Unicoi State Park

Unicoi State Park, 2 miles northeast of Helen, is a well-run Georgia state park with a 53-acre lake for swimming, fishing, and kayaking, plus a network of hiking trails through the surrounding hardwood and pine forest. The park has a lodge, camping, and rental cabins, making it the best base for outdoor activities in the Helen area.

The trails range from easy lakeside walks to more strenuous ridge hikes with long views over the Blue Ridge. The swimming area on the lake is popular with families in summer. The park is significantly quieter on weekdays than on weekends, particularly during Oktoberfest.

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A story
Unicoi State Park's name comes from the Cherokee word "yunique," meaning "lonely" or "solitary." The lake was created by damming a mountain stream in the 1950s as part of a state parks development programme. The trail system connects to the larger Chattahoochee National Forest, and the park sits at the edge of the Blue Ridge escarpment where the mountains drop sharply to the Georgia Piedmont.

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