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I’m shocked, just shocked by my luck at Little Mullberry Park, located in Gwinnett county, Georgia.

Little Mullberry park sports these features:

• 890 acres
• 2 fish ponds
• play area
• hiking trails
• 2nd highest point in Gwinnett county
• nature preserve
• and… a 30ft waterfall

I’d read quite a few times on various hiking sites about a waterfall located in this park. And I’d never really made an effort to fully explore much of this park to substantiate this claim. Until this weekend.

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I got up early on a November morning, 38 degrees – plenty cool enough to keep my overweight self from dying of a heat stroke to get out this phantom falls and get off a couple shots. I arrived around 8 AM, and started walking down the main asphalt path from the eastern parking lot. Now, during this hunt I had no real idea where this thing was, and since its not really advertised I wasn’t sure which way to go.

So, I made the fateful mistake of going cross-county after walking about .5 miles into the forest, thinking hey if they don’t talk about this thing, it must be way back on a hiking trail. So, after huffing and steaming and almost going head-first down a ravine, I ended up at a slow-moving stream. And realized I was going to  have one hell of a time finding this elusive falls.

I clamored  back up the far side of the gully and had to stumble around a huge tree that had fallen. I then heard the flapping of wings and spotted a hawk perched on the top branch of this fallen tree. It was a very agreeable bird, allowing me to switch lens and squeeze off some photographs.

Right about then two hikers passed above me on the trail and I asked them about this so-called waterfall. My bird flew off then at the sound of us humans talking, drat! But, both of these hikers knew where the waterfall was, on a paved path – the one I had originally been on! Disgusted with my lack of patience, I thanked them and started back down the hiking path towards the trail head.

Walking back down this hiking trail I realized this park completely changed its character from a pedestrian walking park with a playground and fishing hole, to something more rugged and wild. There were little streams, boulders, dense pockets of trees and types of wildlife. I had taken a few photos along the path, but so far nothing I’m really happy with yet.

Whew! Ok, back to the paved path. The two hikers had explained to me that I should turn left once on the main trail and look for a sign that said “Caution, Steep Grade”. Steep grade? Here? And after being exhausted, sweating and blowing hard from hauling an extra 30 pounds of crap up and down through the woods and gullies in my quest for this secret spot?

And there it was, the sign! I stumbled towards it and looked up… the waterfall! And not some dinky little thing but a good 30 footer! With all the recent rainfall it was pouring water nicely, great for some long-exposure. I had to stumble down into the gulch that the fall poured into, getting myself soaked with ice cold water, but it was well worth it.

Ok, some details if you want to come and shoot this particular and unique waterfall in a county that has only a few really known locations (I happen to know of a couple more that are less known, but those are for another post.) First, stay on the main asphalt path if you park at the Fence Rd. entrance. I think  you want to stay on the Hog Mountain path and it will descend down to the falls. I can’t be exact on this  yet due to my overland journey.

Also, if you plan to shoot early, be in place by 9 AM -ish below the waterfall in the winter. The sun will still be below the top of the hillside and  you can expose longer. Wear boots, by golly I was cold in my walking shoes. In the fall the leaves will cover a lot of water making it look like solid ground, carry a stick and test it out first.

I have these prints for sale in my online gallery if  you would like to purchase one for your wall.

Gwinnett County Parks page.