Last updated November 1, 2026
Lula Falls drops off a layered rock wall at Lula Lake Land Trust.
Lula Lake Land Trust is a private nature preserve at 5000 Lula Lake Road on Lookout Mountain, GA, open to the public only on Open Gate Days (usually the first and last weekends of each month) by online reservation, with a $16 Conservation Use Fee per vehicle. Its 4.5-mile Classic Loop takes you to both waterfalls on the property: the cascade that feeds Lula Lake and the roughly 120-foot Lula Falls.
I went back to Lula Lake on November 1, 2026, with the Explore Georgia Hiking Club. It was my second visit. The first time was in January for the annual Polar Plunge, the one day a year the public is allowed in the lake. This time we reserved an Open Gate Day ($16 for the car) and hiked the Classic Loop, which takes you to both waterfalls on the property. If you already know Cloudland Canyon, Lula Lake sits on the same mountain and is the quieter, reservation-only neighbor.
Lula Lake Land Trust at a Glance
Address: 5000 Lula Lake Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
Phone: 706-820-0520 (weekdays, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM; phones are not monitored on weekends)
Website: lulalake.org
Open: Open Gate Days only, usually the first and last weekends of each month, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET
Last entry: 1:00 PM ET on current reservations (annual pass holders 2:00 PM)
Cost: $16 Conservation Use Fee per vehicle, covering everyone in the car
Reservations: Required, online only. They open 2 months in advance and are rain or shine.
Annual pass: $150 per vehicle for 12 months, no reservation needed
Main hike: Classic Loop, 4.5 miles, about 700 feet of gain, moderate, 3 to 4 hours
Dogs: Allowed on a leash. No swimming dogs.
Swimming: Not allowed in Lula Lake. Wading in the creek and at the base of Lula Falls is allowed.
Water: None on site. Bring about 2 liters per person.
Not allowed: Drones on Open Gate Days, camping on the Core Preserve, buses, passenger vans and extra large vehicles
How Lula Lake Open Gate Days Work
Lula Lake is not a state park, so your Georgia State Parks ParkPass does not work here. The Core Preserve is run by a nonprofit land trust and opens to the public only on Open Gate Days. Everything else in the month goes to conservation and school field trips.
You book online through the Lula Lake website, which sends you to Eventbrite. One reservation equals one parking space, and everyone your vehicle can legally hold rides on that one fee. The trust says 100% of the fee goes to preservation. Reservations open 2 months ahead, popular weekends sell out, and there is a waitlist. You can cancel for a refund up to 48 hours before your visit.
When you arrive, park in the lot just inside the south gate and check in at the kiosk before you start hiking. Everyone has to be back at their car and leaving by 5:00 PM ET.
If you'd rather not plan the route yourself, the trust also sells a guided hike for $40 per person. It covers the 4.5-mile Classic Loop, takes 3 to 4 hours, and includes your Open Gate Day access.
Hiking the Lula Lake Classic Loop
The Classic Loop is the route to pick if you want to see the bluff view, Lula Falls and the lake in one hike. The trust rates it moderate: 4.5 miles with about 700 feet of elevation gain, usually 3 to 4 hours.
The trust's trail description runs the loop lake first. We hiked it the other way, starting with the bluff, so we could see the falls before we left. That's the order below. If you hike it this way, keep an eye on the clock: the trust says not to start down to the base of Lula Falls after 3:00 PM.
The meadow, the Middle Trail and the Bluff overlook
From the parking lot, walk about half a mile down the gravel road to the meadow and cross the footbridge. The Middle Trail runs about 1.1 miles past rock bluffs and boulders up to the Bluff Trail, which leads to a rock ledge looking out over Northeast Georgia and Chattanooga. The bluff is one of the three spots where picnics are allowed.
The view from the bluff.
A picnic spot with a fire ring and log benches.
Rock bluffs and boulders along the loop.
Down to Lula Falls
From the bluff, follow the trail back down to the gravel road near the lake. You'll pass the Overlook, where you look across the gorge at Lula Falls, and then the Old Lula Falls Trail. Don't go down that one. It is the exit. Keep going to the Lula Falls Trail and take a left down to the base. The trust warns this section is uneven, steep in places and sometimes hard to navigate.
Looking across the gorge at Lula Falls from above.
The trail toward Lula Falls runs under the big rock wall of the gorge.
The climb back up
You leave the falls on the Old Lula Falls Trail, and this is the hard part of the day. The stairs back up from the falls are strenuous. Some of the steps are really big, so your legs will burn on the way up. Take your time and drink some water at the top.
The stairs on the falls section have some really big steps.
Lula Lake and the walk out
At the top, head over to Lula Lake. A smaller waterfall pours into the lake over layered rock, and Rock Creek cuts through narrow channels of layered stone nearby. From the lake, it's an easy 1.5 miles back to the parking lot on the gravel road along Rock Creek, under hemlocks and rhododendrons.
The smaller waterfall that feeds Lula Lake.
Rock Creek cutting through layered stone.
My Favorite Part: Getting Right Next to Lula Falls
Lula Falls was my favorite part of the day. You can get right next to the water coming down from the falls. The trail down to it is beautiful too.
The falls drop off a wide, layered rock wall into a pool, and the base is a big open rock beach. Wading at the base is allowed, but swimming in Lula Lake is not.
You can get right next to the water at the base of Lula Falls.
The trail down to Lula Falls.
A Little History
Lula Lake Land Trust was established by the will of Robert M. Davenport in January 1994. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit set up to protect the land around Rock Creek and its tributaries on Lookout Mountain. The Core Preserve, the part you visit on Open Gate Days, covers about 850 acres.
The trust now owns more than 3,500 acres across Lookout Mountain and has helped conserve about 12,000 acres since 1994. Between 2007 and 2019 it built about 60 miles of trails, and its land work helped double the size of Cloudland Canyon State Park. The 14-mile Cloudland Connector Trail now links the trust's lands to Cloudland Canyon. The property is also used for research by universities and the state, including projects to bring back the American chestnut and protect hemlocks from the hemlock woolly adelgid.
Lula Lake moved to online reservations for Open Gate Days in 2019. Keeping public days limited leaves the rest of the month for the trust's conservation and education work.
When to Visit Lula Lake
Fall: In early November the trails still had plenty of yellow leaves, with some red and orange on the cliffs above Lula Falls.
After rain: Both waterfalls run strongest after a wet stretch. Reservations are rain or shine, so watch the forecast and bring a rain jacket.
January: The Polar Plunge and Fun Run is the one day a year the public can get in Lula Lake. The 2026 event was January 17 and sold out, so watch for next year's date.
Book early: Reservations open 2 months ahead. Upcoming Open Gate Days are posted on Eventbrite through the Lula Lake website.
Mistakes to Avoid at Lula Lake
Showing up without a reservation. There are no walk-ups on Open Gate Days unless you have an annual pass.
Arriving late. Current listings say last entry is 1:00 PM ET, and everyone has to leave by 5:00 PM.
Heading to the falls too late. The trust says not to start down to the base of Lula Falls after 3:00 PM on the Classic Loop. You won't make it back by closing. This matters most if you save the falls for last like we did.
Going down the Old Lula Falls Trail. That's the exit. Go down the Lula Falls Trail and come back up the old one.
Underestimating the stairs. The climb out from the falls has big steps. Save some energy for it.
Forgetting water. There's no water on site. Bring about 2 liters per person.
Parking on Lula Lake Road or at Rock Creek Fellowship Church. You can get a citation. Park only in the lot inside the south gate.
Bringing a drone or a big van. Drones aren't allowed on Open Gate Days, and buses, passenger vans and extra large vehicles aren't accepted.
Calling on the day of your visit. The office doesn't answer phones or social media on weekends. Call on a weekday before your trip.
How to Get to Lula Lake Land Trust
Put 5000 Lula Lake Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750 in your GPS. From Atlanta, it's about 2 hours northwest via I-75 and I-24 toward Chattanooga, then up Lookout Mountain. The preserve is on Georgia time (ET). The trust's mailing address is in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, but the preserve itself is in Georgia.
Park in the lot just inside the south gate on Lula Lake Road. Limited accessible parking is available closer to the lake and falls. The trails are uneven, and the trust does not describe them as wheelchair accessible.
Lula Lake Land Trust FAQ
Is Lula Lake Land Trust open to the public?
Yes, but only on Open Gate Days, usually the first and last weekends of each month, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET. You need an online reservation or an annual pass.
How much does it cost to visit Lula Lake?
It costs $16 per vehicle, a Conservation Use Fee that covers everyone in the car. An annual pass is $150 per vehicle.
Do you need a reservation for Lula Lake?
Yes. Reservations are required, are made online only, and open 2 months in advance. Annual pass holders can visit on Open Gate Days without one.
How long is the hike to Lula Falls?
Lula Lake is about 1.5 miles from the parking lot, and Lula Falls is a little past it. The Classic Loop that visits the lake, the falls and the bluff is 4.5 miles and takes 3 to 4 hours.
How tall is Lula Falls?
Lula Falls is about 120 feet tall. Some of the trust's own pages list 110 feet.
Can you swim at Lula Lake?
No. Swimming in Lula Lake is not allowed, except during the January Polar Plunge. Wading in the creek and at the base of Lula Falls is allowed.
Are dogs allowed at Lula Lake Land Trust?
Yes, on a leash. You have to pick up after your dog, and dogs can't swim.
Is Lula Lake in Georgia or Tennessee?
Lula Lake is in Georgia, on Lookout Mountain in Walker County, near Chattanooga. The trust's mailing address is in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee.
Make It a Full Day on Lookout Mountain
Rock City Gardens: This is what I'd pair with Lula Lake. Rock City is on Lookout Mountain at 1400 Patten Road, with rock formations, gardens and big views (seerockcity.com).
Chattanooga: Or just spend the rest of the day in Chattanooga, which is right at the bottom of the mountain.
Pack a picnic: Picnics are allowed near the meadow footbridge, at the lake and on the bluff, and there are grills. Pack out your trash.
Cloudland Canyon State Park: The other big waterfall hike on Lookout Mountain. Read my Cloudland Canyon State Park guide.
More waterfalls: 12 Best Waterfalls in North Georgia
More fall hikes: Best Fall Foliage Hikes in North Georgia
Plan the Whole Weekend
Want more days like this without the planning? 5 Perfect North Georgia Saturdays ($9.99) maps out full North Georgia days with timing, parking and weather backups. Making a whole trip of it? North Georgia Weekends ($79) plans the full weekend for you.
Hike With Us
More in North Georgia, or find a trip by drive time.
Want to explore Georgia with a group? The Explore Georgia Hiking Club is free, and every pace is welcome.