Anna Ruby Falls

After we left Helen we decided to take the boys on a hike, and the one closest is Anna Ruby Falls which is located just north of the town and in Chattahoochee National Forest.  The waterfalls are named for the daughter of John H. Nichols, a wealthy White County resident who owned much of the land in the vicinity.  Besides the falls, Nichols had purchased significant amounts of land around the Chattahoochee River, Duke’s Creek and Sautee River.   Although the stories of the discovery of Annaruby Falls vary, one frequently circulated myth is that Nichols found them while riding shortly after the death of his wife and child.  The falls were known as early as 1819 and are noted on survey maps of the era, long before Nichols owned the land.  The trail was easy and the boys just loved running up and down the paved path.  :O)