Bald River, Tennessee

Bald River is an impressive river with and easy trail following it the entire way. This is a favorite trail in the area due to the sights, but also due to the easy parking and great site at the start of the trail.
If you want a good day hike with lots of waterfalls along the way this is the one to do. Up and back is about 9 miles, but you could camp at a small campground at the end of the trail and come back in the morning or keep going up Brookshire Creek and its trail for a longer hike. This also becomes and connect to the Benton Mackaye Trail if you want to make it a much longer backpack trip.

This is the first waterfall you get to along the hiking trail. You see it before you get out of the car. This photo was taken from the car bridge that crosses the river. This is Bald River Falls. Being 90 feet tall and large waterflow makes it an impressive waterfall and the premier waterfall in the area. Here it is in moderate flow.

 

Heavy Flow

 

Just Upstream Bald River by about 1/2 mile is Bald River Cascade. This waterfall would be rather impressive in high flow.

 

Further upstream there are two waterfalls right next to each other. The first one is Suislide Falls, which is 35 feet tall and Shallow Falls,13 feet tall.

 

This is Suislide Falls

 

This is Suislide Falls at bottom and Shallow Falls at top. 

 

At the end of the trail just before the river meets the forest service road and a small campground, you come to the Upper Falls (15 feet tall) of the Bald River. This is a great lunch spot if you are walking back to your car on River Rd.