Great trail! Great hike! The longest part is the gravel 5 mile road leading to trail. Fine in our…read moresuv but it would have been rough on a car or my smaller suv.

Relatively easy hiking trail to a waterfall in the Cherry Log/Blue Ridge area. Kids as young as 3…read morecan walk the trail. It's a pretty short trail to the waterfall approximately 1/2 mile. The cell service is poor getting to the trail so map it out before hand. Along the trail you will see a Glamping camp, which is very cute. Definitely would recommend as a family outing.

Cool 90' waterfall near the TN end of Cherohala Skyway. After a 2 year long closure, BRF just…read moreopened 3 weeks ago (May 30,2025). It had a great setting with strong cascades after much rain in the Cherokee National Forest. Since August, 2023 much of the roads, parking and the original 1933 Bridge were updated and new observation decks from the Bridge make it enjoyable even for the mobility challenged. The base of the falls and swimming holes can be accessed. I dipped my toes in and the water was warmer than expected on a hot humid (80s) day. There are 2 access roads along the Cherohala Skyway and are easy to miss. River Road is easier and seems to show up on GPS. Turkey run is NOT marked, newly paved but had a big fallen tree blocking much of the road. Parking is limited, about 15 parking spots and a steady stream of cars waiting on a weekDay afternoon. It's worth a stop but be prepared for the crowds and limited parking. No restrooms nor anything else. Leave No Trace!

Definitely put this on your list of places to see! It's a fairly short but scenic drive from…read moreTellico Plains, albeit on a very narrow road for two way traffic. Once you get there, you can park right beside the falls and see it from the bridge or hike down the rocks to the bottom and get even closer. There's also a nice short 1/8 mile hike to get to the top which offers an excellent view as well.

Super fun! Easy walk! Kid and pet friendly! We walked our 2 dogs and had no issues! The bridge…read moreobviously swings so be careful holding your phone on the bridge taking photos! Great place to skip rocks!

On our recent trip to Blue Ridge, we decided to check out the Toccoa River Swinging Bridge. I am…read moreglad we did as it was quite scenic. We pulled in not knowing what to expect. You take a turn off the main highway and you have a few mile drive up the dirt road to get to the actual bridge. I did do this in a front wheel drive car, but a 4 wheel drive truck would be recommended if the conditions were wet or less than ideal. The road is pretty skinny at points and there is definitely not room for two vehicles even though this is not a one way, so one must drive cautiously. Once there, there isn't really any designated parking. You just park wherever you can. The bridge is quite scenic. It looks more stable than it actually is. It sways quite a bit when people are crossing and it isn't quite wide enough for two people to pass without hugging one side, but the view and hikes surrounding the river make it worth it. We spent a few hours here enjoying nature and then headed back. Awesome spot worth checking out.

Love to train and take my pup here. Very nice in mornings also she loves the water. Haven't gotten…read morein the water actually but one day I will.

Edge of the World is a great nearby walking trail that winds along Amicalola Creek. The trail is…read moremostly easy, with a mix of wooden walkways (watch out for a few holes) and dirt paths. There are also a few side trails that climb up the mountain if you're looking for a bit more of a challenge (including dodging Joro spiders!). The small waterfalls are beautiful, and the cool creek water is perfect for dipping your feet in on a warm day.

I occasionally afford myself the luxury of visiting places without really knowing what to expect…read more This park just wasn't that clear to me in its purpose, but it became more so after arrival, with a visitor center focused on Native American history and identifying this as a Cherokee Nation headquarters. A spread of recreated buildings outside offers opportunities for perusal. The most aesthetically distinctive site is a large spring of the sort that seem more common in Kentucky than Tennessee, which evinces a robust blue color and empties into a clear stream. The spring itself is off-limits, but the stream is open for wading. All of these sites are within sight of the initial entrance, but a trek uphill reveals picnic areas, an amphitheater, and a couple of mile trail through the woods. Between the different elements of the park, it was easy to spend a couple of hours there, and best of all, it's free, though the gift shop warrants examination.

Red Clay is not the type of state park that I would normally seek out. Why? It's not in the…read moremountains and the trails are tame. Nonetheless, something about it lured me in for a visit and I'm glad I ventured out here (on Indigenous People's Day coincidentally). Historically, it's really interesting that this was the last meeting site for the Cherokee tribe's council. The signs claim it is "where the Trail of Tears really began." I was really intrigued by the natural Spring called "the Blue Hole." I've never seen a spring that appears bright blue in a forest setting. Seeing this cool natural sight was pretty awesome. Also, I could just imagine the Cherokee using this spring water and being here hundreds of years before. Trail wise: Pretty flat and easy trails. It's not very challenging. But, it makes up for it because it's a calm place with beautiful forest. I loved walking around. Also, since this is small and off the beaten path, it's not crowded at all. Overall: highly recommended. Worth a visit!

The views from the top of Bell Mountain are spectacular! The drive up the mountain is not for the…read moreweak either. My husband and I took some great photos, but at the very top deck I could barely stand still due to all of the gnats flying around!! (Nov 1)

Definitely worth checking out! It's a great view, and it's super convenient that you can drive to…read moreit. We had a rental minivan that made it alright (although we stopped in the parking lot right before the really big danger sign and hiked the last little bit). If you had an SUV you could be completely confident driving all the way. The roadway seemed to be well maintained and the signage was clear!

I've never had such difficulty following a trail to the point I felt like giving up, but I almost…read moredid today. - - - I've come to face some hard facts in the last few weeks that has put me in a sort of funk. A) I'm getting older B) my body isn't responding the way it used to C) I've gained more weight in the last year than the past 5 years combined D) I'm tired all the time E) Aches & pains have become full time occurrences F) I am slowly losing my will to hike (which I love) or to work out (which I hate) In an effort to lose 60 lbs before the end of the year, I have embarked on a campaign to hike off my weight. This will also include biking when I get down a few more pounds and running once I've shed 40. Why mention that? So you would know my determination to complete this trail was unwavering, although I got lost and bruised trying to follow the nearly impossible to read faded map at the parking entrance. I spent nearly an hour trying to forage my way through the woods once I missed my turn. I lost the trail as I followed the wrong path along Holly Creek and I wasn't the only one! I met two couples also lost that were coming back from where I was headed. It was treacherous, and I lost my footing several times, nearly broke my camera. I should have known the trail shouldn't be this hard, but I kept searching anyway. Scraped, battered and bruised I returned to my car feeling defeated and frustrated. "You're smarted than this Richard! Don't let this trail defeat you" I said to myself. It was then I decided to take one more look at that map, and that's when I noticed a faint white line outlining the trail, which was different that the dark dotted line I was trying to follow before. After I learned the correct path, the trail was much easier to follow. So, here's what you need to know in a nutshell: - - - FOLLOW THE CORRECT TRAIL * From the parking area, follow the trail uphill. Downhill just leads to the river. * You will come to a point in about half a mile where the creek clearly splits. As the path takes you towards the creek, look for a green blaze marker on a tree near the shore. This is where you MUST cross through the creek. * Emery Creek Trail is unlike any other trail I've been on. THERE ARE NO FOOTBRIDGES to cross water. YOU MUST go directly through the creek, which means you might want to wear shorts & water shoes with grip. Most of the crossings will bring the water just a few inches above your ankle, but there was one crossing that was practically thigh high. * The stones in the creek bed are SLIPPERY!!! BE CAREFUL!!! You can easily lose your balance. * You will cross the river again 8 times, not counting a few low volume streams. The trail is clearly visible once you know how to follow it. JUST REMEMBER that each time the trail seems to end at the river, look to the other side and you will see the trail picks up again. Sometimes you will also see a green blaze attached to the tree, but sometimes you will not. * Once you see the old abandoned truck shell, you are about 1 mile from the falls. On the last creek crossing, there will be a sign on the other side directing you to turn left for the falls or keep straight towards the overlook. * Overall it is approximately 2.5 miles one way to the lower falls and 3.1 to the upper falls. I was exhausted and running out of daylight, so I didn't spend the extra energy to see the upper falls. 6.2 miles (round trip) - - - FINAL THOUGHTS What a BEAUTIFUL waterfall. The only truly way to get a good pic will require walking through the pool at the base, but this shouldn't be a problem since you'll already be soaking wet anyway. Although there were several teens lounging near the beginning of the trail, I walked to the falls and back without ever seeing another soul. I must admit that when I got to the final crossing (which I didn't know was the final) I felt defeated. I thought maybe I'd gone too far & missed the falls. I sat on a stone contemplating turning around. I listened for the fall, but could not hear or see it. I decided to cross the creek but had made up my mind I was definitely turning around in 100 yards if I didn't see or hear anything. No sooner than I crossed the creek did I see a hidden sign directing me left to the falls. Within 200 feet of that sign the falls came into view and I could finally hear that familiar waterfall sound. I thought to myself, how many times in my life have I battled to accomplish something, only to feel defeated & turn away because I couldn't see the finish... which was closer than I thought! I love nature because it brings clarity. So, if you are reading this & you are fighting a hard battle that has you feeling defeated... take heart. Our life map can sometimes be hard to read and we make wrong turns that leave us bruised. Even on the right trail we still encounter obstacles that must be overcome. It's a long walk but don't give up. You are closer to reaching your goal than you think! 2018/30

We loved this trail! Like the other reviews say, be prepared for a moderate intensity and to most…read morelikely get your feet wet. We crossed the river several times by managing to jump the rocks to the other side and several times by just breaking down, taking our shoes off and walking straight through the creek bed. Also once you get to the falls, we had to do what seemed like some vertical rock climbing to get to the upper levels. It can be steep! Ran into a few other hikers on the trail or camping up by the falls but for the most part it was a peaceful hike. Would only have been better if there were a few more trail markers! We were unsure where to cross at some points and had to double back a few times to find the right path. We wore our FitBits and estimated that the trail was approximately 8 miles round trip. I also brought my 12 pound Long hair Chihuahua Loki because he loves to hike. He did great even with his little legs and jumping over fallen trees. He had to be carried over the streams but otherwise he wanted to lead the way! If he can do it, we all can!

We were in Blue Ridge visiting an exhibit at the Blue Ridge Arts Association and stopped by The…read moreLilly Pad right after. It was our kiddos' first time fishing and they had a great time. It's catch and release we only caught one, but it was still a fun experience and a great memory for the kids. Staff was great, especially Nikki. I love that you pay once and can come back all day!

A little smaller than it appeared online. Our kids enjoyed the gem mining but the medium bucket…read moreonly took 2 kids about 15-20 minutes. A great set up and a good amount of gems but just not much dirt.

Gorgeous place for peace and prayer! You can hike the different stairs prayer mountain. Or the 10…read morecommandments but be warned the stairs are not poured exact and are different heights and widths! I almost fell multiple times! Quiet place with baptismal pool, gift shop and prayer spots all around the compound. At the top of the 10 commandments you can read about the history and timeline of the park.

What an absolute incredible place to visit! I was last here with my dad, mom and grandparents when…read moreI was little. My grandparents lived in Madisonville, TN at that time and we traveled here to visit. I've always wanted to visit again but could not find it until recently. All I could remember was the 10 commandments on the side of a mountain. This park is beautiful! You do have to walk to visit the various areas. But they also have paths that you can take your car. It's free, all they ask for is a donation but nobody manning a booth or anything. They do have restrooms and it is dog / pet friendly since it's all outside. Worth a visit if in the area.

I had a great time here with the kids. Kid friendly hike. Kids were able to get in the water and…read moreplay.. great time Highly recommended. Short, Easy Hike

Nice ride in and out of falls. Nice and easy walk to the falls. Worth the drive and walk to the…read morefalls.