Fall Creek Falls State Park is Tennessee's largest and most popular park. Located in Bledsoe and Van Buren counties, the park is accessible from TN 30 and TN 111. The park is about a two hour drive from both Nashville and Knoxville and about 1½ hours from Chattanooga. TN 284 bisects the park and connects to TN 30 north of the park and TN 111 south of the park.
After several days of rain in February 2018, I took a day trip to the park to see the waterfalls. One waterfall I had not seen before was 75 foot high Piney Creek Falls. It is located on the Scenic Loop Road in the northwestern part of the park. This portion of the park has never been logged. A short, but steep trail leads from the paved parking area at the end of the road to an obstructed view of the falls. Signage at the trailhead notes:
Powerful and remote, Piney Creek Falls is the park's most beautiful waterfall to many visitors.
Having viewed the falls, I tend to agree with the sentiment.
Fall Creek Falls State Park is Tennessee's largest and most popular park. Located in Bledsoe and Van Buren counties, the park is accessible from TN 30 and TN 111. The park is about a two hour drive from both Nashville and Knoxville and about 1½ hours from Chattanooga. TN 284 bisects the park and connects to TN 30 north of the park and TN 111 south of the park.
After several days of rain in February 2018, I took a day trip to the park to see the waterfalls. Three of the named waterfalls in the park are accessible via the Scenic Loop Road. The most used portions of the road are two-way and provide views of Fall Creek Falls, Coon Creek Falls, and Piney Creek Falls. A one-way section of the road follows the top of the gorge from Fall Creek Falls to Piney Creek Falls. The total driving distance for the loop, including the side road to Piney Creek Falls is less than six miles. The views below are all on the one-way portion of the road.
Short trail from an unnamed pullout ½ miles from start of one-way
Approaching the edge
View across the gulf
Sunlight and shadow on the opposite side of the gulf
View from another unnamed pullout 0.6 miles from the start
Another view without the stairs
View across Cane Creek Gorge from Caplenor Point
(1.2 miles from start of one-way road)
Viewing platform at Millikan's Overlook (1.5 miles from start of one-way)
View looking north (downstream) of Cane Creek Gulf from Millikan's Overlook
Closeup of point above confluence of Piney Creek and Cane Creek
Fall Creek Falls State Park is Tennessee's largest and most popular park. Located in Bledsoe and Van Buren counties, the park is accessible from TN 30 and TN 111. The park is about a two hour drive from both Nashville and Knoxville and about 1½ hours from Chattanooga. TN 284 bisects the park and connects to TN 30 north of the park and TN 111 south of the park.
After several days of rain in February 2018, I took a day trip to the park to see the waterfalls. I was a bit disappointed in Fall Creek Falls as the park personnel had decided to fill Fall Creek Lake instead of letting the water flow over the falls. Since it was a weekday and there were very few visitors, I can understand holding the water until later in the year when more visitors would see the falls. I understand, but am still disappointed.
A wide concrete sidewalk leads about 400 feet from the paved parking area to the overlook.
I wrote about a previous visit to the park in 2012 here.
Parking area
Sidewalk to overlook
Restrooms on the way to the overlook
Rustic railing at the overlook
Trailhead to Nature Center
(0.75 miles via Woodland Trail or
0.9 miles via Overlook Trail)
I had the opportunity to revisit Ozone Falls in late February 2018. Ozone Falls is a 110 foot high plunge-type falls on Fall Creek near Crab Orchard, Tennessee. On my previous visit in June 2012, the base of the falls was a pile of rocks instead of a plunge pool due to the vastly reduced amount of water in the creek. I wrote about that visit here.
To reach the falls from Interstate 40, take exit 329 marked Crab Orchard and head north about a block to US 70. Turn right to head east on US 70 for 4.5 miles to the small parking area on the right. Parking is available for six or seven passenger vehicles. A gravel area across US 70 was used by over a dozen motorcyclists while I was there. Parking for an RV or vehicle with a trailer is not available.
Two short trails lead to the top of the falls and the base of the falls. The trail to the top of the falls is about 350 feet long or 100 meters and the trail to the base is about 700 feet long or 200 meters. A third trail of 300 feet or 90 meters connects the two along the top of the bluff. The trail to the base is considered moderate as there may be some rock scrambling required to avoid muddy areas.
Parking area
Trail to the base of the falls
Descending back to road level
Stone steps lead down behind the rock wall
The stone steps and rock wall form an entry
Descending over a rock outcrop
Falls visible through the trees
Ozone Falls
Top of the falls
Base of the falls
Another view of the top of the falls
View from a rock ledge farther up the side of the cliff
