Lost Creek Falls was a Milestone!
50 Tennessee Waterfalls visited!
Well. When I first started waterfall hunting in earnest 3 years ago, I decided it would be a fantastic thing to visit 50 Tennessee waterfalls. I had confidence I could do it, but I knew it would take some time. Between full time work, other commitments and weather, it can be hard to make a trip happen. Plus for most trips, I like to have a partner in crime, and not everyone is as obsessed with waterfalls as I am. But here we are!
I was trying to make sure that number 50 was a spectacular waterfall. Lost Creek Falls is so spectacular, it was featured in Disney’s “The Jungle Book”. It is located in the Lost Creek Natural Area, just down the road from Virgin Falls Natural Area. When you see Natural Area, this is your clue that there is little parking and no facilities. This is a part of White County that I had not been in before-it is where the Highland Rim meets the Cumberland Plateau. Let’s just say it is quite remote but very beautiful. I went from a 4 lane divided road, to a county highway, to a country road, gradually moving to a one lane path on the side of a mountain. The one lane condition lasted what seems like forever, but was probably only a mile. You will definitely lose your cell connection, so make sure you have notes or photos of your directions.
I decided to do this one alone, because my normal waterfall buddies were busy, and I hated to ask a new person to ride in the car with me for 4 hours for a 2 hour hike. I felt ok about this decision because it was not a hard hike, and it seemed to be a busy attraction. The path to the bottom was mostly paved (thanks to Disney), and it was super easy to get to this photogenic 40ft waterfall. It looks much taller and flows into a not too deep plunge pool. You could definitely have fun in there in the warmer weather and the water is crystal clear. The unusual thing about the falls is that the water at the top comes out of a spring in the mountain-there is no creek. And at the bottom, the water does not flow away-it disappears into the ground. There is a trail to the top, so you can go see the flow out of the rocks. It is great to see, and more water than you would expect, but I probably would not take children under 8 to the top because of the steep drop off.
I could have sat on my rock forever. This is really a great spot. This is probably one of the most photographed falls in the state. When I finally started moving, I spotted another waterfall off the trail which is not noted on the Tennessee Landforms site. It was actually taller to the top than Lost Creek, but it had much less flow and was more of a tiered cascade. There were some amazingly large rocks beside this falls, which I have named Golden Falls in honor of my achievement (LOL). It is likely that this one comes and goes based on precipitation, but there was still a nice trail to the top and it added a little dimension to an otherwise super short hike.
If the waterfalls are not enough of an attraction, directly across from Lost Creek Falls is Lost Creek Cave. The picture does not do it justice-the opening is very large., and it was also used in the movie. It is one of the largest caves in TN. The cave has 4 other openings and 7 miles of mapped passages. It was closed when I went, which was during bat hibernation, I guess. To go in the cave, you must obtain a permit at the Nature Center at Fall Creek Falls State Park, which is about 40 minutes away, so plan ahead.
The Virgin Falls Natural area is only a few miles down the road. There are several falls there, but Virgin Falls is the holy grail for waterfall hunters. It is a long and difficult hike-over 10 miles with elevation changes and creek crossings. From the pictures, it is beautiful, and technically it is the same as Lost Creek-flowing out of rocks and back into the ground. I am telling you about it now, because it is probably beyond my ability. So just know that this area has a lot of options for many skill levels. Another thing you might want to explore is the whole Scott’s Gulf area where these areas reside. It is one of the most remote areas of the state, and if you are looking for a hiking/outdoor challenge, this might be the place. A virtual tour can be found at uppercumberlandcaving.net then take the link for Scott's Gulf Virtual Tour (sorry I can’t post the link…).
I hope to go back this year when the cave is open. If you beat me to it, let me know how it was!