What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of East Tennessee? Probably the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but there is so much more to this beautiful region. Join Go Outside ambassador Andy Crawford as he takes a tour of some of the natural wonders to be found outside of the national park — places you’ll largely have all to yourself!
Drive through the foothills of East Tennesse and you’ll find old barns tucked into the rolling terrain. These cool barns, part of a working farm just outside Jefferson City, were beautiful as the rising sun threw light through the treetops.
Waterfalls are found all over the East Tennessee foothills. Rockwoods’ Ozone Falls is one fine example. The 110-foot cascade creates a turquoise pool that just begs for you to sit and relax. The trail down the cliff face is challenging, but not the most difficult trail I’ve ever found.
There’s little more exhilarating than a sunrise over the mountains, and there is no shortage of East Tennessee overlooks that provide the panoramic views one would expect. I drove up to the Mt. Roosevelt Overlook near Rockwood to capture the colorful sunrise.
There also are many quaint little towns — or remnants of towns — scattered throughout the foothills and into the Smoky Mountains proper. This amazing store, which also serves as a post office and general gossip corner, is located on the banks of the Hiawassee River in Reliance.
This little slice of heaven is located in the Laurel-Snow State Natural Area on the outskirts of Dayton. This wonderland was a new discovery, but it’s one of the most spectacular places I’ve found in East Tennessee. It’s definitely worth the visit. I know I’ll return when I have more time to fully explore it.
This old building in Reliance, Tennessee, was built in about 1899 by the Hiawassee Union Missionary Baptist Church and the local Masonic Lodge. It also served as a multi-use community building and schoolhouse. It sits on the banks of the scenic Hiawassee River and remains part of the Southeast Tennessee Religious Heritage Trail. Just one of the many historic old buildings to be found while driving the back roads of East Tennessee.
Benton Falls is located in the Cherokee National Forest just to the east of Benton. Access is along a pretty easy, well-maintained trail. And it’s a great place for a sack lunch.
There’s no shortage of gorgeous water features in this part of the state. I was drawn to this little scene while driving the forest service roads off the Cherohala Skyway just west of Tellico Plains.
Head back toward Nashville to visit beautiful Rutledge Falls just outside Tullahoma. This gorgeous, tiered cascade is actually on private land that the owner has graciously allowed public access to. So be sure and leave it as pristine as when you arrived.
The Tellico River, located just to the west of Tellico Plains, is the most beautiful river you’ve never heard of. The road through the gorge provides eye-boggling scenery around every twist and turn. And during the fall color change, the beauty is overwhelming.
Bald River Falls is one of two named waterfalls within the Tellico River gorge. It is formed as the Bald River spills over a 90-foot cliff just before the confluence with the Tellico River. And it’s right off the road, so just pull into the parking area and enjoy the scenery without breaking a sweat.
Hop back in your car and drive less than a mile to the second named waterfall, Baby Falls. But what the cascade lacks in height it more than makes up for in beauty. This is a waterfall kayakers love, although there have been some deaths involved.
I showed up at the Tellico River’s Baby Falls in October of 2021 to find the first signs of the fall color change. I had to carefully scramble down the steep, rocky banks to set up below the waterfall to capture the brilliant colors in the trees and the rush of water.
The agricultural history of the region is told in the old barns found throughout East Tennessee. I was driving east near Murfreesboro when I saw this old barn sticking above the surrounding cornfield.
Near Lake Ocoee is little Rock Creek, which provides a couple of wonderful waterfalls. Just park at the Clemmer Trailhead and look for the little sign that reads “waterfalls.” It’s definitely worth the hike.
An unexpected find was the Harrisburg Covered Bridge in Sevierville. I was just driving along a back road when I saw a small sign pointing the way to the bridge, that was built in 1875 and is still used today. Amazing!
No visit to East Tennessee would be complete without a stop at Fall Creek Falls State Park. This overlook, which is easily accessed right off a parking lot, is the park’s hallmark. At 256 feet, Fall Creek Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in the Eastern United States.
You never know what you’ll encounter when driving the back roads in the East Tennessee foothills. This donkey was standing right next to the road, and didn’t know what to make of my camera.
Make the 1-mile hike into Stinging Fork Falls to find a stunningly beautiful cascade into a turquoise pool. Most of the hike is fairly flat, with just the last quarter of the trail adding a little vertical challenge. But even then it’s not too difficult. And it’s definitely worth the effort.
Another wonderful drive is along Mill Creek Road, which stretches into the Cherokee National Forest near Elizabethtown. Mill Creek tumbles down the mountain, creating wonderful scenes like this along the way.
