Panther Creek Trail

Ranking: Easy Pie to Moderate

Rivers, jungles, and panthers oh my! Only joking there weren’t any panthers or jungles but there were rivers. Today we are talking about a trail called Panther Creek located in North Georgia. 

So I will start off by saying that when you pull up to this trail head the actual start to the hike is across the street. After parking you are greeted with bathrooms, an informational sign, and a trail. The trail attached to the parking lot is not the Panther Creek Trail. That is a different trail, so be sure to read the informational sign and decide from there. 

Anyways, onto the trail itself! My first experience with this trail was with my brother in law and sadly we didn't get the chance to finish the hike. We were in town for a wedding later that same day so we were pressed for time. Since we were the only ones not in the bridal/groom parties we thought, “Hey why not go for a hike to kill time?” Well we didn't finish. We realized about halfway through the hike that we could either finish the trail or miss the wedding. So the wedding won, obviously. Since I was so determined I made a mental note to go back and conquer the trail and finally I did! 

The Panther Creek Trail really is a great hike folks. The trail has everything from winding pathways to rushing rivers. I will say that you need to be careful in some parts of this trail because you will have to climb boulders to move forward. Not full on rock climbing or anything but large enough boulders that you will need to use all fours. So make sure you have brought your goat game like we did! 

All goating jokes aside, this trail is pleasant and a good workout. Coming in at under seven miles round trip, this hike is a great option for a day hike for you and your family.  If you are hiking with kids near the end of the hike becomes very steep so be careful. I'm not saying that kids can't hike this trail but I am saying I would take it very slow with very sure steps near that section of the path. The trail also offers several spots for you and your group to pop a squat and chill for a while. I would highly recommend you pack a hammock if you can due to there being some very optimal trees for swinging. The trail also offers a lovely river to which the trail runs parallel with throughout the hike. 

Now if you are like us and want to take breaks and take pictures, I would plan to hike sooner rather than later in the day. We started later than our normal time which is around ten o'clock a.m. but instead began around two p.m. This was a mistake. Don't do what we did here people. If you are not familiar with hiking in general, you don't start late in the day. Now to some people, two in the afternoon seems early right? In the hiking world, that is a bit late to tell you the truth. We had something going on that day so we had no choice but I will tell you why it's an issue. Darkness happens. Which can lead to issues when hiking. Hiking in the dark makes your hiking more difficult not to mention more dangerous. Some issues that may arise are running into a predator or becoming lost in the middle of nowhere. I'm not talking about Alien versus Predator or visiting "Courage the Cowardly Dog," here. I am talking bears, cougars, and whatever else that might want to snack on you. Also, let's not forget the biggest issue here: it is creepy as hell in the woods at night. Have you ever hiked at night or camped out? If you are not familiar with it, like my friend who will remain unknown, shout out to you though you did it girl! I guarantee you will panic over every single snap of a branch and every scuffle of leaves in the distance. So I would recommend you start earlier in the day so you are not faced with having to hike in complete darkness. 

Sorry to have gone on a tangent with hiking at night. I thought it would be a good idea to expand a bit since that was exactly what we did on this trail. Since we started hiking late, we finished late. Luckily we finished as the sun was setting but it was a close call on this trip. I remember being asked, "Ummm... it's getting kind of dark, are we going to make it out of here in time?" Don't make your friends nervous like that, so just trust me and start early. Anyways back to the trail, I'm done ranting. 

The trail path is dense with shrubbery and plants as well as very well marked throughout. I will say you need some well fitting shoes to complete this hike comfortably. The terrain on this trail ranges from sandy grass to rocky madness so plan accordingly. Once you make it through the dense forest you will be rewarded with a spectacular waterfall at the end. Here you can take your time and play in the water or have a nice snack break. At the base of the waterfall there are some great spots for optimal Instagram shots so go crazy! I would say that Panther Creek is an overall easy to moderate trail to complete. For the most part the trail is flat with sections that become more inclined and areas where you have to climb. While we were there we also saw children and dogs hiking too so I would say the whole family could hike this trail!