Woodland Trail and Gorge Overlook Trail

Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee

Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of Tennessee’s premier state parks, mainly due to the 40 miles of trails that lead into Cane Creek Gorge and past numerous waterfalls—including Fall Creek Falls, the tallest waterfall in the eastern United States. In order to make the most of your hike at the park, begin at the Betty Dunn Nature Center where you can combine the 0.8-mile yellow-blazed Woodland Trail and the 1.1-mile red-blazed Gorge Overlook Trail for a 2-mile roundtrip hike full of grand scenery. Fall Creek Falls State Park offers a variety of day-use trails—providing access to some of the park's loveliest areas, the trails pass into virgin woods, over fast flowing streams, and around awesome gorges and waterfalls. At the sign for Fall Creek Falls, just behind the visitor center, cross the swinging bridge over Cane Creek Cascades and climb the concrete steps. At the top, bear right and soon you come to a trail junction, which marks the start of the loop. Follow the Gorge Trail ahead to loop back to the trailhead via the rim of Cane Creek Gorge. There are a series of short spurs off this 0.6-mile section of the hike—we recommend hiking all four. The first spur trail is reached in 0.4 miles, and it leads to the Cane Creek Overlook—one of the best views in the park, you will see the vigorous 85 foot Cane Creek Falls plummeting over a rocky cliff. Back on the main trail, make your way to the other spur trails—next stop Cane Creek Gorge Overlook. After taking in the immensity of the Cane Creek Gorge, continue hiking the main trail for views from Rocky Point Overlook and finally, Fall Creek Falls Overlook. Fall Creek Falls is one of the highest waterfalls east of the Rocky Mountains, plunging 256 feet into a shaded pool at the base of its gorge. Just ahead, you will join the Woodland Trail that will take you back to the Nature Center, or you can take a detour on the 0.4 mile, orange-blazed Fall Creek Falls Trail for an up-close view of the park’s namesake.