BJett
Member
- Joined
- May 3, 2013
- Messages
- 564
Waterfalls. Lots and lots of waterfalls.
I visited this area last fall during a dry period and didn't see a single drop of water anywhere. We've had a very wet spring this year, so after a few inches of rain and a short window of nice weather I drove the 5 hours south from Lexington to backpack the Big Creek Gulf/Big Creek Rim Loop. Overall about 12 miles of hiking with side hikes, 4 waterfalls, scenic views and very few people...weekdays are the ticket here, weekends can get very crowded.
I booked my backcountry camp for the Alum Gap campground, started at the Stone Door and headed down to Ranger Falls first. Last year a completely dry creek crossing, and dry waterfall. It drops directly into a sinkhole, so there's no outflow.
![IMG_7339.jpg IMG_7339.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63893-61b1d85e5557b7b213eb74064b7b0898.jpg)
![IMG_7336.jpg IMG_7336.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63894-9510e5a7770c6148757b8e0b565cf2c7.jpg)
Over waist deep, shrinkage factor of 9 out of 10. Worth it though, Ranger Falls is a beauty.
![IMG_7349.jpg IMG_7349.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63895-35379b1ea943c3f2bc8259b47ec30922.jpg)
Big Creek. Rarely flowing, most of the water disappears into sinkholes. Karst country.
![IMG_7357.jpg IMG_7357.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63896-5184a75e42698a738d4b1fc34c6e0fc2.jpg)
Trillium
![IMG_7364.jpg IMG_7364.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63897-b5c2f9e6de9c45007168fe69ebd42137.jpg)
Fly Poison
![IMG_7367.jpg IMG_7367.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63898-3102fd8a2c13e68f571d6489647fac86.jpg)
![IMG_7416.jpg IMG_7416.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63899-75734306aaefe55635625cd8711c6e27.jpg)
Greeter Falls
![IMG_7418.jpg IMG_7418.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63900-75c9afc87d205f7e601f3e4a91e03de2.jpg)
Greeter Falls and the sketchy staircase
![IMG_7441.jpg IMG_7441.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63901-8accccc93e32b34e40734ba3848bbc7e.jpg)
Greeter Falls
![IMG_7434.jpg IMG_7434.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63902-5398da4132e599e73fc5ba43824ff23c.jpg)
Upper Greeter Falls
![IMG_7445.jpg IMG_7445.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63903-08697a8f6fd48bd45be813be41859943.jpg)
Laurel Falls
![IMG_7466.jpg IMG_7466.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63904-14659c99bc8df0710b83761bd57a3054.jpg)
Evidence of past cultures...
![IMG_7462.jpg IMG_7462.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63905-eb6b2fe840c6a5da79a43d1c23f9c661.jpg)
I see you spring...finally some green! Stone Door Overlook
![IMG_7286.jpg IMG_7286.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63906-a362f1a5fda37b478bf4886e7a95815a.jpg)
![IMG_7411.jpg IMG_7411.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63907-f404515a35de610e819c24399854688a.jpg)
Area trail map...
![17-savage-gulf-web2-1.jpg 17-savage-gulf-web2-1.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63908-84ccd73ff0eb5794210755710e90df65.jpg)
https://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/south-cumberland
I visited this area last fall during a dry period and didn't see a single drop of water anywhere. We've had a very wet spring this year, so after a few inches of rain and a short window of nice weather I drove the 5 hours south from Lexington to backpack the Big Creek Gulf/Big Creek Rim Loop. Overall about 12 miles of hiking with side hikes, 4 waterfalls, scenic views and very few people...weekdays are the ticket here, weekends can get very crowded.
I booked my backcountry camp for the Alum Gap campground, started at the Stone Door and headed down to Ranger Falls first. Last year a completely dry creek crossing, and dry waterfall. It drops directly into a sinkhole, so there's no outflow.
![IMG_7339.jpg IMG_7339.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63893-61b1d85e5557b7b213eb74064b7b0898.jpg)
![IMG_7336.jpg IMG_7336.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63894-9510e5a7770c6148757b8e0b565cf2c7.jpg)
Over waist deep, shrinkage factor of 9 out of 10. Worth it though, Ranger Falls is a beauty.
![IMG_7349.jpg IMG_7349.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63895-35379b1ea943c3f2bc8259b47ec30922.jpg)
Big Creek. Rarely flowing, most of the water disappears into sinkholes. Karst country.
![IMG_7357.jpg IMG_7357.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63896-5184a75e42698a738d4b1fc34c6e0fc2.jpg)
Trillium
![IMG_7364.jpg IMG_7364.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63897-b5c2f9e6de9c45007168fe69ebd42137.jpg)
Fly Poison
![IMG_7367.jpg IMG_7367.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63898-3102fd8a2c13e68f571d6489647fac86.jpg)
![IMG_7416.jpg IMG_7416.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63899-75734306aaefe55635625cd8711c6e27.jpg)
Greeter Falls
![IMG_7418.jpg IMG_7418.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63900-75c9afc87d205f7e601f3e4a91e03de2.jpg)
Greeter Falls and the sketchy staircase
![IMG_7441.jpg IMG_7441.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63901-8accccc93e32b34e40734ba3848bbc7e.jpg)
Greeter Falls
![IMG_7434.jpg IMG_7434.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63902-5398da4132e599e73fc5ba43824ff23c.jpg)
Upper Greeter Falls
![IMG_7445.jpg IMG_7445.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63903-08697a8f6fd48bd45be813be41859943.jpg)
Laurel Falls
![IMG_7466.jpg IMG_7466.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63904-14659c99bc8df0710b83761bd57a3054.jpg)
Evidence of past cultures...
![IMG_7462.jpg IMG_7462.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63905-eb6b2fe840c6a5da79a43d1c23f9c661.jpg)
I see you spring...finally some green! Stone Door Overlook
![IMG_7286.jpg IMG_7286.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63906-a362f1a5fda37b478bf4886e7a95815a.jpg)
![IMG_7411.jpg IMG_7411.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63907-f404515a35de610e819c24399854688a.jpg)
Area trail map...
![17-savage-gulf-web2-1.jpg 17-savage-gulf-web2-1.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/63/63908-84ccd73ff0eb5794210755710e90df65.jpg)
https://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/south-cumberland
Last edited: