97 This was a falls coming out of the gorge wall between Twin Falls and Great Falls.
98 Spring Castle
99 Rutledge Falls (30’) Near Tullahoma, TN Directions: From Market Street take I-24 W for 68.6mi. Take exit 111 onto TN-55 W to the left for 5 mi. Turn right onto Belmont Rd. for 1.3 mi. Turn left onto Rutledge Falls Dr. for 1.5 mi. Turn right onto Rutledge Falls Rd. for 0.1 mi. to parking lot on right. The parking area and entrance were across the street from the Rutledge Falls Baptist Church on Rutledge Falls Road. The falls is on private property so please follow their rules so it will remain open to the public. You will see a beautiful old red barn on your right. There was this statue of a woman on the trail in the woods. There is more of the falls on top but we couldn't find a way to get to the top of the falls very easy. We took another trail to the left that led down to the creek. You can see Rutledge Falls way upstream from here. The trail is very short and well-worn.
100 Please follow the rules so it will remain open to the public
101 Barn
102 Statue of woman
103 Rutledge Falls Looking downstream from the falls
104 Machine Falls (60’) & Busby Falls Near Tullahoma, TN Directions: From Market St. head onto I-24 W for 68.6 mi. Take exit 111 left onto TN-55 W for 5 mi. Turn right onto Belmont Rd. for 1.3 mi. Turn left onto Rutledge Falls Dr. for 1.5 mi. Turn right onto Rutledge Falls Rd. for 1.9 mi. Turn left onto Short Springs Rd. for 0.9 mi. to a water tower and parking lot We thought we might see 2-4 falls and we saw three. There was a sign saying 100 yards to Machine Falls. The 100 yards is up the creek was very rough. The falls was around a bend. There is a side trail to Adams Falls but it is dry most of the time so we didn't go there. The trail is marked with a white blaze. There was another falls on the Busby Falls Trail. We couldn't get down to it. This falls is on Bobo Creek. There was a second falls on the Busby Falls Trail. There were supposed to be three falls. We saw the two big ones and several little falls.
105
106 Water tower at parking lot
107 This trail goes to Adams Falls which is dry most of the time
108 Machine Falls
109 One Falls on Busby Falls Trail
110 Another falls on Busby Falls Trail (Busby Falls?)
111 James H. (Sloppy) Floyd State Park Marble Mine and 35’ Water falls. Directions: From the I-24 E/ I-75 split take exit 185 A On I-75 S go 8.4 mi. Take exit 348 to the right onto GA-151 S/Old Alabama Rd. for 24.9 mi. Turn left onto GA-1 S/US-27 S for 10.6 mi. Turn right onto Marble Springs Rd. for 1 mi. Turn right onto Sloppy Floyd Lake Rd. for about 1.8 mi. to parking lot on your left At the parking lot was a sign that said Jenkins Trail. It was a blue blaze. There was a side trail off to the left that wasn't marked. It leads to the Marble Mine and falls. Listen for the water falls and look for this unmarked trail. We heard water and saw a side trail. We took it and there was the Marble Mine. No signs again telling us where the trail went. DO NOT follow the blue blaze because it goes to the top of the mountain and it is very, very steep. That is the Jenkins Gap Trail. It connects to the Pinhoti Trail at the top of the mountain. There were many trails and many signs but not many of the right signs to the mine. They need better signs to the Marble Mine. There are two lakes here an upper and lower lake. There are lots of people fishing. There are camp sites and cabins.
112 If you see this, you missed the spur to the marble mine and fall The sign is very true, it is very steep
113 Marble mine and falls You can see the splash from the falls in the pool Upper lake
114 Amicalola Falls (729’) Near Dawsonville, GA Directions: At the I-24 E/I-75 N split, take exit 185A for 20.8 mi. At Dalton, take exit 336 onto US-41 S/US 76 E for 6.1 mi. Turn left onto GA-52 E/US-76 E for 8.3 mi. At Chatsworth turn right onto US-411 S/US76 E/N 3rd Ave. for 6.7 mi. Turn left and then right onto US-76 E/Old Hwy 411 for 2.5 mi. Turn left onto US-76 E for 17.3 mi. At Ellijay turn left onto 1st Ave./Soule Bridge for 294 feet Turn right onto GA-52 E for 19.7 mi. Turn left onto Amicalola Fall State Park Rd. for 0.3 mi. Continue on straight onto Top of the falls Rd for 0.4 mi. to parking lot The park is name is from a Cherokee word meaning “tumbling waters” The falls is a 729 ft. cascade. There is a trail from the reflection pond to the steps. There are 620 steps to the top of the falls. A viewing platform is 445 steps from the top. The hike up the steps wasn’t very bad as there were plenty of places to sit down and rest. You can drive to the top of the falls and walk down. There is an overlook at the top of the falls.
115 Reflection pool at parking lot and start of hike
116 Steps to viewing platform
117 Almost to viewing platform
118 View from platform
119 Next set of steps
120 View of top of falls
121 View of valley below
122 Cummins Falls (75’) Near Cookeville, TN Directions: From TV-153 N take US-27 N for 9.8 mi. Continue onto TN-111 N for 78.5 mi. Turn left at Quinland Lake Rd. for 1.6 mi. Turn right onto TN-136 N for 0.2 mi. Take the 1st left onto Hutcheson Rd. for 0.9 mi. Turn right onto Free Hill Rd. for 0.3 mi. Free Hill Rd. turns left and become Howard Draper Rd. for 0.7 mi. Turn right onto TN-135 N for 3.7 mi. Turn left onto Cummins Mill Rd. for 2.5 mi. Turn right onto Blackburn Fork Rd. for 0.5 mi. Turn left into the park – there is a big parking lot and restrooms. If the gate is open, take the gravel road to the overlook. From the parking lot and bathrooms there is a road to the overlook. There was a place to park down there. It would have been about 0.4 miles from the parking lot to the falls overlook. Since we drove to the overlook, there was no hiking. It is a 75’ plunge falls. There is a downstream trail. It is about 2 miles round trip but when you get to the creek it is 1/4 mile of wading knee high in water up the creek. We didn’t go there. If you take the downstream trail, you would be at the bottom of the falls. We found a flagged trail that leads us upstream of the falls on Blackburn Fork Creek. There were many fossil of some kind on the rocks in the creek. You can get a good view of the gorge from the top of the falls.
123 This sign is near the overlook
124 Cummins Falls from overlook
125 Blackburn Fork Creek above the falls View of the gorge from top of falls
126 Clear pool at base of falls
127 Flagged trail to Blackburn Fork Creek above the fall White flag on left and orange flag on right
128 Falls Branch Falls (70’) & Bald River Falls (90’) Near Tellico Plains, TN Directions: At the I-24 E and I-75 split, take I-75 N for 34.7 mi. Take exit 36 onto TN-163 for 2.3 mi. Turn right onto US-11 S for 0.6 mi. Turn left onto TN-163 E for 13 mi. Turn left onto US-411 N for 5.3 mi. Turn right onto St. Hwy 310/Mecca Pike for 6.4 mi. Take slight right onto TN-39 E/Mecca Pike for 7.8 mi. Turn right onto TN-68 S for 0.5 mi. Take 1st left onto TN-165 E/Cherohala Skyway for 21.5 mi. Park on the left next to the guard rail for hike to Falls Branch Falls Head west on TN-165 for 12.5 mi. Turn left onto Turkey Creek Rd. for 397 feet Take slight left onto Turkey Creek Rd. for 0.8 mi. Take SHARP left onto River Rd. for 2.2 mi. Park on other side of bridge for Bald River Falls The Falls Branch Trail #87 is a 1.3-mile trail (2.6-mile round trip) that leads to Falls Branch Falls, a 70-foot waterfall. Please note that this trail is located within congressionally designated Wilderness, a primitive area where trail signing and blazing are minimal. The majority of the trail follows an old roadbed, but it eventually leaves the roadbed and becomes narrow, steep, and rocky closer to the waterfall. We found a short cut to Falls Branch Falls that takes about 0.4 mi. round trip.
129 This is a short cut we found. It cuts out about two miles of hiking. About a mile up the road is where the actual trail starts. On the other side of the guard rail is an old road. Take it until it makes a sharp right at the intersection of another trail that goes up hill. Follow the trail that goes to the left and shortly it will go downhill to the falls. It was supposed to be a 2.6 mile hike round tip. Going this way it was about a 0.4 mile round trip.
130 The trails were unmarked but well-worn and easy to follow. This is on the old road.
131 The trail was easy to follow up here. This is on the trail to the falls. You will go through a split between two rocks on your way to the falls.
132 This is our first peak at Falls Branch Falls. It was awesome.
133 Falls Branch Falls
134 This is a view from one of several lookouts along the Cherohala Skyway. Bald River Falls is 80-100 feet. Nobody seems to know. It is six miles off the Cherohala Skyway and well worth the trip. You don't have to hike to it. Bald man at Bald River Falls
135 Soco Falls (120’) Near Qualla, NC Directions: Head southeast on I-24 E Take exit 185B onto I-75 N toward Knoxville for 19.3 mi. Take exit 20 onto US-64 E/US-74 E for 6.4 mi. Merge onto US-64 E/US-74 E for 111 mi. Merge onto US-441 N for 4.1 mi. Turn right onto Casino Trail for 0.8 mi. Take 1st right onto Us-19 N for 9.5 mi to a small pull-over on the right It is only a five minute walk down a steep trail to a viewing platform. You can go down from there to the creek below and to a smaller falls. You can hear the falls from the parking area. The falls is about 9.3 mi. from Harrah’s Casino in Cherokee, NC.
136 Soco Falls with small falls on the left
137 Trahlyta Falls (110’) At Vogel State Park Directions: Head southeast on I-24 E Take exit 185B onto I-75 N for 19.3 mi. Take exit 20 onto US-64 E/US-74 E for 6.4 mi. Merge onto US-64 E/US-74 E for 52 mi. Turn right onto US-129 S/US-19 S for 14.5 mi. Turn left onto Blue Ridge St for 0.5 mi. At Town square, take 2nd right onto US-11 S/US-129 S/GA-11 S for 9.8 mi. Turn right onto State Route 180 for 0.4 mi. past a water treatment plant on your left to a small pull-over on your left. Pick up the trail on the left side of the lake. Lake Trahlyta is a man-made lake with a dam at the northeast end. The overflow from the lake creates the falls. At the pull-over near the cabins you will see the one mile trail around the lake. From here it is 0.3 mi. to the top of the falls. It is about 0.1 mi. to the bottom of the falls. If you continue around the lake, the trail is wellworn, level and well-marked. There is a beach, beach house and several cabins.
138 This is from the east end of the lake where you take a short 0.1 mi. trail to the bottom of the falls. The trail is well-marked and well-traveled. It is about 0.1 mi. down to the bottom and 0.1 mi. back up.
139 Viewing platform near the bottom of the falls View from platform
140 View from middle of creek This is a view from the east side across from the beach.
141 This beach house and beach are on the west side of the man-made lake.
142 Rattlesnake Falls or Rainbow Falls or Chestnut Mountain Falls (60’) and Lower Falls or Rock Creek Falls (20’) Near Lake Ocoee Direction: From Shallowford Rd. take I-75 N for 14.7 mi. Take exit 20 onto US-64 E/US-74 E for 6.4 mi. Merge onto US-64 E/US-74 E for 17.3 mi. Turn left on Hwy 30 to trail head on your left. There are two falls and some cascades. The signs take you to the Lower Falls or Rock Creek Falls. There is a much bigger falls upstream from it. You can’t see the falls from the 1st falls. The trail goes off to the left and is very steep and rocky. It is well worth the trip to Rattlesnake Falls or Rainbow Falls or Chestnut Mountain Falls. There are two creek crossings. You might get your feet wet if the creek is up. The trail was well-worn and well-marked with a white blaze. Some needed to be repainted. The trail was steep at the beginning and very steep past the 1st falls. It is about 1.7 mi. to the 1st falls and about 0.1 mi. to the next falls.
143 This sign is right near the parking lot. You want the Scenic Spur Trail No. 78. This sign was about 0.1mile down the trail.
144 Most of the trail was like this with a white blaze on the trees.
145 Only a mile to the 1st falls This is looking down stream at the first creek crossing. It was about 1.2 mi. down the trail.
146 This is looking upstream at the second creek crossing. It was about 1.5 mi. down the trail. This falls was below the Lower Falls. Right Angle Falls (9’)