8:00 – Depart hotel for Tallulah Gorge State Park.

            8:30 – Arrive at Tallulah Gorge State Park.  Obtain permits to hike to the canyon floor.  

            8:50 - Student presentation on Tallulah Gorge.

            9:00 – Begin hike to the canyon floor.  It is a 2.5-mile roundtrip, very strenuous hike.  During the hike, allow students to go at their own pace.  Discussions will take place after the hike so students will not be pressured to move at a specific pace.

            12:00 – Meet in the Interpretive Center for lunch and to view the short (15 minute) movie on Tallulah Gorge.

            1:00 – Walk through the exhibits in the Interpretive Center.  Students should pay specific attention to the exhibits on the following topics:  Georgia Power Dams, Hydropower, Hydroelectric Development, The Gorge and the Falls, Ecosystems, and Rock and Water as the Natural Forces Sculpt Tallulah Gorge.

            2:00 – Begin walking the North Rim Trail.

                        2:15 – Stop at overlook one.  This overlook has the best southern view of the Gorge with views of Oceana Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.  Gorge depth – 750 feet.

                        2:35 – Stop at overlook two.  View Ladore Falls and Tempesta Falls.  Gorge depth – 350 feet.  Discuss how the gorge differs here from overlook one and why there is a 400-foot depth difference.

                        2:55 – Briefly stop at overlook three.

                        3:10 – Stop at overlook four.  Here is a good view of the dam.  Discuss how the building of the dam impacted the flow of water through the gorge and how it impacted the ecosystems.  Discuss whether the potential hydroelectric power was worth the impact on the area.  Gorge depth – 250 feet.  

                        3:20 - Student presentation on hydroelectric power.

                        3:30 – Briefly stop at overlook five and return to Interpretive Center.  Gorge depth – 250 feet.

            4:00 – Brief discussion on the formation of Tallulah Gorge.  This is mostly to assess student understanding since they should have learned about its formation from the movie and the exhibits in the Interpretive Center.

            4:30 – Drive over to the South Rim of Tallulah Gorge.

            4:45 – Begin walking on the South Rim Trail.

                        4:50 – Stop at overlook six.  View Tempesta Falls and Hurricane Falls and North Rim Trail overlooks three and four.  Gorge depth – 350 feet.

                        5:10 – Briefly stop at overlook seven.  Gorge depth – 400 feet.

                        5:20 – Stop at overlook eight.  View Hurricane Falls and Devil’s Pulpit rock outcrop.  Discuss formation of outcrop.  Gorge depth – 500 feet.

                        5:40 – Briefly stop at overlooks nine and ten.  Gorge depth – 650 feet.

            6:00 – Return to hotel for dinner.