Fall Creek Falls State Park
in January 2009 after a few days of below-freezing temperatures. We had wanted to see ice, we weren't disappointed!
The view from the top of Piney Falls at Fall Creek Falls.
and Rock House Falls.
which has an 85-ft. plunge into Cane Creek Gorge. The width of the falls is 50 feet.
Some of the Fishermans' Cabins at Fall Creek Falls State Park. The 2009 rates for these over-the-lake cabins are $115 / night.
There is just a peek of a view from the Cane Creek Gorge Overlook; this would be a spectacular sight in the autumn!
Being on the Cumberland Plateau, Fall Creek Falls State Park contains thick deposits of ancient sandstone. The sandstone in this area often fractures in blocks like this. Not far from the park, there is a large sandstone quarry where rock for building is mined. This rock wall is just below the cascades.
The trail to the bottom of the falls goes under this large sandstone cliff. Beneath the thick sandstone is a thick layer of shale.
is the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains, it has a plunge of 256 feet. The amount of water can be controlled since Fall Creek is dammed upstream. We visited the park after a rainy week, so the flow was very strong.
When we visited Fall Creek Falls at the end of May, the Mountain Laurel was at its peak of blooming. They looked like they were covered with light pink snow!
A nice view of the gorge. I was standing at the same level as the layer of sandstone on the other side of the gorge. This "big ditch" proves the incredible power of time and water!
The top of the trail that goes to the bottom of the falls gives you an idea of how challenging the rest of it will be!
The spray was so strong at the bottom of Fall Creek Falls I had to take this picture very quickly!
as seen from the second overlook.
The Fishermans' Cabins and ducks. These look like they would be very peaceful places to stay for a few days or a week!
Another tricky area on the Overlook trail. The heavy foot traffic has caused severe erosion, allowing the soil to wash away from the roots of these trees.
This is the Suspension bridge up the creek from Piney Falls.
This well-worn trail is what has to be traversed to get the fantastic view from the overlook.
Fall Creek and Coon Creek Falls
with ice, seen after the mid-January 2009 freeze. Wow, what a spectacular sight! Little Coon Creek Falls on the right made a hole in the ice that one sightseer said looked like an ice volcano.
We got to the park late on 1-18-09, so this was the only view we were able to see of Rockhouse Falls breaking through the ice in the plunge pool below. It looked vastly different than the times we've seen it in the summer!
Another view of an ajoining river gorge.
The trail to the bottom of Fall Creek Falls is not for the faint of heart or legs!
, the former location of the Bickford Mill. The mill washed away in a flood in 1929.
The view from Cane Creek overlook.
The flow of Fall Creek Falls is controlled by the outflow from this Lake. It has a marina for boaters.
Piney Falls has a 75-foot drop. This view is from the overlook across the gorge.
If you want to get a direct view of Rock House Falls you'll have to cross this Swinging Bridge. It gets a bit bouncy if more than one person tries to cross it at the same time!
This is a nice area to hike past on a hot day as you go to the bottom of Fall Creek Falls. Cool air comes out of the crack in this cliff like natural air conditioning!
This is the trail that goes up the gorge to the Cane Creek overlook. These stairs will get your pulse raised!
The Betty Dunn Nature Center
Ken and I laughed when we saw this "petrified giant's foot", a large overhanging rock on the trail to Piney Falls!
Near the end of the trail to the bottom of the falls there is a lot of breakdown rock. It makes you not want to spend much time under the cliff!
shoots 125 feet over the edge of the gorge, it is very near Cane Creek Falls. Located just a few yards from the Betty Dunn Nature Center is the Cane Creek Overlook, where you get a fantastic view of Rock House Falls (left) and Cane Creek Falls.
The Cane Creek Gorge as seen from the overlook near the Nature Center.
The Landside Cabins at Fall Creek Falls are in the woods but they overlook the lake. These cabins would probably be a safer choice for families with small children than the cabins that are right over the water.
This rainbow was visible in the spray from Cane Creek Falls, it shimmered as the wind shifted the water drops.
The top of Fall Creek Falls has a double drop.
This fabulous park is located on the Cumberland Plateau in Van Buren county off Hwy. 284. The park has several high waterfalls and smaller cascades. Pictured here on the left is the park's namesake, Fall Creek Falls, the smaller one is Coon Creek Falls. map...
The cliffsides above Cane Creek Falls were decorated with beautiful Icicles in mid-January 2009, they looked like a wedding cake!
When you enter the park, be sure and stop at the Betty Dunn Nature Center. It has interesting displays and information about the park.