One of my favorite overlooks in the Fall Creek Falls State Park is the Cane Creek Falls Overlook. And I believe one of the reasons why is because I found the perfect time to visit and have the entire spot to myself.
Cane Creek Falls
Cane Creek Falls is an 85 foot waterfall that can be viewed quite easily near the Nature Center. Although it’s not the best view of the falls, you can see it from a small overlook point that juts out near the Nature Center parking lot. Below is the view you can expect from this vantage point.
Cane Creek Falls has quickly become my favorite waterfall in the park. One reason being due to the many views you can find of it. And, if the weather and water levels are in your favor, you can even walk out to the edge of it from the top. Only do this if you are extremely cautious and the water is low enough, please.
Technically, you can access views of this waterfall from four angles. Above, to the right of it, the base (via the Cable Trail, click HERE for that blog post) and my favorite one of all that is to the left of it.
When to Visit the Overlook
You may be wondering why this is my favorite overlook. I’ll tell you it’s because you get the best view of both the Cane Creek Falls as well as the Rockhouse Falls. If you try the viewpoint by the Nature Center you can only catch a glimpse of the 125 foot Rockhouse Falls. And this can only be accomplished if you stick out your neck far enough and look down to the right. But from the Cane Creek Falls Overlook on the other side, you can see both falls beautifully. As you can see from the photo below, nothing compares to this angle.
If you truly want to enjoy this overlook, you will want to get there as early as possible. My goal on this particular morning was to watch the sunrise. After studying the map, I quickly realized that this was the only overlook in the entire park that faces east. I’ll spare you the disappointment and tell you now, this is not the ultimate sunrise spot. The trees that surround the area are too tall. By the time the sun finally peaks out, it’s too far above the horizon and no longer wearing the glorious colors you expect from a beautiful sunrise. However, I wouldn’t rule this sunrise hike out completely.
Despite the lack of sunrise expectations, I must say arriving here early is still the best time to visit. The hike out to the overlook starts at the Nature Center. Behind the center, take the bridge over Cane Creek. Continue on the trail until the crossroads for the Gorge Trail. Turn right onto Gorge Trail and then the first right off this trail will take you to the overlook. Overall, the hike is about a third of a mile from the Nature Center. It’s gradually uphill most of the way and I hurried as I went. By the time I got to the overlook I was a bit tired from the uphill trek but it only took me about 15 minutes. As you can see from the photos, it was well worth it. I never even saw anyone else on the trails. For a map of the park trails including these, click HERE.
Additional Tips
When I got back to my vehicle around 8AM, there were already a few vehicles that had recently parked. Of course, there’s numerous trails to hike from this parking lot. So a few people aren’t going to make a big difference on the trails. However, I feel it’s worthy to note that if you’re looking to enjoy this overlook alone, you won’t have too long before the other early-bird hikers start to join you.
Note the weather when you go. It was a cold November morning and on my hike out, everything was fine. But on my hike back, the bridge had iced over. It was still crossable, but I had to proceed with caution in doing so.
Have you been to this overlook? Let me know in the comments below. And if you’re looking for more to do at this wonderful Tennessee State Park, be sure to check out my other blog posts about it. Links will be listed below for your convenience. In addition to this, I have uploaded a YouTube video about my experience on visiting the Cane Creek Falls Overlook. Click HERE to watch it.
Let me know if you have any additional questions I might be able to answer. Until next week, enjoy Exploring Chatt!
Other Fall Creek Falls State Park Posts: