Discovering Tennessee State Parks by J.L. & Lin Stepp

Author:J.L. & Lin Stepp
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mountain Hill Press
Published: 2018-04-06T04:00:00+00:00

The Twin Falls section of Rock Island State Park, on the other side of the Caney Fork River, was previously accessed by crossing over Great Falls Dam, but the road across the dam is now closed to traffic. The visitor center can provide clear directions to the Twin Falls area, which can be accessed now by following Hwy 287 from the park, turning left on Hwy 136, crossing the bridge, turning left on Power House Road at the park signs, and following until the road dead ends at the river and powerhouse. From the parking area, a steep set of stairs leads down to the Twin Falls Down River Trail. This is a beautiful 1.6 miles moderate hiking trail along the ridges above the Caney Fork River with spectacular views of the Twin Falls and its many cascades all along the way.

Twin Falls pours out from the walls of the gorge instead of over the gorge, dropping 80 feet into the river below. These glorious falls and cascades did not exist before 1925 when the Great Falls Dam was built. The damming of the water caused the river upstream to divert into underground limestone caverns, to then later pour out of the gorge walls below the powerhouse. Just above the powerhouse area two other trails wind down into the gorge to border the river. The 1.6 miles Downstream Trail is the more moderate one, with several small falls along the way, and the short 0.5 mile Upstream Trail the more strenuous. Kayakers love playing in the pools below the falls, but care is needed throughout this area and swimming is prohibited. Currents are swift and water is often released into the river from the powerhouse. Warning signs at many points caution swimmers and hikers to watch for sudden rises in water levels or to get out of the water should they hear siren warnings.

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