it in honor of Bernie Boyer - waterfall explorer extraordinaire - who already had two waterfalls named for him in North and South Carolina, and one in Georgia was necessary to complete a trifecta. In 2022, Bernie successfully completed the trek to Ellsworth Falls at the age of 86. While most people know him as Bernie, Ellsworth is in fact Bernie's first name.
Landowner: Chattahoochee National Forest
Height: 30 Feet
Type: Sheer Drop (Single-Tier)
County: Rabun
Access Info: Starting from Darnell Creek Road (FS 150), an old logging road loosely parallels North Fork Thomas Creek to nearly the waterfall, but it is overgrown and features deadfall at times. You must leave the road and make a steep off-trail scramble through a slim passage amid rhododendron to reach Alliance Falls first. From there, it is an even steeper scramble up the slope to the north of the waterfall to reach Ellsworth Falls.
Waterfall Location: 34.96207, -83.31136
Click here for Bernie Boyer's report with detailed access information
Landowner: Chattahoochee National Forest
Height: 30 Feet
Type: Sheer Drop (Single-Tier)
County: Rabun
Access Info: Starting from Darnell Creek Road (FS 150), an old logging road loosely parallels North Fork Thomas Creek to nearly the waterfall, but it is overgrown and features deadfall at times. You must leave the road and make a steep off-trail scramble through a slim passage amid rhododendron to reach Alliance Falls first. From there, it is an even steeper scramble up the slope to the north of the waterfall to reach Ellsworth Falls.
Waterfall Location: 34.96207, -83.31136
Click here for Bernie Boyer's report with detailed access information
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