I never doubted that summer would be the most difficult season of my New Year’s Resolution. It’s not easy to find a trail close to home that isn’t fiercely hot at this time of year. And as much as I regret to admit it, I don’t have the resources, financial or otherwise, to travel to cooler hiking destinations outside of the Southeast once a month during the warm season . Maine provided a stellar escape from the southern heat for May, and I’ve got epic plans for September (I’m keeping my cards close to the chest on that one for now). My best alternative for the months in between: water, and not just the drinkable kind.
In previous posts, I’ve expressed my love for waterfalls at length, and I’ve been lucky enough to witness an assortment of these beauties on my hikes throughout the year so far (I highly recommend hiking at Virgin Falls and Fall Creek Falls, both in Tennessee). In hindsight, maybe I should have saved these trails for summer, because very few things in life are more refreshing than taking a dip in a creek or swimming hole on a hot day. Fortunately, Tennessee is loaded with trails that provide hikers with ample opportunity to get their feet wet.
Window Cliffs
When looking for a new hike, I naturally start by asking people I know, but beyond that, my search begins at alltrails.com. I’m a big fan of AllTrails because this site enables users to share data from their own experience on different trails, and then organizes this information so that it’s easily searchable for those who may not know exactly what they’re looking for. Think of AllTrails as a version of Yelp for hikers, only with a lot less whining. I discovered Window Cliffs by searching through AllTrail’s listings for the top trails in Tennessee. After I read that this trail features nine creek crossings AND a waterfall, in addition to the namesake cliffs that look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book, I was sold.
My friend, Megan, came down from Louisville and joined me on this hike. She’s been a big part of my hiking journey to date (Old Rag Mountain in 2017 and Red River Gorge in 2018), and I felt excited to share this new hike with one of my closest friends (Plus, we had a lot of important things to talk about; it’s almost football season).
One of the most challenging things about the Window Cliffs trail is finding it. Getting to this state park requires a journey down miles and miles of back roads, and you’ve got better odds of finding a unicorn in those woods than a cell signal. The last stretch of the drive leading to the park is actually a gravel path that runs through a privately owned farm. Although it feels like driving into the opening scene of a bad horror movie, the remote nature of this place is part of what makes it so appealing and special.
Window Cliffs is an out-and-back trail, which means that you turn around at the end point and hike out on the same route that brought you in. This essentially doubles the number of creek crossings, because the trail leads back across all nine of them again on the way out. I can’t speak to the water levels after significant rainfall, as the weather had been relatively dry during the week prior to my visit. Despite the lack of rain, only a couple of the creek crossings were dry, and walking through cold water so often throughout the hike brought welcome relief to our sweaty bodies and sore feet.
All of the creek crossings are spread across about a mile or so of the middle section of the 2.75 mile trail to Window Cliffs, and this part of the path is fairly flat. However, the first and final sections of the trail, though short in distance, are relentlessly steep. This includes a sharp descent from the trailhead into the canyon and a steady climb to the top of the cliffs at the end of the trail. Along this upward climb, between the overlook across from the cliffs and the last section of the path that leads to the top, there’s a stunning (yet nameless, as far as I know) waterfall. By ducking underneath a railing beside this part of the trail, hikers willing to take a risk and venture away from the main trail can access an overgrown path down to the top of the falls. It’s a short journey that’s definitely worth the effort.
After leaving the waterfall, we continued moving up the path that leads to the top of the cliffs. The trail doesn’t provide any view of the cliffs along this section, because of the dense forest, so we didn’t see them again until we’d reached the top. From there, the trail ends and the trees open up to reveal a narrow stretch of rocks that tower over the surrounding woodlands.
I wouldn’t advise anyone who’s uncomfortable with heights or exposure to climb up and over the rocks where the trail ends and venture out on top of the cliffs. The space is narrow, and the drop off on either side is completely vertical. However, if you’ve got the stomach for it, the views are magnificent in every direction, and unlike many of the hikes I’ve completed this year, the Window Cliffs trail isn’t widely known and receives few visitors. So, it’s likely that you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the views from the top without anyone around to crowd the limited space or photo bomb your nature pics.
As with all trails that descend into a canyon, the hardest part of the hike isn’t going down, it’s coming back up on the way out. After nearly five miles of hiking under the blazing summer sun, we’d made it back across the trail’s first creek crossing. While the creek crossings provided sweet relief from the heat, hiking in wet shoes creates some serious blisters, which made the journey out of the canyon even more of a challenge. But the only way out is up, so that’s the way we went. After we emerged at the trailhead, tired and sore but inspired by a truly unique hiking experience, we moved on to the day’s next adventure.
Burgess Falls
Located a short distance from Window Cliffs, Burgess Falls is a popular destination for hikers and casual visitors. Although I’d heard of this place, I never gave it much thought. Fall Creek Falls receives so much praise as the highest plunge waterfall east of the Mississippi River, and most would agree that Virgin Falls ranks among the best trails in the state. I can’t debate the height of Fall Creek Falls, and in my limited experience, I haven’t found a better waterfall destination hike in Tennessee than the trail to Virgin Falls.
However, if asked to share my humble opinion on the most beautiful waterfall in the state, based on the waterfall alone and not any associated hike, I wouldn’t hesitate to nominate Burgess Falls.
The moderate half-mile trail to Burgess Falls runs along Falling Water River, beginning at a stunning cluster of small rapids (pictured near the beginning of this post), a space that’s easily accessible for those who want to wade in and cool off. Watch your step though, as Megan and I spotted a small water snake here. Water snakes are harmless and non-aggressive, but as a child growing up in a small town in Mississippi, I learned that it’s best to treat any snake encountered in the wild like it’s venomous, so we maintained a safe distance.
The short path to the park’s namesake waterfall packs in a lot of scenery, as the fast-flowing river stays in view throughout the hike. This scenery includes the hauntingly beautiful remains of an abandoned, decaying bridge, hanging ominously above the powerful water below. The level section of the trail ends at an overlook that provides a magnificent view of Burgess Falls from above, before taking a sharp descent downward and then onto the top of the falls.
Unfortunately, the final section of trail that leads down to the bottom of the falls was closed when we visited, due to damage from erosion. Although this unexpectedly cut our adventure at Burgess Falls short, I’d still say it was well worth the trip.
In conclusion, the day was full of firsts and unexpected new favorites. Window Cliffs has officially claimed the top spot in my book for a summer hike in Tennessee. I enjoyed it so much the first time that I’ve actually already been back. I coaxed a couple of friends from Nashville into joining me on my second hike at Window Cliffs, two weeks after my first one. As for Burgess Falls, that one left me speechless. If you have the opportunity to see it in person, do it. This special place is only 80 miles east of Nashville, and the trail requires little effort to reach a spectacular view of the falls.
On deck for July: scorching heat and plenty of weirdness in Austin, Texas