South Cumberland State Park, Tennessee
Mar 25, 2023 15:14:29 GMT -8
zeke, FamilySherpa, and 4 more like this
Post by driftwoody on Mar 25, 2023 15:14:29 GMT -8
I had some carryover vacation time to spend before the end of this month, so I headed down to central Tennessee. Visited Fall Creek Falls State Park on the way to South Cumberland.
Fall Creek Falls, from the top then the base:
Very cold on Monday, with a coating of ice on plants catching mist from the falls:
Piney Falls at FCFSP:
Then to Cumberland for Savage Falls:
Tuesday started the two day Collins Gulf loop, counterclockwise from Collins West campsite. After crossing a boulder field posing as a trail, the loop dips down to cross the Collins River before ascending to the east rim.
A couple views from the rim:
Heading down into the gulf via the historic Stagecoach Road, built by enslaved people:
After a rugged ten miles I reached the Sawmill backcountry campsite at the bottom of Collins Gulf, only to find the river ran underground there.
The nearest water source is Schwoon Spring, which gushes out of a bluff then disappears into a sinkhole:
It started raining Tuesday night and didn't stop until the next evening, so Wednesday involved a soggy 800' ascent back to the east rim with a good measure of wet uneven rocks to navigate. Passed Horsepound Falls along the way, then my battery died so I didn't get a pic of the wonderful Suter Falls.
I had a campsite reserved at Stone Door that night, but decided to get a hotel and dry things out. My calf muscles were trashed, so on Thursday I visited a couple easy waterfalls before heading home.
Foster Falls at Cumberland:
Falling Water Falls Natural Area in Walden, just N of Chattanooga:
There is no official trail to the base, and definitely not from the top.
Fall Creek Falls, from the top then the base:
Very cold on Monday, with a coating of ice on plants catching mist from the falls:
Piney Falls at FCFSP:
Then to Cumberland for Savage Falls:
Tuesday started the two day Collins Gulf loop, counterclockwise from Collins West campsite. After crossing a boulder field posing as a trail, the loop dips down to cross the Collins River before ascending to the east rim.
A couple views from the rim:
Heading down into the gulf via the historic Stagecoach Road, built by enslaved people:
After a rugged ten miles I reached the Sawmill backcountry campsite at the bottom of Collins Gulf, only to find the river ran underground there.
The nearest water source is Schwoon Spring, which gushes out of a bluff then disappears into a sinkhole:
It started raining Tuesday night and didn't stop until the next evening, so Wednesday involved a soggy 800' ascent back to the east rim with a good measure of wet uneven rocks to navigate. Passed Horsepound Falls along the way, then my battery died so I didn't get a pic of the wonderful Suter Falls.
I had a campsite reserved at Stone Door that night, but decided to get a hotel and dry things out. My calf muscles were trashed, so on Thursday I visited a couple easy waterfalls before heading home.
Foster Falls at Cumberland:
Falling Water Falls Natural Area in Walden, just N of Chattanooga:
There is no official trail to the base, and definitely not from the top.
