Scenic Waterfall, Rock Creek Falls, Rattlesnake Falls, Rainbow Falls, whichever name you choose, this scenic waterfall near Ocoee is a must-visit spot this summer.
Looking for a little slice of Tennessee paradise? When I first found the Scenic Trail I was blown away. Not only is it unique and beautiful, this place can be somewhat secluded. Which, as we all know, can be hard to find hiking these days. And the scenic waterfall makes the perfect ending for this Ocoee hike, not too far outside of Chattanooga. Keep reading to learn more about this scenic waterfall, the Ocoee River and Cherokee National Forest that surrounds it, and tips for your hike here.
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The Ocoee River
Nestled inside the Cherokee National Forest is the Ocoee River. This river is made up of a series of lakes created by Ocoee Dams 1, 2, and 3. Because of this, the river has crazy, fast rapid sections and calm, large lake sections. If you haven’t visited this area yet, I highly recommend it. It’s well-known for water activities such as white-water rafting, paddling, boating, and river tubing. But even if you don’t get on the water, this area makes for a beautiful, scenic drive along Highway 74.
The beginning of your drive will consist of vast lake views as you drive deeper into the area. Eventually you’ll pass Ocoee Dam 2 and notice a change of scenery. The mountains slowly close in around you while the Ocoee River changes form into raging rapids flowing narrowly between trees. The road starts to have tighter turns and you’ll start to feel like you’re somewhere else.
There’s various places to park and see the sights up close and personal. From checking out the dams to walking down to the water on one of the beaches, there’s plenty to explore in this area. And near the end of the drive you’ll find the location of the 1996 Summer Olympics whitewater rafting event. This was the first Olympic whitwater rafting to happen on a real river As the road starts to straighten and stretch out past this point, there’s an overlook to enjoy at Boyd Gap and soon the road goes long and straight through the Brush Creek area as you exit the area and enter into Ducktown, TN.
The Cherokee National Forest
The Cherokee National Forest is the only national forest in the state of Tennessee. Typically, national forests surround national parks as a protective barrier. The Cherokee National Forest surrounds the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by the north and south with 650,000 acres. On the north end, 150 miles of the Appalachian Trail goes through this forest. There’s only 2 scenic byways through the Cherokee National Forest, and one of them is the road by the Ocoee, Highway 74. The other is the Cherohala Skyway, which is a must-see long, scenic drive that climbs over some of the highest mountains in the area. As mentioned before, the Ocoee Scenic Byway meanders through the gorge beside the Ocoee River. So, you can choose to drive to mountain-top views on the Cherohala Skyway or down in the valley for water views on Highway 74.
Camping is allowed in designated areas throughout the Cherokee National Forest. Hiking trails, waterfalls, creeks, and dirt roads abound. Before starting a visit here, always check ahead on the Cherokee National Forest website to make sure the place you intend to visit is open.
Explore Scenic Waterfall and more in my detailed hiking guide!
The hike to Scenic Waterfall by the Ocoee River is featured in my e-book “A Year of Hiking” with all the details, photos, maps, and journal section you need to confidently explore this hiking trail and more all year long.
The Scenic Trail
The Scenic Trail, or Spur Trail, is at the base of Chilhowee Mountain and is still part of the Chilhowee Trail System. This 1.7 mile trail follows Rock Creek back to a secluded waterfall. About a third of the way down, the Clemmer Spur Trail intersects. This trail also runs parallel to the Scenic Trail up to this point. So, if you want to add a little elevation, you can hike this section as well and turn off at the intersection. The length of the Scenic Trail along with next to no elevation changes makes it a fairly easy hike. Round trip, the hike is just over 3 miles in length. The most challenging part are the creek crossings, of which there are two.
What’s the Name of the Waterfall?
Scenic Trail appears to dead end at a waterfall for which a name has not been completely decided. I’ve seen it called Rock Creek Falls, which logically makes the most sense as the waterfall is part of Rock Creek. But the other sources call it Rainbow Falls. And a few even call it Rattlesnake Falls, which honestly is a little scary. That name probably comes from its location though, in Rattlesnake Hollow. But whichever name you choose to call it this scenic waterfall is still one of my new favorites. The mossy rocks sprinkle water over your head as you draw closer to the main attraction. And there, between two rock walls flows the waterfall. It splits into two different falls and concludes into a small but deep pool of water. This entire scene creates a Tennessee paradise feeling that I’ve found unmatched.
In retrospect, I’ve learned there’s another, larger cascading waterfall just beyond this one upstream. From what I’ve read, it’s a more challenging stretch that’s steep and can be slippery if wet. And as you near the falls the rocks get larger and hard to climb if you’re short. I believe you can continue up the trail on the right side of the creek to reach this second waterfall. It appears reminiscent of Benton Falls. Unfortunately, I had no idea this existed until now. So, I will have to check this out on my next hike here. When I do, I’ll be sure to add the update all about it.
Creek Crossings
As mentioned earlier, this hike is fairly easy due to it’s somewhat short length and mainly flat ground. The only thing that might make you think twice about it are the creek crossings. I’m not sure why, but the trail crosses Rock Creek about halfway on the way in, and then back to the other side a little ways before Scenic Waterfall . Why this confuses me is because you start the trail with the creek to your right, and at the waterfall it’s to your right as well. So why is there even a need to cross the creek in the first place? The only thing I can figure is that the ground is better suited for trail building in certain areas over others.
But the fact still remains, you will have to cross the creek twice. I highly recommend preparing to wade through it or at least get wet while trying to rock hop. I personally didn’t take my chances and waded through the foot high water. My friend, however tried to rock hop but was unsuccessful on her return. One of the rocks flipped on her and she had to completely step into the water then. Also note that water levels will vary greatly depending on the season and if it’s rained recently or not. It had not rained in a while when we went so I believe these were lower levels for this location.
Scenic Waterfall Tips
While visiting Scenic Waterfall, please be careful. The last short stretch of the hike towards the waterfall is on slick boulders. Although they are rather flat and level, they are wet due to the water dripping onto them from the rock wall above. Use extreme caution here so you don’t slip and fall.
Once you arrive to the waterfall, there are some lower boulders closer to the water that you can carefully climb down to. Again, use extreme caution here because they will be slick. It would be easy to accidentally slip into the pool below if you get too comfortable and lose your footing.
All of this to say, you can really enjoy this area, just keep your guard up. It can be a dangerous place if you’re not careful. But if you ARE careful, it’s a wonderful and beautiful place to be.
Also be aware that there may be fallen trees blocking the trail. Sometimes storms can be really strong through this area and knock trees down. But usually they are passable. Eventually they’ll be taken care of by the forest service.
When to Hike the Scenic Trail
What I love most about this hike is how easy it is to get to a secluded waterfall right by the Ocoee River. Yes, there are easier waterfalls to access, but there’s so much more satisfaction when you have to put in a little work, right? This is the perfect Chattanooga summer hike. A cool wade through the creek crossings and a hidden gem of the Scenic Waterfall to conclude your hike makes for a wonderful summer day adventure.
Depending on when you go, you might have the whole place to yourself. We went around 4:30pm on a Saturday and passed a few people heading back. On our way back we passed a few people heading out. So, even though it was well-known, I believe everyone got a chance to enjoy the waterfall alone. It definitely wasn’t crowded.
Explore Scenic Waterfall and more in my detailed hiking guide!
The hike to Scenic Waterfall by the Ocoee River is featured in my e-book “A Year of Hiking” with all the details, photos, maps, and journal section you need to confidently explore this hiking trail and more all year long.
Closing Thoughts
Please be considerate. There were a ton of goldfish snacks scattered all over the place by the waterfall which kind of lessened the experience. I’ve also heard people tend to leave trash along this trail more so than others. So, as a reminder, always take out what you bring in. It really is that simple. Then we can all enjoy places like this for years to come.
Be sure to watch the video version of this hike. And here is where you’ll find the exact location of the trailhead. Prepare better with this map of this trail. Let me know if you have visited or plan to visit this little slice of Tennessee paradise with the Scenic Waterfall near the Ocoee River. Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt!
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