If you are looking for a fantastic hike full of Appalachian beauty, you must consider hiking to Margarette Falls.
Margarette Falls is a beautiful 60-foot waterfall nestled into the Cherokee National Forest in Greene County, Tennessee. While hiking to the falls, you may start to feel as if you are about to meet Lord Elron in Rivendell, as the trail offers up many different small waterfall features along the route that may remind you of such an unreal place. The trail is roughly 1.2 miles one way, with the first .5 being along a forest service road.
Once you reach the end of this road, you will see a covered area with area-specific information and a map; you will turn right here and then immediately left and follow the trail along Dry Creek. The next .7 miles is moderately strenuous and is a bit rocky in sections. However, it is not bad at all.
As I made my way to the falls, I found myself stopping about every 20 yards to take in the view and photograph the beautiful scenery. I would rate this as one of the most naturally beautiful trails I have hiked to date. Margarette Falls is the cherry on top of a cold sundae in the middle of July. It truly is a beauty to behold, and if you are a waterfall enthusiast, then you should be planning a visit.
Above Margarette Falls, a little further up the trail, sits another waterfall I found out about just after finishing my hike called Bailey Falls. I plan on visiting this beautiful spot in the future, so stay tuned for that.
Hiking to the falls can take an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how many times you stop to enjoy the scenery, or it could take 4 hours if you’re like me and you want to photograph everything. It is not handicap accessible, and there are several stream crossings.
The surrounding area also offers plenty to do as the historic town of Greenville, Tennessee, is close by. The Andrew Johnson National Historic Site &National Cemetery, the Capital Theatre of Greenville, The Greenville Antique Market and the General Morgan Inn are just a few I would personally recommend stopping to check out while you are in the area. If you plan on visiting Margarette Falls during the summer and autumn months, please do expect it to be crowded as it is a popular trail during these months.
Directions
If you are coming from 11E, take 107 to TN 351 for roughly 5 miles until you get to a 4-way stop. You are then going to take a left and turn onto Greystone Road. After four miles you will turn right onto Shelton Mission Road, and just after a mile, the trail headland parking area will be on your right.
Photography Tip
Be sure to bring a Circular Polarizing Filter (CPL) filter to reduce glare and enhance the vibrance of the green leaves. You may also want to stack it with a Neutral Density (ND) to help with creating a long exposure that will make the water more fluid in your photographs.
ABOUT THIS SERIES:
“Blue Ridge Waterfall Wednesdays” highlights a different waterfall each month from the Blue Ridge region. For the past two decades, Josh Moore has been exploring and capturing the beauty of this fantastic region he calls home. Josh is a professional photographer who has been published internationally, nationally and everything else in-between, and is widely known for his landscape/nature photography. See more of Josh’s work on his website, YouTube channel or on Instagram and Facebook.
