Foster Falls

South Cumberland State Park, Tennessee, USA

About Foster Falls

For Subscribers Only. See Membership Options.

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Foster Falls was the last waterfall we saw on our Appalachians 2012 trip, and it was a fine way to cap it off!

Even though the Foster Falls Wild Area is better known to climbers looking for a thrill and a challenge, we didn’t have to do any technical climbing to experience this pretty 60ft plunging falls.

Foster_Falls_042_20121027 - Foster Falls
Foster Falls

In fact, there was an overlook that was only a few paces from the parking lot (see directions below) where we were able to get the view you see pictured above.

There was a steep hiking path that went down a combination of stairs and uneven rock-protruding trail.

It led towards a swinging bridge at the mouth of the large plunge pool of the Foster Falls before end at the shore further around the plunge pool itself.

On the opposite end of this plunge pool was the waterfall.

Foster_Falls_023_20121027 - Full context of the amphitheater containing Foster Falls as seen from a lookout close by the parking lot
Full context of the amphitheater containing Foster Falls as seen from a lookout close by the parking lot

I noticed that there was the possibility of scrambling further to the left to get more angled views of the Foster Falls.

The only catch here was that there were fallen rocks reminding me of the everpresent danger of chunks of the cliff falling at any moment.

But the reward for this was a view of surprise second waterfall (though it wasn’t flowing too well during my visit) seen next to Foster Falls itself.

The skies were overcast and threatening rain during our visit, but it created great photo ops given the even lighting without the sun.

Foster_Falls_056_20121027 - The official trail took me this far along the plunge pool yielding an angled view of Foster Falls and a thin companion waterfall
The official trail took me this far along the plunge pool yielding an angled view of Foster Falls and a thin companion waterfall

We also heard a few loud booms, and we guessed there must be some hunting going on within earshot of this area.

It only took me an hour to fully experience Foster Falls.

This included the views from the overlook, the hike to the base, all the picture taking throughout the excursion, and the return hike to the car.

I’m aware that there were longer trails such as the Fiery Gizzard Trail that may include other ways of experiencing the Foster Falls.

However, I wouldn’t know sure since I only did the trail to the Foster Falls and back, which I figured provided the best bang for the bang (figuratively speaking as precious time would be the currency here).

Authorities

Foster Falls resides in the Foster Falls Recreation Area (part of South Cumberland State Park) near Tracy City and Jasper in Marion County, Tennessee. It is administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.

Related Top 10 Lists

No Posts Found

Tagged with: south cumberland, state park, marion county, tennessee, chattanooga, waterfall, wild area, fiery gizzard



Visitor Comments:

Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...

No users have replied to the content on this page


Share your thoughts about what you've read on this page

You must be logged in to submit content. Refresh this page after you have logged in.

Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:

If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...

No users have submitted a write-up/review of this waterfall


Have you been to a waterfall? Submit a write-up/review and share your experiences or impressions

Review A Waterfall

Nearest Waterfalls

The Waterfaller Newsletter

The Waterfaller Newsletter is where we curate the wealth of information on the World of Waterfalls website and deliver it to you in bite-sized chunks in your email inbox. You'll also get exclusive content like...

  • Waterfall Wednesdays
  • Insider Tips
  • User-submitted Waterfall Write-up of the Month
  • and the latest news and updates both within the website as well as around the wonderful world of waterfalls


How To Build A Profitable Travel Blog In 4 Steps

Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
Read More About Johnny | A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls.