Post Summary- Why you need to visit Lula Lake Land Trust
Lula Lake Land Trust is a beautiful privately owned property in Northwest Georgia that is home to two beautiful waterfalls! This property is the perfect place to visit year-round and has plenty of things to do to make your trip worthwhile.
Lula Lake Land Trust has over 3,500 acres of conserved land and the owners have conserved over 12,000 acres throughout the Southeast since they started.
Since the property is privately owned, permits are required to visit, and they’re only open to the public on certain days. By the end of this blog post, you’ll know everything you need to know before heading to Lula Lake Land Trust!
Where Is Lula Lake Land Trust?
Lula Lake Land Trust is located in Lookout Mountain, GA, just under 2.5 hours from Atlanta, GA, and only 23 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, TN.
To get to the property from Atlanta, hop on I-75N and head northwest for about 90 miles to take exit 350 onto GA-2. You’ll stay on this road for a couple of miles until you turn left onto GA-193 S and then onto Nick-A Jack Rd. Lastly, you’ll turn onto GA-157 and ride until you reach the property (about 2 miles)!
To get there from Chattanooga, you’ll want to take TN-1 S to TN-58 S. You’ll take this road for about 3.5 miles and turn left onto Lula Lake Rd. The property will be 4.5 miles from this turn!
Important Things To Know
The days that Lula Lake Land Trust is open are called “Public Access Dates,” which are on the first and last weekends of every month. A limited number of tickets are available each day, so be sure to plan ahead and grab your tickets as soon as possible! You can purchase tickets here.
Tickets are $16 per vehicle (no buses, passenger vans, or extra large vehicles), or you can choose a privately guided hike for $40 per person, and all proceeds go back to the preservation of the land. Tickets are rain or shine, and there is a waitlist in case cancellations happen. Once you arrive, you must check in with the workers to review the rules and permits.
There is absolutely no swimming on the property, so don’t expect to get in the water. I know the turquoise blue water looks tempting, but you must stay on land.
There are also special events that the property may host; you can find these events listed here if you’d like to attend. Dogs on a leash are welcome; but please pick up after your animals!
Popular Hiking Trails at Lula Lake Land Trust
Lula Lake Land Trust is widely known for its beautiful waterfalls, but there are several trails on the property for you to enjoy. It is important to note that even hiking from the parking lot to the falls is at least 4.2 miles round trip, so please remember to bring plenty of water and pack all of your essentials.
Out and Back Trail
This is the main trail most people take to see both of the waterfalls and have the easiest hiking experience because you will only come to the overlook of the falls and turn back. You will gain about 350ft in elevation throughout the 4.2 miles, most of which you will hit on the way back to the car because the trail is all downhill to the falls.
Classic Loop
This is a moderately difficult trail that will take you down to the base of the 120 ft waterfall. After climbing out from the falls, you will head back towards the lake and take a left onto the Bluff Trail. This leads to a beautiful overlook with a view of North Georgia and Chattanooga. From there you will take the Middle Trail to the parking lot.
Adventure Loop
This trail gives the same views as the Classic Loop, but it is a little more uphill and poses more of a challenge. There is a part of a trail that is steep that there is a rope to help you make it up the path.
If you’re a mountain biker, there is also a loop with over 900 feet in elevation gain and about 8.7 miles long.
Things to do near Lula Lake Land Trust
If you decide to take a trip to Lula Lake Land Trust, I highly recommend checking out other fun activities in the area! Being only 20 minutes away from downtown Chattanooga, be sure to grab lunch at one of the many amazing restaurants there. Some of my favorites are Stir, State of Confusion, and Easy Bistro & Bar.
I also recommend heading to Greeter Falls or Foster Falls nearby. Or for a much shorter excursion, add Sunset Rock to your itinerary for another gorgeous overlook of Chattanooga!
Another awe-inspiring double waterfall to check out is at Cloudland Canyon State Park! Hiking to Hemlock and Cherokee Falls will definitely test your fitness levels, as it is all stairs down to the falls and back (600 stairs if you are wondering). But the trek is all worth it once you see these waterfalls!
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