Anna Ruby Falls

The sound of rushing, falling water is deafening. But in a good way.

As soon as you get out of your car at Anna Ruby Falls -- a spectacular double waterfall -- you hear the noise. And it only gets louder as you walk the 0.4-mile paved path to the base of the falls.

Once you are able to match sound with the image, the picture comes together in one take-your-breath-away scene, surrounded by towering rocks and trees.

The falls are the result of Curtis Creek dropping 153 feet and York Creek dropping 50 feet, where they come together to become Smith Creek. The park itself, part of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, includes a 4-mile trail for more hiking along the lower end of Smith Creek.

And while you're looking in awe at the falls, take note of the trees around you, too -- they're tall, but rather thin. Believe it or not, this whole area was once home to a logging company, and in the early part of the 1900s these woods were nothing but sawdust and saplings.

And don't worry about going on a hot day, either; you might break a sweat by the time you get to the top of the trail, but once you're there, you realize just how cool it is. It's shaded, slightly breezy and deafening.

But, in a good way.

Kristen Morales