Accessibility – Easy

Height – 25′

Distance – 0.30 Miles (Out and Back)

Beauty – 8

Photo rating – 8

Solitude – 6

GPS Info: LAT 36.3972 LONG -81.0679

Last updated: 06/01/2016

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Widow’s Creek Falls is the fourth waterfall in Stone Mountain State Park but it is by far the best of the bunch. Unlike the other three falls, Widow’s Creek Falls is accessed from a small parking area along the main park road as opposed to the Upper or Lower parking areas for the Stone Mountain Loop Trail. This 25 foot high falls is located in a secluded nook a short distance up the Widow’s Creek Trail. The total hike is less than 0.2 of a mile one way across mostly flat terrain. Below the falls the rock slopes down a long flowing cascade before emptying into a pool at the base. Bordering the pool are several large boulders. There is a nice collection pool below the main drop and ample places on the exposed rock to take some pictures or enjoy the day.

To get to the parking area, follow the directions to the main park entrance. Continue past the Upper Parking Area. The road will split after a bridge and then rejoin. You will cross several more bridges before reaching the Lower Parking Area. Shortly after passing the lower parking area on the left you will see a restricted area for Bullhead Creek on the right. After crossing the next bridge you will come to the parking area for Widow’s Creek Falls on the right (overflow parking on the left). The trail is at the back of the parking area on the right. The hike in barely measures 0.2 of a mile as it leads up to the left side of the falls. You can also walk into the open area below the boulders and see the falls from the very bottom.

We had made this our first stop on Memorial Day 2016 and thank goodness we did. There was only one family at the falls when we arrived and they departed soon after, leaving us to enjoy this waterfall to ourselves. The only tricky part is crossing the water rushing down the sloped rock. It wasn’t too deep but it was flowing pretty quickly. There is a downed tree you can scoot across or you can hold onto the rhodo’s. The best vantage for a picture is from the side opposite the trail. When it was time to leave, we encountered a family outing in excess of 20 people that included two kids carrying inner tubes. I assumed this group pretty much precluded anyone else being able to enjoy this amazing setting to the same degree we did.

The hike is kid friendly and the pool in front is calm enough to swim in as the one below the sloping rock. You can get a nice shot from the rock on the right side of the falls and with it slowing gently, you can back down quite a ways to include more of the cascades below the falls if you so choose. The Widow’s Creek Trail ascends the right side of the falls but I didn’t venture up it past the top of the falls. There are several side trails that lead closer to the edge. If you use any of them to get a better picture, use caution.