Everything You Need to Know Before Hiking to the Base of Fall Creek Falls
Before heading to Fall Creek Falls, I had seen countless photos of the waterfall, but none of them truly prepared me for the hike down to the base. The half-mile trail to the base wasn’t an easy trek, but it was definitely worth the effort.
Fall Creek Falls is the famous waterfall located in Fall Creek Falls State Park. It a very impressive waterfall at 256 feet tall, it’s one of the largest waterfalls in the east! The view from the platform gives you a great idea of how tall the waterfall is, but to really experience it up close, I recommend hiking to the base of the falls!
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Getting to the Trail Head
To get to the base of the falls, start on the trail to the left of Fall Creek Falls Overlook. The easiest way to get here is to enter Fall Creek Falls Overlook directly into your GPS. Once you enter the park, you’ll continue on the road past the visitors center and follow signs for the overlook. There is a fairly large parking area, a bathroom, and a water refill station at the overlook.
If you’re short on time or aren’t up to a hike you can easily see the falls from the overlook.
Base of the Fall Creek Falls Trail
The dirt trail starts off by taking you down a series of long steps to another viewing area of the waterfall, from here the trail will take you over a rocky path, steadily going downhill. The first half of the trail down has a railing on one side that you can use to keep your balance as you’re heading down.
You’ll reach a small section with two flights of stairs then you’ll be back on the rocky path. The descent lets up some once you reach the gorge floor, but the path is still pretty rocky. Take your time here and enjoy the scenery.
Before long you’ll see the waterfall peaking through the trees, just a few more steps and you’ll be there! There are a bunch of large rocks/boulders in this area that are great for pictures or just sitting on to admire the waterfall. If you want to get closer to the waterfall you’ll have to navigate over a lot of slippery rocks so be sure to take your time and be careful!
Things to Know/What to Bring
I suggest bringing hiking poles on this trail to help with stabilization as you head down and take some of the impact off your knees. Since this trail is very rocky and slippery near the falls, if you have hiking boots/shoes, I’d definitely wear them.
Be sure to bring lots of water since the hike going back up is pretty strenuous. If you plan on getting close to the falls, I suggest packing a rain coat to protect you from the spray coming off the waterfall. Like any hike, be sure to keep your hiking essentials in your backpack!
Be sure to check out Buzzards Roost/Milikan’s Overlook while your in the park!
