A poor view of Cane Creek Falls in December 2009

First off, I guess I’m not sure why I had such difficulty trying to find a better viewpoint for Cane Creek Falls. There are much better viewpoints, I just wasn’t successful in getting to them. That was partly my fault, partly just poor direction on the part of the state park.

When arriving at the parking area for Cane Creek Falls, which is right near the Nature Center in Falls Creek Falls State Park, a sign directs you to Cane Creek Falls. At first, you’ll be excited because it seems very short…that is until you realize that the view you’ll see is really poor. It’s blocked by trees, even in winter.

I knew about two other viewpoints from the book about Tennessee waterfalls. The first was to cross the pedestrian suspension bridge above Cane Creek Cascades, which is pretty easy to find. There were NO signs indicating that this led to another viewpoint of the falls, and it actually looked like the trail led off in the complete opposite direction, so I stopped. It was also getting very windy, and I’m not a big fan of bridges that swing above water, though I have to admit it wasn’t too bad, as the bridge isn’t that far above the water.

The second option was to head in the opposite direction of the suspension bridge from the parking lot. You’ll be heading in the direction of Rockhouse Falls, which is a smaller waterfall that also gets blocked from view. I don’t really think there’s a designated trail, but you’ll be able to tell a trail exists. As you walk along, I think you’ll have to walk on the main road for a short bit, and then get back on the trail. Pay attention for a thick, METAL rope hanging from a tree. This metal rope will lead you down a rather steep hill to the base of both Cane Creek and Rockhouse Falls. This is NOT for the faint of heart, and for me, it was also not for people that were alone. I would have done it if I had somebody else there, but oh well.

Directions:

1. Follow the signs toward Falls Creek Falls State Park.
2. As you enter the park, you’ll want to pay attention to the signs. You’re going to head toward the nature center.
3. Once you find the parking lot for the nature center, which is also the parking lot for Cane Creek Falls, Rockhouse Falls, and the Cane Creek Cascades, park there and try the various routes leading to the falls.

Accessibility: 10/10 (from poor viewpoint), ?/10 (from suspension bridge), 1/10 (from rope to base)
Height: 85′
Length of Hike: 0.2 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Cane Creek Falls?