5 Great Family Friendly Waterfall Hikes in The Lower Appalachians

We’ve learned a few important lessons on our adventures. When it comes to enjoying God’s creation, we’ve learned having payoff is huge when approaching a hike…especially with children in tow! One of the most important criteria Leah and I use when planning our family hikes with is what the hike features. As long as it has rocks to scramble and water to play in or near, along with a “payoff” the hike makes our family list. And waterfall hikes fit that bill perfectly! Who doesn’t enjoy the rush from feeling the power of water while cooling off in the mist produced by these magical cascades?

We recently traveled through the surrounding lower Appalachians area and thought it might be interesting to share the details of some great waterfall hikes we enjoyed there. This article is not for the hardcore trail-beater who isn’t happy unless his/her feet are raw by the end… Sorry. However, this will be a great resource if you are an adventurous family looking to spend some time enjoying a mild challenge with your kids in nature – with a great payoff.

This is not an exhaustive list, as we are limited by time and distance – so I am sure there are some other great spots in this region. Don’t forget we are a Full-Time RV family with two awesome kids in tow – use the link to check out more About US if this is your first visit with us.

With the current global condition, families continue to pour to the outdoors looking for “safe” activity. I am glad that outdoor recreation is being enjoyed by more people, however, it can lead to an undesirable congestion of some beautiful places while “trying to get away from it all”. That being said, Leah and I find ourselves choosing “lesser known about” places during off-season times to avoid the crowds. The hikes listed fit within this category.

This is a list below is a recap of the waterfall hikes we enjoyed while in the region of the Lower Appalachians. As we traveled through the Asheville, NC area mid-June of 2021, we decided to do the first three in one day. You can catch a quick glimpse of our time and the awesomeness my kids showed me while in that area in a prior blog: Space to Soar.

1. Skinny Dip Falls – Asheville, NC

We chose this hike first on our trip as it is said to be a popular stop, and now that we’ve been there, we know why. On a hot summer day, I would have to imagine it is very popular. Parking at Looking Glass Rock overlook, the trailhead is right across the street. It is a relatively easy out and back hike at just under 1 mile. This is totally kid friendly and boasts some awesome variety of rocks and roots to navigate over as well as the “Dragon Tree”. Upon making the decent, we went up river after crossing the bridge to the first pool with a small waterfall. It is an awesome spot to do some small rock jumping if your clan is adventurous enough to brave the cold water. As I understand, it stays cold year round. Hitting this pool first, early in the day allowed us to enjoy it by ourselves. As a few groups began to wander in, we decided to head downriver to bask in the sun, enjoy our lunch and play with riverside creatures before heading out. Definitely wear your suits and bring your lunch or some snacks to enjoy with your little ones on this hike. Check out the Asheville Trails website for more info.

2. Sliding Rock Recreation Area – Asheville, NC

Although not a typical park and hike spot, this one is worth it for the young and young at heart. Upon entering, I was somewhat dismayed by having to pay to park as well as the volume of people already there. I was out for some solitary hiking with my family! However, upon seeing the excitement of my kids when we got our first look at the 60 foot natural rock slide spilling into a pool of cold water – I was in. If nothing else, the people watching is worth it – trust me! I hate lines, but this one moved fast while watching people slip and stumble on the natural rock followed by screaming down the slide and ending in an icy plunge. The area is well managed with casual lifeguards for safety. With the popularity we witnessed, this is a good idea in the end. Check for updates as seasonal and weather closures occur frequently here – check out the Forest Service website for more details.

3. Looking Glass Falls – Asheville, NC

Following our route along US 276 – a super fun and scenic drive, by the way – we stopped at Looking Glass Falls. Again, hardly a “hike” as it is under a half mile – it is great for the short attention spans of kids. It is fun, quick, and has the great payoff of a fantastic waterfall. The falls measure around a 60 feet straight drop from cliff to pool. And the cool part? Playing and swimming in the surrounding water, at your own risk, is allowed! Often times a waterfall of this magnitude and popularity is visible from an observation deck only – so I would recommend visiting now before this becomes the case! Although not bath water by any stretch, this pool was considerably warmer than that of Skinny Dip Falls and Sliding Rock. It was a great way for our family to end that awesome day of waterfall chasing. Again, check the NFS site here for any recent updates.

4. Cummins Falls – Cookeville, TN

Although a tad bit west of what one might consider the Appalachians, Cummins Falls State Park is a must-visit if in the area with adventurous kiddos. At two miles round trip, it is a bit longer hike to reach compared to the first three waterfall hikes mentioned. However, it is totally worth it. The hike itself is fun, with a good decent into a gorge followed by over a half mile of shallow water crossings, rock scrambling and minnow chasing. Once arriving at the falls, the gorge itself is plenty large to pick a rock and enjoy a packed lunch before or after swimming in the water fall hole. For the more adventurous, which is each one in our family, it is acceptable to navigate the slippery rocks and climb the water fall which is made up of several shelves. So, after you take that selfie while posing under the cascading water, pack your phone in a water proof bag and try the 12 foot jump in the pool below. Hey, my 5 year old son and 8 year old daughter did it! And I’m not talking about the selfie part! Due to water fluctuations, you should prepare by checking the Tennessee State Parks Website. PS – they even have life vests down at the fall to borrow if you need one and forgot yours!

5. Hemlock Falls Trail – Rising Fawn, GA

This hike is one of many great hikes in the less popular, yet fantastic, state parks category out there: Cloudland Canyon State Park. We stayed in the West Rim Campground which gave us access to a connecting trail to this one as well as the West Rim Trail. Although the elevation gain does not look super impressive on trail apps, the Hemlock Falls Trail will get you breathing with its many stairs (I think Faith counted each one and was at 497 each way). Although the payoff of reaching this falls was only looking, not playing (this is an observation point waterfall hike), we were able to make our fun along the trail and creeks we encountered on the way in and out. A very fun hike that will require some positive encouragement for your little ones on a humid day. You can visit the Georgia State Parks website here for more info on Cloudland State Park – like I said, a must visit if in the area!

So if your adventurous family is planning a trip in the area of the Lower/Southern, Appalachians, I would highly recommend each of these places to visit. If you are looking to increase your time spent on trails with your kiddos and could use any tips to make the trips successful and more enjoyable (uh, yeah – that’s me!) please consider subscribing. We’ve traveled…and learned…a whole lot with kids and want to pass our tips onto your active family! We will continue to write about our adventures and suggestions regarding family friendly hikes and how to do it well!

Until next time…

Enjoy Your Journey!