Hike the Unicoi Lake Trail

Unicoi State Park is a pleasant, refreshing park just outside of Helen, GA. There is a hiking trail, kayaking/canoeing launch, paddle boat rentals, camping area, and even a 3 segment zipline course (all three were fantastic)! Fishing is allowed, and when we went last there were a few kayakers fishing along a bank of the lake. There are bathroom facilities and a park office on-site.

There are several parking areas here, the two most accessible spots are on either end of the dam. If you do not have a state park pass, it will cost $5 (self-serve pay drop in the lots or card online) to park per day. 

The Unicoi Lake Trail is well marked with blazes and just under 2 miles long with very little elevation change. Most of it is directly along the lake, allowing for many angles to take lake photographs. There is a fun floating bridge across the lake from the dam. Be careful on the dam section if your group is large or you have young kids, you will be walking along the road although the shoulder is large enough for two people to walk side by side.