Bald River Falls

Bald River Falls is one of the most spectacular and accessible waterfalls in Tennessee, a magnificent 90-foot cascade that thunders down a rugged rock face in the Cherokee National Forest of the southeastern mountains, in the wild Tellico River country. Remarkably, the falls plunge right beside the road, viewable from a bridge that crosses the Bald River at its very base — a rare combination of grandeur and easy access.

Set deep in the forested mountains where the Bald River meets the Tellico, the falls put on a powerful display as the river drops over the resistant rock in a broad, roaring sheet, especially after rain. The surrounding Cherokee National Forest offers trout fishing, hiking (including the trail up along the Bald River Gorge Wilderness), camping and scenic drives. With its towering height, roadside access and wild mountain setting, Bald River Falls is a beloved gem of southeast Tennessee’s national forest.

Bald River Falls is a roadside waterfall, viewed and photographed from the bridge at its base with no hike required, making its 90-foot grandeur remarkably accessible. Beyond the falls, the Bald River Trail climbs along the river into the Bald River Gorge Wilderness for hiking, and the surrounding Cherokee National Forest and Tellico River offer renowned trout fishing, camping, picnicking and scenic mountain drives. The combination of an easily seen, spectacular falls and wild forest recreation makes it a popular destination in southeast Tennessee.

Spring brings the fullest, most thunderous flow from snowmelt and rain, while fall frames the falls in mountain color along the scenic Tellico River road. Summer is lush and green, popular for fishing and forest recreation, and winter can ice the cascade dramatically. The falls are most powerful after rain; spring and fall are ideal for both the waterfall and the surrounding forest, with the trout season drawing anglers to the Tellico and Bald rivers in the warmer months.

Bald River Falls and the surrounding Tellico River country lie within the Cherokee National Forest, established to protect and manage the mountain lands of southeast Tennessee. Long known to local people and travelers for its roadside grandeur, the falls became one of the most visited and photographed cascades in the forest. The Bald River Gorge above the falls was designated a wilderness to preserve its wild character, protecting the river, the falls and the rugged forest for the public.

Bald River Falls drops about 90 feet over a rugged face of ancient, hard metamorphic rock in the southern Appalachians, where the Bald River pours over the resistant rock near its confluence with the Tellico River. The Precambrian and ancient bedrock of the mountains, uplifted and worn over hundreds of millions of years, forms the steep face and the boulders over which the river thunders. The broad, powerful cascade reflects both the abundant mountain rainfall and the rugged geology of the Tellico country.

The forests and rivers around Bald River Falls, within the Cherokee National Forest, host black bear, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and a rich community of birds, with the Bald and Tellico rivers supporting trout and aquatic life and the high forests sheltering Appalachian wildlife. The wild Bald River Gorge Wilderness above the falls preserves habitat for diverse mountain species. Anglers fish the renowned trout waters, and visitors should be bear-aware and store food properly in this national forest.

Bald River Falls lies within the Cherokee National Forest, a biodiverse stretch of the southern Appalachians, with the Bald River Gorge Wilderness above the falls protecting a wild river corridor and rugged forest. The clean mountain rivers support native trout and aquatic life, and the surrounding hardwood and pine forests a rich community of plants and animals. Protecting the wilderness, the water quality and the forest sustains both the ecology and the scenic beauty of the falls and the Tellico country.

Bald River Falls, with its towering 90-foot cascade plunging right beside the road, holds a beloved and much-photographed place among the natural wonders of the Cherokee National Forest and southeast Tennessee. Its rare combination of grandeur and easy access has made it a favorite stop for travelers, anglers and photographers exploring the wild Tellico River country, a spectacular and accessible gem that showcases the abundant mountain water of the southern Appalachians.

Bald River Falls is in the Cherokee National Forest in southeast Tennessee, in the Tellico River area east of Tellico Plains, reached via the Tellico River Road (Forest Service Road 210) off TN-165 (the Cherohala Skyway corridor). The falls are viewed from the road bridge at the base with no hike. National forest fees may apply at some recreation sites. The mountain roads are winding; drive carefully. Check the U.S. Forest Service (Cherokee National Forest) for road and recreation conditions before visiting.

The U.S. Forest Service protects Bald River Falls, the Bald River Gorge Wilderness above it, and the surrounding Cherokee National Forest. Visitors help by keeping back from the dangerous wet rocks at the falls, staying on trails, packing out everything, protecting the trout rivers’ water quality, being bear-aware and storing food, and respecting the wilderness. Conserving the wild river corridor, the forest and the clean water sustains both the ecology and the spectacular, accessible beauty of the falls in the Tellico country.

Although Bald River Falls is viewed safely from the road bridge, the rocks around the falls and river are extremely slippery and the currents dangerous — do not climb on the rocks or wade near the base, where falls and drownings have occurred. Watch for traffic on the narrow mountain road and bridge, and keep children close. On the Bald River Trail, watch footing on wet rock. This is bear country, so store food. Drive the winding roads carefully and respect the river’s power.

Follow U.S. Forest Service rules in the Cherokee National Forest; national forest fees may apply at some sites. View the falls from the bridge; climbing on the falls rocks is dangerous and discouraged. Fishing the Tellico and Bald rivers requires a Tennessee license and follows trout regulations (special permits may apply in the Tellico). Camp only in designated areas. Never feed or approach wildlife; store food in bear country. Pack out all trash. Check the U.S. Forest Service for current rules and conditions.

The town of Tellico Plains, the scenic Cherohala Skyway, and the wild Tellico River country lie near the falls, with the Bald River Gorge Wilderness, other Cherokee National Forest waterfalls and trails, and the trout waters of the Tellico within reach. The mountains of southeast Tennessee and the North Carolina line surround the area, making Bald River Falls a centerpiece of a scenic-drive, waterfall and trout-fishing adventure in the Cherokee National Forest.

Bald River Falls is one of the easiest spectacular waterfalls to see — just pull off at the road bridge for the full 90-foot view, best after rain or in spring for the fullest flow. Do not climb on the dangerous slippery rocks near the base. Combine the falls with a drive on the scenic Cherohala Skyway, trout fishing on the Tellico River, and a hike up the Bald River Trail into the wilderness. Store food in bear country and drive the winding mountain roads carefully.