Burgess Falls PIctures Part Three

The last set of falls is referred to as the "Big Falls," and they do not disappoint. If you want to see the picture in a larger view, just click on it.


We saw this pine tree laying across the river. The stump on the right side of the picture used to have that tree on top of it. It was a very big tree.







After checking out the Big Falls from the scenic overlook, you can walk down a steep set of stairs to view the falls from the top edge.




After walking back up the steep stairs from the top of the Big Falls, you can choose to hike down a not-well-worn trail to the bottom of the falls. It's very rocky and kind of slippery, and completely worth the effort.








It felt so good at the bottom of the falls. There was a really nice breeze, and add the mist from the falls, and I completely cooled off from my hike down the side of the mountain/valley. But what goes down must go up, at least to get back to the car. Rather than take the trail back up, I decided to take a short-cut. I would have to scamper up about twenty-five feet of rock face, but what is a twittercation without a little adventure, right? After I made it back to the top of the trail to the bottom of the falls, I just had another set of stairs to climb to get me back to the main trail, and I got a couple of pictures from there, too.

Burgess Falls Pictures Part Two

The falls in these pictures are of the Middle Falls. The only way to see these is from a scenic overlook.

This used to be a rope bridge that people could cross the river on. It is obviously out of service now.
















Seen along the trail.



















We climbed these stairs to the scenic overlook.

















The Middle Falls

















Apparently, the thing to do is to carve into the trees along the trail. The thing to do, that is, if you are young and a vandal.

Burgess Falls Pictures

The next few posts will be still picturs of our visit to Burgess Falls State Park. I'll add commentary here and there, but not much. If you click on the pictures, you'll be able to see a larger view of them.

These pictures are of the first set of falls, known as the "Small Falls."























If you look closely, you can see a white bird in the water just to the right of the big bush that is growing in the middle of the river.

Growth on a rock along the trail.

Burgess Falls

Since our visit to Muddy Falls was a bust, we decided to head over to Burgess Falls State Park.

The land where Burgess Falls State park is located has been associated with the Burgess Family for over two hundred years. In 1793, Thomas Burgess (1756-1840) was given a land grant as payment for his service in the Revolutionary War. The Burgess family recognized the water's power potential and opened up a grist mill and a saw mill. In the 1920's, the energy from the waterfalls was harnessed to provide electricity for the area, which continued until the arrival of the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1944. In 1973, the state named Burgess Falls a State Natural Area.

Background information out of the way, if you ever have the opportunity to see Burgess Falls in person, do it. The 1.5 mile trail is moderate in difficulty, but it is well worth the reward. This place is gorgeous. The Falling Water River drops 250 feet in less than a mile, washing over rocks in three falls: Little Falls (a thirty foot drop), Middle Falls (eighty foot drop) and the Big Falls that is a 136 foot drop for the river.





You get the idea. Pictures coming in next post.