544 – Enloe Creek Falls

Accessibility – Hard (due to elevation)

Height – 22′

Distance – 6.6 miles (out and back)

Beauty – 3 (but could be higher)

Photo rating – 6

Solitude – 5

GPS Info: LAT 35.61139 LONG -83.26126

Last Updated – 01-12-2023

Last Visited – 05-25-2019

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It is truly a shame all that crap was lying over the side of the falls on my visit. I absolutely love the shaoe of this waterfall. Enloe Creek Falls is about 22′ feet, with so maney ledges. It’s on my revist list, and hopefully it’s cleared up some, or I will have to clean it up a bit.

The trailhead is on Straight Fork Road at these coordinates: 35.60889, -83.22287. There is a wide area to park. I don’t know if they still gate this road in winter.

The hike: From the parking area follow the road toward Hyatt Creek. If you can’t figure out which direction, this is not a hike you’re going to enjoy. The Hyatt Ridge Trail is a hundred feet or so down the road on the right hand side. The trail will immediately start climbing, and the entire time you are on the Hyatt Ridge Trail it will only go up. It is 1.9 miles to reach the top of Hyatt Ridge, the elevation gain is about 1500 feet. The trail is rocky and in several places water was running along it. The good news is you’re at the high point of the hike. At the top of the ridge the Hyatt Ridge Trail makes a right. Stay straight onto the Enloe Creek Trail. The next mile is all downhill and leaves you at a metal bridge over Raven Fork, and backcountry campsite 47. Corss the bridge on the Enloe Creek Trail. The trail will band into the Enloe Creek drainage about 0.25 of a mile from the bridge.

You can hear the falls from the trail, but you just climbed over that mountain so you’re going to want to take a closer look. The woods are open and easy to navigate except for the stinging nettle. I kid you not. I left the trail at this point 35.61157, -83.25998 and headed down to the creek. That may or may not be the best place. You’re going to have to pick a place to make the descent. Yu get an okay look from river left, but the better view is on river right. It was pretty deep the day I had to cross. If you wasn’t cussing on your way up to Hyatt Ridge the first time, you now get another chance to climb it during the return hike.