Cloudland Canyon State Park was a short 40-minute drive from my last park – DeSoto State Park in Alabama. On my way up to the park – driving along the top of Lookout Mountain and looking at real estate signs – I was reintroduced to a mountain term – The Brow. The brow is the ridge that tops the mountain, I.e. being on the brow is worth about $1MM or said another way houses on the brow were significantly more expensive than those across the street. All joking aside, the views from the Brow were breathtaking – should I say million-dollar views. lol
Pictures: Park Entrance | Map and Overview of Park
About the Park…
Cloudland Canyon State Park is one of my favorite parks. It’s located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain and is one of the largest and most scenic parks in the state. The park features thousand-foot deep canyons, sandstone cliffs, wild caves, waterfalls, cascading creeks, dense woodland and abundant wildlife. With 64 miles of hiking trails, 30 miles of biking trails in the newly developed Five Points Recreation Area and along the Cloudland Connector Trail, and 16 miles of horseback riding trails, there’s plenty to explore. The park also offers disc golf, a fishing pond, picnicking areas, and overlooks. If you’re looking to spend the night, there are fully-equipped and comfortable cottages, quirky yurts, and several different types of camping and backpacking options available. The entrance fee is $5 per vehicle, making it a reasonable option for a day trip.
Be ahead of the curve and seize the day!
Being a mere 30-minutes from Chattanooga and NE Georgia, Cloudland Canyon State Park is a very popular park and can get crowded. I am SO happy that I got there early and avoided the crowds, wannabe Instagram influencers, and city folk (well almost). And yes, I actually like a park that has city folk! Anyway, off I went for a series of hikes totaling about 8-miles for the day. Note: I was able to park in one place – near the Main Overlook – and hike all three of the trails I went on. From this parking lot, you get some great views of the canyon as well.
Pictures: Trail Map and Legend
Let’s start the day with some elevation change and the Waterfalls Trail…
I’d be happy to rewrite the text to make it clearer. Here’s the corrected version:
According to the park brochure, the Waterfalls Trail is 1.8 miles roundtrip from the Main Trailhead. However, I measured it to be 2 miles, which includes the distance from the parking lot and a little detour that I took (which I will explain later in this post). The park labels this hike as strenuous due to the 600 steps one way, but I found it to be a good cardio workout. If you’re hiking with your dog, note that the stairs are made of metal grating, which could be challenging for some dogs. Since it was a short out-and-back hike, I didn’t bring a backpack or daypack, and I wore shorts, a t-shirt, and sneakers (which were key considering the number of stairs). Note that the trails are very well marked, as you can see in my pictures.
Pictures: Directional Sign from the Parking Lot area | About the Falls
Pictures: Main Trailhead | Some of the steps are dirt and gravel | Others metal grates and wood
As noted in the picture above about the waterfalls, the quantity of water over the falls varies greatly from month to month, but in general, winter and early spring offer the greatest flow. It was August, but I am happy to say it wasn’t a trickle – but certainly no torrent.
After parking your car, it’s just a short hike to the Main Trailhead. You will see a marker for several trails there. The trail is mostly downhill, with a few flat areas as you go through the canyon. After about half a mile, you will come across a sign pointing towards Cherokee Falls. The hike to the falls is relatively easy and not too long. Cherokee Falls is the first waterfall on Daniel Creek and drops 65 feet into a large pool.
Pictures: On the hike down to Cherokee Falls
Pictures: Daniel Creek
Pictures: A rare picture of myself (that isn’t a selfie) | The rock walls from around the falls
Once you reach this point, you should head back to where the trail separated and then make your way down to Hemlock Falls. Along this trail, you will come across various spots where you can take a break, catch your breath and relax for a while. Although it may not be as necessary on the way down, these resting spots can be quite helpful when making your way back up.
Pictures: Where the trail splits for the two different waterfalls | One of the areas to sit and rest
Pictures: Canyon Walls on the way down to Hemlock Falls
Hemlock Falls is about another ½-mile down where you’ll see another split in the trail – to the left Hemlock Falls and to the right Sitton’s Gulch Trail. I would recommend you go a short distance – about 150-feet – on Sitton’s Gulch Trail to the bridge that crosses Daniel Creek. You’ll get a great view of the creek and also a good appreciation on how far down in the canyon you have gone. Back to Hemlock Falls and the end of the trail I went. Hemlock Falls is the second falls from the top of Daniel Creek and drops 100-feet. As this was the end of the trail, it was back up to the top – 600 stairs to go!
Pictures: Trail Split for Hemlock Falls and Sitton’s Gulch Trail | Bridge over Daniel Creek | Daniel Creek
Pictures: The Stairs – looking up – where I am headed back to the top
Time for a wardrobe change!
I planned to hike the West Rim Loop next, which is a 5-mile loop. Considering the distance and time of year, I decided to change into boots and carry a day pack containing some snacks and water. I preferred boots as I wasn’t using poles while hiking and being summer, I was concerned about Timber Rattlesnakes.
The West Rim Loop Trail is a popular five-mile hike that was once rated as one of the top ten hikes in the U.S. by Backpacker Magazine. The trail has a lollipop shape and offers several overlooks that showcase the park’s rugged geology, deep canyons, dense woodland, and stunning views beyond. To begin the hike, hikers start from the Main Trailhead and cross over Daniel Creek. The trail then heads uphill towards a rocky promontory.
Pictures: Bridge of Daniel Creek | Daniel Creek
Pictures: West Rim Trail | Cave along the trail
Shortly into the hike, you’ll pass Yurt Village. I personally have a fascination with Yurts and actually stayed at one in Marfa, Texas at El Cosmico. Along the trail, I also saw a cool mushroom – yes I am addicted to mushrooms! Soon you’ll reach the brim – and as you will see in my pictures, although there are railings and safe guards in many areas, in other areas there are none and it is a LONG way down!
Pictures: Yurt Village from the West Loop Trail | Directional Sign | Yurt Village
Pictures: The Cool Mushroom | View of the Canyon | A long way down!
After hiking for a mile, the loop component of the trail starts, which is three miles long. During this section, you’ll come across many overlooks. On one of these overlooks, I met a man named Lance from Cleveland, TN, near Chattanooga. We ended up hiking together for the last two miles of the trail. Although I enjoy hiking alone, it was nice to have company.
Pictures: Loop begins here | Yellow blazes mark the West Rim Trail
As mentioned earlier, the trails are well-marked and include directions to scenic overlooks. From the first overlook, you can see the main overlook where I parked.
Pictures: Directional to Scenic Overlook | Looking towards the main overlook | Scenic overlook view
There are 4 overlooks on this part of the trail, and they are all on the first half of the hike. You’ll also come across some cool boulders that you have to jump over to get to the view (that is if you feel comfortable doing so). After the fourth overlook, the trail moves in and away from the brim.
Pictures: View from the third overlook | No railing here – it’s a long way down!
Pictures: Where I did some boulder jumping
At about mile four, you complete the loop and then head back to the Main Trailhead, retracing your steps of the first mile. The trail got a bit busier at this point – and city folk definitely were out. Case in point, there was this young girl and guy who came barreling down the trail and didn’t even move to the side, despite uphill hikers having the right of way. I wish people would learn hiking/trail etiquette. Anyway, Lance and I parted ways at the parking lot, and I was off for my third hike of the day. But first….
Wardrobe change #3!
I decided to finish the day by hiking the Overlook Trail – and I am so happy I did! It’s an easy trail – one-mile roundtrip – and I actually changed into my flip-flops as my feet needed a break after the two-morning hikes. The trail offers picturesque views into the canyon. It leads along the rim of the canyon and behind the Interpretive Center to the Main Overlook, then continues onto a second overlook. This trail is mostly flat, and benches along the way offer opportunities for relaxation and contemplation. The Overlook Trail is marked by light blue blazes on trees. (not that you really need them). All in all, I great day of hiking with amazing views. I’d highly recommend visiting Cloudland Canyon State Park if you are in the area, and I would even suggest making a special trip here.
Pictures: Relaxing in flip-flops before I tackle the Overlook Trail | View from the Overlook Trail
Pictures: Incredible views from the Main Overlook
Pictures: Final view of the Canyon | Obligatory selfie
Date of Visit: 19 August 2023