Helen, Georgia: events, facts and drive times

Helen at a glance

• CountyWhite County
• Population, 2020 Census531U.S. Census Bureau
• Elevation1,405 ftUSGS elevation at the town centre
• From downtown Atlantaabout 1 h 52 minby road, no traffic

What to know about Helen

• The City of Helen calls itself "Georgia's Alpine Village" – Bavaria in the Northeast Georgia mountains. City of Helen
• By the fall of 1969 Helen had reinvented itself, with many of its old buildings given new facades. City of Helen
• Artist John Kollock's design for Helen was inspired by the Bavarian mountain-valley towns he had visited during military service in Germany. City of Helen
• According to the city, Helen's reinvention turned a dying lumber town into Georgia's third most visited city. City of Helen
• Helen sits next to the Chattahoochee National Forest, with Unicoi State Park, Sautee-Nacoochee and the Richard Russell Highway within driving distance. City of Helen
• Helen is an alpine village of colorful shops set against mountains, forests and river banks, styled to evoke the cobblestone streets of Germany's Bamberg or Lindau. Alpine Helen/White County Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Visitors in Helen can float down the Chattahoochee River on tubes or ride a zipline above the treetops. Alpine Helen/White County Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Trails through the forests around Helen lead to some of the area's best-known waterfalls. Alpine Helen/White County Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Local wineries near Helen overlook the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Alpine Helen/White County Convention & Visitors Bureau
• The Helen Oktoberfest, held at the Helen Festhalle, is billed by the Helen Chamber as the longest-running Oktoberfest in the United States; the 2026 edition runs September 10 through November 1. Helen Chamber of Commerce
• Unicoi State Park & Lodge, centered on Lake Unicoi in the Chattahoochee National Forest, is two miles from Helen. Unicoi State Park & Lodge
• Activities at Unicoi State Park include fly fishing, paddle boarding, boat rentals, zip lining, mountain biking and a lakeside beach. Unicoi State Park & Lodge
• At the USFS Anna Ruby Falls Recreation Area, a paved trail from the visitor information center leads to twin waterfalls, the taller plunging more than 150 feet. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
• The Alpine Helen/White County Convention & Visitors Bureau is at 726 Bruckenstrasse, Helen, GA 30545. Alpine Helen/White County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Coming up in Helen

Every North Georgia event in the finder

How far is Helen?

Visitor information

Alpine Helen/White County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 726 Bruckenstrasse, Helen, GA 30545. Official visitor site

For the Alpine village streets along the Chattahoochee, our downtown guide is Downtown Helen.

Towns near Helen

• Clarkesville about 13 mi straight-line
• Hiawassee about 17 mi straight-line
• Young Harris about 17 mi straight-line