Hike and Climb at Beautiful Foster Falls in Tennessee

1 hour and 40 minutes from Nashville

2 mile (or more) round trip hike

Foster Falls is part of the South Cumberland State Park system and is surrounded by awesome-ness. The 60 foot falls are beautiful, and there is climbing, camping, and hiking right there too. You can really get your nature fix if you choose to do them all.

I have included Foster Falls in my Nashville waterfall list, but they are also only 1 hour from Chattanooga.

If you are only coming to see the falls, take a dip, and hike back out, it will be a 2 mile round trip hike from the Foster Falls parking lot.

The hike to the falls is beautiful. You start at the parking lot, follow the boardwalk, then take the Foster Falls Trail. Make sure to look down at the falls from the viewpoint on your left. You will eventually get to cross over a swinging bridge that will take you over the creek to the base of the falls.

Many swim at the falls in the water below. As always, be careful when swimming near strong waters.

Foster Falls from afar – don’t miss this little lookout

If you have a dog who has a fear of suspension bridges, be prepared to carry it 🙂

Rock climbing

Many come to the Foster Falls area to rock climb some of the best walls in the Southeast. The sandstone cliffs are not far from the falls, and I highly recommend it if you are into outdoor climbing. If not, it’s worth watching the climbers for a bit. There are lead routes and some trad climbing. I loved climbing here. See this website for all the deets.

Rock Climbing

Camping

This is a great option if you want to do some exploring in the park. Foster Falls Campground is a car camp campground with 26 campsites. They have a bathhouse with heated showers and flush toilets, a picnic table and campfire ring at every site. There are also some options along the Fiery Gizzard Trail that involve some backpacking/hiking to get to them. See the website for details and reservations.  $8-45 per night.

Fiery Gizzard Trail

This 13 mile (one-way) trail runs right past Foster Falls and is known for being one of the best hikes in the nation. If you want to hike this entire trail only once you will need to park a car at each end.

We camped for a night and woke up early to climb the next day. A full day of climbing, a cool-off swim in the azure water below the falls, and a drive back to Nashville. It was a perfect day.

In conclusion, if you live in Nashville or Chattanooga, Foster Falls are a must-see. They are so impressive and allow you to do so much in one day. Enjoy the beauty.

Address: 498 Foster Falls Rd, Sequatchie, TN 37374

For the other best waterfalls near Nashville, head over to this post! I even include a map so you can plan out all your waterfall trips. And for the free and cheap yoga in Nashville, click here!

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