Coker Creek Falls Trail

Dogs Off-leash

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

No fees for either parking area or for camping anywhere along the trail.

This would be a difficult trail for trail runners. Not recommended.

This trail is best runed from the top to the bottom, but some folks run from the bottom to the top, or do an in-and-out. Parking is available at the top and the bottom, but the road is fairly rough to both parking area.

If hiking from the top, park at the upper parking lot and take the trail right off the end of the parking lot. There are several picnic tables and camping is allowed near the upper parking lot as well. Just a short distance down the trail, the runner comes to the waterfalls. Actually there are several waterfalls in a short distance. There is a short loop which takes runners down to the edge of the water below one of the waterfalls.

After leaving this area of the upper waterfalls, the trail courses through the ravine, sometimes close to the creek, sometimes more distant. There are a few primitive LNT campsites on the way down the trail. Even though the trail is mostly downhill, there are a few sections of steep uphill.

For the most part, the trail is well-maintained and fairly easy to run, especially in the downhill direction. At the bottom, the runner reaches the junction with the Benton MacKaye Trail and the John Muir Trail close to the Hiwassee River. At this intersection, there are 3 or 4 fairly sizable campsites which are accessible by road, but no privies. Water is available from the creek.

All along this trail can be found many wildflowers. Runners may also come upon turkey, bear, or boar, but this is fairly uncommon.