Bankhead Waterfall Tour

Bankhead Waterfall Tour

Difficulty: Easy to difficult
Distance: 6.5 miles
Fee: Free
Leave no trace.

Bankhead is full of beautiful Waterfalls. This guide is dedicated to helping you find an easy way to tour several waterfalls in 1 trip. In this guide we will explore 8 named waterfalls with about 6.5 miles of hiking.

This is JUST a TASTE of Bankhead. Be sure you check out other Waterfalls in the area!

This area is part of dispersed recreation in Bankhead National Forest. There is NO MAINTAINED TRAIL. Please note that dispersed recreation sometimes has a “social trail” that you can follow. Some of these are easy to follow and some of them you cannot follow. Please note that these trails can change very quickly and may be easy to follow one season and completely overgrown the next. Always bring a map, compass, and GPS with you while hiking Bankhead National Forest.

Bankhead is located about an hour southwest of Huntsville, though most of the parking spots are about 1.5 hours from Huntsville.

Kinlock Falls

First stop: Kinlock Falls
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 100 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Guide: Not necessary

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Outdoor Sandal

Parker Falls

Second stop: Parker Falls
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 2 miles
Difficulty:: Moderate
Guide: Should read

Eagle Creek Falls

Third stop: Eagle Creek Falls
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 2 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Guide: Should Read

Mize Mill Falls and Turkeyfoot Falls

Fourth stop: Mize Mill Falls and Turkeyfoot Falls
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 0.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Guide: Should read

Be sure you see BOTH waterfalls here!

Coal Mine Branch Upper and Lower Falls

Fifth stop: Coal Mine Upper Falls and Coal Mine Lower Falls
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: Difficult
Guide: Must Read

Be sure you visit BOTH waterfalls!

Holmes Chapel Falls

Sixth and final stop: Holmes Chapel Falls
Parking: Directions
Hike Distance: 0.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Guide: Not Necessary

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Fall Creek Falls

Fall Creek Falls

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Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 1-mile round trip
Entry Cost: Free

Fall Creek Falls is a beautiful waterfall in Tennessee. Fall Creek Falls is the tallest free-falling waterfall east of the Mississippi.

Find nearby hikes:
Rock Island State Park
Greeter Falls

Most comfortable camping gear I have added to my pack.

More Waterfalls

Fall Creek Falls is located a little over 2 hours Northeast of Huntsville.

Google Fall Creek Falls or click the map above!

Parking Lot / Trailhead / Pavilion

There are plenty of parking spots. The parking lot itself holds a few dozen cars. There is a pavilion available as well as picnic tables and a bathroom.

Overview/Handicap Accessible

The overview is arguably the best view available. It is accessible by wheelchair and is a short walk from the parking lot.

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Trail down to the Bottom

The trail down to the bottom is moderate. It is slick in some spots and steep in others. The trail is well maintained, but you will be walking down less than ideal slopes and will need to be careful with your footing. The hike back up is technically easier, but more difficult cardiovascularly!

Bottom of the Falls

The waterfall is over 200′ drop and is absolutely beautiful. There is plenty to see at the bottom. When you are done, hike back up the way you came down.

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White Creek Falls

White Creek Falls

What you need to know

Parking
Map It
Difficulty

Off-Trail, Difficult to Find

Point of Interest
Map to POI

Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 6 miles roundtrip
Entry Fee: Free

Upper and Lower White Falls is a secluded waterfall in the Bankhead National Forest. You will follow mostly marked trails but it is partially off-trail.

This area is part of dispersed recreation in Bankhead National Forest. There is NO MAINTAINED TRAIL. Please note that dispersed recreation sometimes has a "social trail" that you can follow. Some of these are easy to follow and some of them you cannot follow. Please note that these trails can change very quickly and may be easy to follow one season and completely overgrown the next. Always bring a map, compass, and GPS with you while hiking Bankhead National Forest.

If you are still using your phone for navigation. You should at least buy a power bank.

Bankhead Map
Buy a printed map here.

Find nearby hikes:
Mize Mill and Turkeyfoot Falls
Kinlock Falls
Parker Falls

Summer camping can get hot. Here’s the gear you need to stay cool.

More Waterfalls

White Creek Falls is located an hour and a half’s drive southwest from Huntsville. It is located in Bankhead National Forest

Parking for here is at Randolph Trailhead. Google “Randolph Trailhead Bankhead National Forest” or click here for directions!

Trailhead/Parking Lot

The parking lot is well marked. The trailhead is well marked with a trail map at the entrance. There are several spots for parking. Be sure to follow the trail directly behind the trailhead marked “201”

201/202 Split

After a short hike through the woods, 201 and 202 merge on a gravel access road. After maybe a couple of hundred yards the trails split again. The gravel road is marked as 202 and the single trail that goes off into the woods is 201. Follow 201 into the woods.

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201/209 Intersection

After 2.2 miles you will hike to the intersection of 201 and 209. Follow 209 down the hill. You will come to a river. Turn right and follow the river downstream. When you turn at the river you will be off official trails. There are social trails here, but they are much more difficult to navigate. Be sure to bring a map and/or GPS for navigating off-trail.

Campsites

Along the river, there are a couple of campsites for overnight camping. 

Big Joes Falls

Joes Falls is located before you get to Lower White Creek Falls. Facing upstream, it will be in a valley to your right. It will be the only stream flowing down to White Creek before you see Lower White Creek Falls. 

GPS Coordinates: 34.314345, -87.467410

Lower White Creek Falls

You will follow the river until you come across a stream. The stream is White Creek. Follow this creek upstream. It will lead you to the bottom of Lower White Creek Falls. Bring a map or use GPS.

GPS Coordinates: 34.313148, -87.467160

Upper White Creek Falls

Upper White Creek Falls is not easily accessible. You will need to find your way around and up the hill. You start in an amphitheater with steep cliffs all around. You can go up and around either way. I went (facing upstream) to the left, but it looked like the to the right had social trails leading up there as well. The area is beautiful and the Valentine’s Pool looks deep! Go out the way you came in. 

GPS Coordinates: 34.313042, -87.467170

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Deer Skull Falls

Deer Skull Falls

Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 4 miles
Fee: Free

Deer Skull Falls is a secluded Waterfall in Bankhead National Forest. There are several other waterfalls along this creekbed so be sure to explore!

This guide is vague on purpose. These waterfalls are hard to find and you must be comfortable not following a trail to find them. The best way to find these waterfalls is by using GPS coordinates and planning your trip using a cartographic map, compass, and GPS.

This area is part of dispersed recreation in Bankhead National Forest. There is NO MAINTAINED TRAIL. Please note that dispersed recreation sometimes has a "social trail" that you can follow. Some of these are easy to follow and some of them you cannot follow. Please note that these trails can change very quickly and may be easy to follow one season and completely overgrown the next. Always bring a map, compass, and GPS with you while hiking Bankhead National Forest.

If you are still using your phone for navigation. You should at least buy a power bank.

Bankhead Map
Buy a printed map here.

Find nearby hikes:
White Creek Falls
Parker Falls
Kinlock Falls

Hammocks are a great way to stay comfy during a camping trip, but they aren’t always appropriate. Find out when you should use them.

More Waterfalls

Deer Skull Falls is located southwest of Huntsville in Bankhead National Forest.

The parking lot is located along County Road 60. The closest landmark on Google Maps is Wolfpen Campground. Click here for directions to the parking lot.

Parking

There is a small pull-off lot available for a few cars. There are two trails from the parking lot. To get to Eagle Creek Falls, while facing the woods from the road, take the left trail (it is pretty much straight when you enter the parking lot).

Trail

The “path” I took isn’t super easy to follow. Be prepared for bushwhacking your way there. You will pass several waterfalls along the way (see interactive map above). I highly suggest bringing a map, compass, and GPS for this trek. You will need to follow the creekbed and will have to cut over the creek several times on the way to the waterfall.

Check out our Gear suggestions!
Summer Hiking Essentials
Summer Camping Essentials 
Outdoor Sandal

Deer Skull Falls

GPS Coordinates: 34.297241, -87.444089

You will walk right up to the bottom of two waterfalls.  When you hit the main branch you can take a left and then follow the next creekbed you find on the right up to Hemlock Falls (on the map).

Camping

There are backcountry primitive campsites available for use. This campsite is just upstream from Eagle Creek Falls and another downstream.

Thunder Falls

Thunder Falls GPS Coordinates: 34.292602, -87.445466

Eagle Creek Falls

Guide to Eagle Creek Falls

Hemlock Falls

Hemlock Falls GPS Coordinates: 34.295912, -87.438361

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Turkey Foot Falls and Mize Mill Falls

Turkey Foot Falls and Mize Mill Falls

Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Less than 0.5 miles roundtrip
Entry Fee: Free

Turkey Creek Falls and Mize Mills Falls are two beautiful waterfalls within a few hundred yards of each other. These waterfalls are located in the Bankhead National Forest. 

This area is part of dispersed recreation in Bankhead National Forest. There is NO MAINTAINED TRAIL. Please note that dispersed recreation sometimes has a "social trail" that you can follow. Some of these are easy to follow and some of them you cannot follow. Please note that these trails can change very quickly and may be easy to follow one season and completely overgrown the next. Always bring a map, compass, and GPS with you while hiking Bankhead National Forest.

If you are still using your phone for navigation. You should at least buy a power bank.

Bankhead Map
Buy a printed map here.

Find nearby hikes:
Eagle Creek Falls
Parker Falls
White Creek Falls

Its fall and you need to hike. Grab this gear.

More Waterfalls

Mize Mills Falls and Turkey Foot Falls are located an hour and 15 minute drive southwest from Huntsville. It is located in Bankhead National Forest

You cannot just Google these falls for parking, click here for directions!

Parking Lot

There really isn’t a “parking lot” here, just a pull-off next to a dirt road (dirt road is to the right the car in the picture). There is only enough room for a couple of cars.

Trailhead/Trail

The trailhead is not marked whatsoever. You can barely see the trail from the other side of the road (if you can at all). In winter you may even be dropping into the woods without a sign of a trail.  To the right of the trail is a sign on a tree reading “Wildlife Management Area”, a wooden post with a few numbers on it (the “4” was about fallen off but it read “417L 13” when we were there), and a small electrical box reading “Caution Buried Cable”.  The trail was about 8 ft to the left of these markers. The trail will drop down a hill and you can follow it through the woods. The river is nearby. If you cannot find the trail, just follow the river which is located down the hill and to the left. The trail will take you to a scramble down. Take the scramble down.

Check out our Gear suggestions!
Summer Hiking Essentials
Summer Camping Essentials 
Outdoor Sandal

Mize Mills Falls

After you take the scramble down, you can head downstream to Turkey Foot Falls or continue down the hill taking another scramble down. After you get down to the river, you will need to cross the river and head back upstream to get to Mize Mills Falls. You should be able to hear the waterfall (if it is flowing) almost the entire time after you drop into the woods from the road.

Turkey Foot Falls

To get to Turkey Foot Falls, follow the creek downstream. You can follow either side (or in the water if you want!). Looking downstream, the left-hand side does not have a scramble to go up, but the right-hand side offers an even trail after you scramble up the hill. We suggest going down the left-hand side to get there and coming back on the other side (if you are not planning on visiting Mize Mills Falls again). You will exit the woods the same way you came in.

Camping

There are primitive campsites at the bottom of both falls. To our knowledge, there are no fees or registration associated with backcountry camping in Bankhead National Forest and it is first come first serve basis.

Alternate Route

There is an alternate route to get to Turkey Foot Falls and Mize Mills Falls. Park at the Sipsey Wilderness Recreational Area. Parking is $3 per car. Go across the small 1 lane bridge (not the main bridge) and find the trailhead on the right. You can follow this trail for about a mile to both waterfalls. I hear this is an easy trail and does not involve any scrambles to get to the falls.

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