Tallulah Gorge–North Rim Trail, South Rim Trail

January 16, 2012

By JP

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 4 Miles

Starting from the Terrora Day Use, hikers can access both the North Rim and South Rim of Tallulah Gorge, as well as gain excellent views of the Dam and Tallulah lake that sit above it.

North Rim Trail

Starting near the restrooms at the entrance to the Day Use Area, hikers begin the trail by passing under the Hwy. 441 bridge. From there, one can opt to continue along a relatively flat dirt path to the beginning of the gorge floor staircase (Note: continuing down the stairs to the floor is prohibited without walking up to the interpretive center and getting a permit).

Along the trail are 5 observation areas with views of several of the falls and gorge floor. Continuing Past Observation Point #3 will bring hikers past the interpretive center to the North Wallenda Tower, Observation Point #1 and the North Wallenda Tower.

South Rim Trail

Returning back down the North Rim Trail to the 441 bridge (or one can make the entire loop by accessing the gorge floor trail (with a permit), crossing the bridge and continuing up the south side of the gorge) climbing the staircase by the bridge, and then following along the bridge’s sidewalk to the south side of the gorge rim.

From this side of the Gorge, hikers can gain views from Observation #6 and #7 of Hawthorne Pools, Tempest Falls, Hurricane Bridge, and the Interpretive Center on the other side of the falls.

This section of the hike runs very close to the highway, but a highway retaining wall with a beautiful mural and some stone seating areas can be seen as well.

Returning back to the vehicle does not require crossing the busy highway. On the return, a set of metal steps climbs back down the bridge on the south side, and provides even better views of the Tallulah dams, and stairs can be accessed across the bridge with another side walk going back to the Day Use area and lake.