Tellico Falls
Cherokee County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Cherokee County, North Carolina
- Access status
- National forest old road; river ford required
- The walk
- About 1.6 miles each way
- Ground & access
- Moderate when the water is low; very difficult when it is high. A river ford and a scramble path. Slippery rocks.
From Murphy, go north on Unicoi Turnpike for 2.8 miles and turn right on Hanging Dog Road. Follow it 5.4 miles and turn right on Davis Creek Road. Follow this 10.7 miles and park on the right immediately after crossing the Tellico River. Walk up the gravel road upstream along the river. At 1 mile cross a bridge; just past a campsite the old road reaches a ford of the river. Cross Peckerwood Creek at 1.2 miles. At 1.6 miles a scramble path leads down to the base of the lower section of the falls. The upper section is a little further on the old road.
Plan your visit
Davis Creek Road at the Tellico River crossing, old gravel road upstream with a river ford, scramble path to the falls
Waterfall Hero gives a hike length of 3.2 miles; the scramble path to the lower section is at 1.6 miles.
Moderate when the water is low; very difficult when it is high. A river ford and a scramble path. Slippery rocks.
Where to start
On the right side of Davis Creek Road immediately after it crosses the Tellico River. Published trailhead coordinates: 35.25990, -84.07306.
Timing & water
The ford cannot be crossed when the water is up. Waterfall Hero says the bushwhack that avoids the ford is extremely difficult.
Before you go
No fee is mentioned in the source read. Nantahala National Forest, Tusquitee Ranger District.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
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