Ridges and Waterfalls: A Day at Cloudland Canyon State Park

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” - Bilbo Baggins 

There are some points in life where your perception evolves. You experience a certain event, or you stumble upon a location that strikes you to your core. Cloudland Canyon is one of those spots that has the potential to ignite a sense of awe and wonder that we often don’t get to experience in our day-to-day lives. Rolling plateaus, deep valleys, and powerful waterfalls ensure Cloudland Canyon will stick in your memory, and hopefully inspire a serious case of wanderlust for the Cumberland Plateau area, and the southern Appalachians as a whole.

Home to thousand foot canyon valleys, and a slew of sandstone outcroppings, Cloudland Canyon draws you in, and beckons you to discover what’s behind that next curve in the trail. The park hosts several different trails that either loop around the rim of the valley, or dive into its depths, where you find the falls. 

In my opinion, the waterfalls are where this park shines. Hosting two major falls, Cherokee (60ft), and Hemlock (90ft), Cloudland is worth the drive for these two alone. Cherokee is the easier of the two, after turning left from the Waterfalls Trailhead, its only a hundred yards or so from where the trail splits. Daniel Creek falls around 60 feet straight down from a sandstone cliff into a nearly crystal clear pool. 

Turning back down the trail, you’ll descend over 600 stairs past huge rock outcroppings, making your way down to Hemlock falls. The bigger of the two falls, Hemlock plunges 90 feet down to a valley of massive boulders and fallen trees. An observation deck is built up to provide a view of the falls from an elevated position. However, there are ways to gain a closer perspective by going underneath the observation deck; but the path is barely more than a game trail, and might not be the safest route. 

Only a half hour from Chattanooga, and a two hour drive from Atlanta, Cloudland Canyon is a wonderful and exciting way to spend a few days. Whether you’re looking to hike over steep ridges, go camping, or chase some waterfalls, the park has you covered. Keep adventuring.