Fall Creek Falls - December 23, 2007 - Member Trip Report
| Hike Name: | Fall Creek Falls |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | Tennessee |
| Trip Rating: |  |
| Trip Date: | December 23, 2007 |
| Duration: | 2 hours |
| Trail Conditions: | Fair to Good |
| Trail Traffic: | Light |
| Trip Weather: | Sunny, Partly Sunny |
| Trip Winds: | Light |
| Trip Precipitation: | None |
| Trip Temperature: | High: 41-50, Low: 41-50 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Trip Report: | This hike will make you want to be a proper rock climber from the drive along the interstate to the hike itself. We started out at the Nature Center at 1500. Bathrooms are located just across the parking lot. We began and Cane Creek Trail. I highly suggest going the extra few yds along the trail and checking out all the overlooks. Appears there has been some rain on the trail lately as it was pretty sloppy and slick in some places. The trail has a lot of sections where roots stick up and can trip the kiddies and Dad. Entire trail is safe for children at least 4 yrs old. I would suggest that if you have kids that take off on you, be vigilent on the approach to Fall Creek Falls as there are no barriers to corral them in and the drop would be deadly. The current drought has definitely affected water flow of all the cascades, and Fall Creek Falls is no exception. It was disappointin not to see a huge waterfall like the one pictured, however, it was really cool to see the effect that the falls have had on the area over the last umpteen thousand years. If you don't look closesly, you might just miss this amazing sight. I could imagine how this fall started out as a small drop in the creek and over time wore away dirt then trees, the rock. After backtracking on Caney Creek Trail for about .1 - .2 miles, we took up the Woodland Trail for our return trip to the Nature Center. We arrived at the Park a little late in the day and night was quickly approaching. If you're going to be on the trails afer sunset, I highly suggest headlamps to keep your footing free from the endless roots and slippery rocks on the trail. There is a great "swinging" bridge, more like bouncy. Very cool. There are many small rock steps along the trail to build the confidence of your younger hikers/ climbers. For a great weekend you could do this during the Christmas Season: Murfreesboro, Tn: Eat at Toot's (recommend the Wings/ Toot's Burger/ Fried Dill Pickle Chips/ and a draft beer. After dinner head to the Brentwood area of Nashville (South on I-65) and go to the REI store to browse or buy some gear and maps of the area. Opry Mills: After REI, check in at your hotel (Radisson near the airport along I-40). They use CFL lighting and have sleep number beds (my number is 40). Go Briley Pkwy North to Opry Mills and check out the fish aquarium at Bass Pro Shops, check out more gear at Ski and Sun Sports, huge outdoor store, then have dinner at the food court or in one of the many themed joints (Rainbow Cafe, etc etc.) Next morning, go I-40 East to Lebanon, Tn and have lunch at Demos' Steak and Spaghetti House. You will absolutely never, NEVER, have a better steak anywhere. We intentionally make out of the way trips just to go to Demos' and Toot's every visit to Tn. The service in impeccable, the food cannot be matched, and you won't pay a lot of dinner. Two adults' steak dinner and a kids chicken tenderloin dinner for 32 dollar plus tip. After lunch stop buy the Lebanon Outlet Mall for a little more shopping. Guys, sometimes getting the wife to go hiking in the cold involves payment, shopping the clearance racks works for my wife, plus I scored a pair of REI hiking pants along the way. Finally, head to Fall Creek Falls State Park. We drove to our hometowns afterwards so I can't suggest any accomodations in the area. There are plenty of campground in the area and there is a bed and breakfast at the North Gate entrance (no info on it). No fees at the park for parking or entry. Pics on the way. Interesting Stop along the way: I-24 West out of Chattanooga, Tn. At the top of Monteagle Mountain there is a store on the South side of the interstate on the left side of the road called Mountain Sports (or something like that). Good deals and selection (TNF, Marmot, Columbia, Patagonia) for hiking and climbing gear. Very helpful and knowledgable staff, though a bit more helpful than I care for, not pushy, but certainly more than willing to offer their input. If you're not up for a hike as described above, you can enter at the South Gate and park at the Fall Creek Falls parking area and walking about 100 yds to the Falls overlook, you lazy, lazy, person 🙂 |
There are no comments yet.