Lower Higgins Creek Falls, TN

Fall is here. Autumn is my favorite season – it’s cold, but not such that Interstate travel is a life-and-death gamble, and the trees are blushing with an array of colors. Football dominates the television and big game flees to deeper woods. It’s amazing.

 

I’m often the one to initiate my and Diana’s hiking adventures, but in the case of the hike featured in today’s post, the opposite was true. With the local foliage near peak, Diana demanded to go for a hike a couple of weeks ago – and I was more than happy to oblige.

Diana kindly delegated the hike selection to me, and I chose a relatively short hike to Lower Higgins Creek Falls. I had never hiked this trail before, and even though I knew the water-levels wouldn’t be such to provide for a breathtaking waterfall hike, I knew the scenic trail and the fall foliage would allow more bang for our buck. Lower Higgins Creek drains from the top of the Rich Mountain, between Frozen and Chestnut Knobs, along the northwest border of Unicoi County and the northern edge of the Rocky Fork tract – remote, rugged, and beautiful terrain.

We started early, hoping to finish the hike in time to accommodate plans that afternoon. The early start forced us both to bundle-up – the temperature was near freezing when our boots hit the ground. The trail begins at the terminus of Lower Higgins Creek Road, where it crosses a footbridge of questionable stability as it climbs into the Rich Mountain backcountry. From there, the trail slightly climbs into the valley as it follows Lower Higgins Creek, which becomes farther and farther below the trail along the hike.

We stopped for a break half-way to the falls

The hike was relatively uneventful and short – in only a mile of hiking, the falls are easily visible about 100 feet below the trail. There is a faint spur trail which leads down to the falls from the main trail; in some places, the descent can be tricky. I climbed down first and inadvertently found the ill-advised places to step, while Diana abandoned her pack at the top and made her way down much more gracefully.

As predicted, the water-levels weren’t spectacular, but it was a beautiful scene. Bundles of fallen leaves had stuck to the wet rock-faces and had gathered in small eddies all along the creek. The sun had risen such that it made photography difficult – half of the falls was completely shaded, whereas the other half was brightly lit. Diana and I stayed at the base of the falls for quite some time, joking, snapping pictures, and enjoying the outdoor experience she had requested.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The return hike to the 4Runner was easy – all downhill, and while it had warmed significantly, the autumn crispness lingered in the air. The wind was blowing sporadically and gusts, filled with colorful leaves, crossed the trail, and while it was impossible to photograph, the scene was gorgeous.

As we pulled away on our return to Erwin, the hike had filled us both with a contentment found only by those with a desire to enjoy this brief, rewarding time of year. We laughed as we saw how our head/ear coverings had made a mess of our hair, and as we drove off, my camera that I had sat on the roof of the 4Runner slid over the windshield and crashed onto the rocky parking area. Other than a purely cosmetic dent, it’s fine.

Incidents like this keep me from having a better camera; I can’t have nice things.

Thank God she's got my back!

Thanks for reading!