Cades Cove in the wintertime is truly one of the most magical experiences you can have in Tennessee. Tucked up in the mountains on the eastern side of the state, the town is small but the views are massive. This is where you come to experience nature and escape the crazy materialism of the holidays, where you truly have the opportunity to experience the beauty of our great state, hiding in plain sight. A Cades Cove winter is just what the doctor ordered!
Cades Cove is truly a quiet homage to the Tennessee of yesteryear. This gorgeous space is truly magic when snow falls and the world goes silent, painting a picture-perfect snow globe scene.
Sightseeing is almost better in the wintertime, if you bundle up and wrap your hands up in those mittens. You'll find wildlife wandering the frost-encrusted landscape whether you take a quick hike or decide to drive Cades Cove Loop.
Speaking of hiking - not all trails close during the wintertime at Cades Cove. You can still wander the Rich Mountain Loop, Abrams Falls Trail, Alum Cave Bluff Trail AND Rainbow Falls.
Cabins get booked up pretty quickly during the wintertime, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Can you imagine anything better than cuddling up by the fire, watching the snow fall?
Take a trip to Cades Cove this holiday season, or this winter, or any time of year! This gorgeous hidden spot is a tiny Tennessee gem that we revisit year after year. What a memory-maker, folks.
The Frozen Waterfall at Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee Is a Must-See This Winter
Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee offers a stunning winter hike to a frozen waterfall. This destination is perfect for capturing incredible photos.
Is there anything more magical than a frozen waterfall? Is there anything more beautiful than a water feature, normally gushing and wild in the summertime, that goes frosty? Fall Creek Falls State Park in Spencer is the most popular state park in Tennessee, and its namesake – Fall Creek Falls – really ups the ante come wintertime. Take a peek below, and maybe plan a chilly winter hike for yourself. There’s truly nothing more beautiful and I’ll bet that you'll capture some incredible photos, too! Have you hiked to a frozen waterfall in Tennessee before?
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Fall Creek Falls State Park is a rural, protected natural area that's known for its beautiful views and opportunities for outdoor activities. The park is one of the largest in the state and encompasses a massive 29,800 acres. We can tell you from experience that this park is filled with adventure for just about any outdoor activity you enjoy and it is where you'll find some of the best hiking trails in Tennessee.
The most popular spot to visit in the park is the famed Fall Creek Falls, a 256-foot-high waterfall that is one of the highest waterfalls in the eastern United States. The park itself is studded with multiple waterfalls, streams, cascades, and expansive gorges. You can see the waterfall after a short walk from the parking lot and this viewpoint will give you an overall look at the falls. However, if you wish to truly experience it, you have to hike down to the base of the falls.
Other popular spots to visit include Piney Falls, Cane Creek Cascades, and Cane Creek Falls. You can witness some of the best waterfalls in Tennessee right here in this incredible state park. Fall Creek Falls State Park straddles Bledsoe and Van Buren Counties but is considered to be located in Spencer, Tennessee.
Isn't this shot incredible? Fall Creek Falls doesn't freeze completely, but the area becomes frosted with snow and ice, making for an incredible view. The best way to see the falls is the Fall Creek and Coon Creek Falls via Base of the Falls Trail, which is just under a mile in length. This hike also provides plenty of amazing points of interest along the way like a towering rockwall and cave.
The moderate hike will take you down to the base of the falls and back and features the waterfall and a heap of lush plant life along the way. When you hike down to the base you will experience the sheer power of the flowing water. As the water plunges into the pool below, you will feel the wind and get misted allowing you to fully experience this mighty fall.
The views are almost unreal. The hike is appropriate for folks of (almost) all ages, but make sure your little ones are able to walk for an extended period of time. The terrain does tend to be a bit rocky, and you'll want to watch out for muddy spots! If the trail is snowy and icy, a good pair of Microspikes will give you plenty of grip.
The beauty of Tennessee is truly unmatched, don't you think? There's just something about the ice and snow that makes the Volunteer State look like a winter wonderland. If you're looking to learn more about this frozen waterfall in Tennessee, visit the Fall Creek Falls State Park website.
As an avid explorer I love to find the lesser-known spots wherever I go, so today I want to tell you about a scenic spot that you won’t find on any lists of scenic drives in Tennessee. We had to travel far away and along many remote roads, but what we found was completely worth it. The area of Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is simply breathtaking and within this place is hidden a plethora of wonderful Tennessee hiking trails, as well as fascinating unique finds. So here are some of the exquisite locations within this natural area which ends at a jaw-dropping overlook!
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Deep in the northern part of Tennessee, you won’t find much civilization other than a few homes and an occasional store. The small towns are scattered among farmlands and forested mountains which already makes for a pretty drive. Our destination was Big South Fork, and we had planned to do some hiking in the area; what we discovered was so much more than we were expecting. The scenery takes a dramatic shift once you see the sign for the national river, and that was when we started to take the windy road down. The canopy of trees gets thicker, and the sun seems to darken under its long branches. As we traveled ever down, the rock walls extended higher, affording views of the fascinating rounded edges and Swiss cheese-like holes.
Sign at entrance to Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
Inevitably, we passed the river from which the park gets its name. It was certainly beautiful, but what caught our attention was a broken bridge down the water. We decided to make a detour in our plans to take a closer look. Navigating the roads, we found our way to the river and found some pretty pathways leading down to the water. The previous bridge was a broken ruin of its former self, and I found the contrast between what was man-made and what was natural and rather beautiful.
After spending some time driving around and taking in the scenery, we found our way to the Bandy Creek Visitor’s Center. In the same spot was a large and nice-looking campground if you are looking for a spot within the park to stay. At the time we went, there was some storm damage, so I went to ask the ranger which roads were still open. Along the way, we discovered a butterfly garden in front of the visitor center. We are never too busy on a scenic drive to stop and appreciate the small details, so we admired the fluttering creatures while waiting for the ranger to be free.
The ranger told me that unfortunately the roads we were planning to go down were closed, but he had a few more suggestions for us to make the most of our day. This is why it can be helpful to talk to your park rangers because what he told me was something I didn’t know existed and was the perfect cap to our day. Our final stop was the East Rim Overlook.
We didn’t really know exactly what to expect, but we followed his directions to a parking lot. After a very short walk through the woods, this view greeted us! The scene was simply jaw-dropping as we watched the river snake through the lush green mountains. We might not have been able to do the hikes we planned, but a quick change of plans landed us at the prettiest view of the river we could have hoped for. Sometimes, your adventures take you in a different direction than you planned, but it's the unexpected joys of the unknown that can be the greatest rewards.
Big South Fork may not be on anyone’s list of the most scenic drives in Tennessee, but I can tell you it is not just a pretty drive but also filled with stops to explore further. I am itching to get back and see more of this marvelous area, but if you do hope to take in some hikes, then I would suggest using the AllTrails app to help you navigate the park. The area is very remote, and you won’t have cell service, so downloading the maps ahead of time will be super helpful when you are there.
