Laurel Fork Falls – Hampton Trailhead

— 5.5 miles — Moderate — 3 hours —

If you were to ask me for the best waterfall hike in the Appalachian Highlands, I would tell you Laurel Fork Falls via the Hampton Trailhead. Not only will you hike to a 55 ft. waterfall, but you will also walk by sheer rock faces, cross mountain streams, and hike a section of the famed Appalachian Trail.

This hike is spectacular at anytime of the year, but I highly recommend going after a heavy rainstorm for higher flows.

Getting There

From I-26:

• Take Exit 24 towards Elizabethton
• From here there are 2 options to get to the trailhead
• Option 1:
  • Continue 7.7 miles on US-321 N and W Elk Ave. through Elizabethton
  • Yield left onto Broad Street at the fork (there is a light here, use the left 2 lanes)
  • After 1 mile, turn right onto US-19E S
  • Continue on for 5.1 miles
  • Turn left onto US-321 (There is a Shell gas station and Dunkin’ at this light)
  • Continue for 1.3 miles to reach the trailhead parking lot on the right. The trailhead is easy to miss, so I like to use the bridge just before as a landmark.
• Option 2:
  • Continue 4.7 miles on US-321 N
  • Turn right onto W G St.
  • After 0.4 miles, turn right onto Mary Patton Hwy (or TN-362 S)
  • Remain on TN-362 S until it ends, approximately 5.5 miles.
  • Turn left onto US-19E and continue for 2 miles
  • Turn right onto US-321 (There is a Shell gas station and Dunkin’ at this light)
  • Continue for 1.3 miles to reach the trailhead parking lot on the right. The trailhead is easy to miss, so I like to use the bridge just before as a landmark.

The Hike

The trailhead parking area fits about 8 cars, but it can fill up quick! If you want to find a space on a weekend, get there early (before 9:30 am). In the back right of the parking area, there is a gate. This is where the hike begins. For the first mile of the trail, follow the blue blazes, this is called the Hampton Blueline Trail. After about 0.25 miles, the trail sharply turns to the left. There is a sign here with a blue blaze that says “Trail”, follow this to the left. The trail will lead you through a meadow with lots of wildflowers and powerlines above. Bear left at the end of the meadow and head back into the forest.

After a short distance, keep right at the split; there is a Pond Mountain Wilderness sign here directing you to the correct trail. The right trail will descend a set of stone stairs, towards the creek. From here, the majority of the trail follows the creek. Be sure to take some time to enjoy the massive cliff face! About a mile from the trailhead, the Hampton Blueline Trail intersects with the Appalachian Trail (AT). Turn right on the AT and follow the famous white blazes.

Over the next half mile, you will cross over the creek a few times using very picturesque wooden bridges. There is another split after the second bridge, where you should bear left and stay on the AT. The AT becomes steep at this point and you will climb up for less than a quarter of a mile. At the top of the ridge, there is an option to take the High Water trail (left) or stay on the AT (right). I recommend staying on the AT, which is the route the rest of the article will follow.

The AT descends back toward the creek from here. The trail eventually leads you to my favorite part of the hike. After about 0.5 miles, the trail reaches a large boulder; the path forward is only recognizable by the white blaze painted on the rock. Walk along the rock, to the right of the blaze and along the edge of the rock, next to the water. The rock to the left of the blaze doesn’t lead anywhere, causing you to turn around and slide back down. After the rock, there are more large cliffs to the left.

The AT continues along, rising and falling with small to medium sized rocks to maneuver around. You will likely start hearing the falls at this point. When you reach the stairs, turn right and continue down to the creek and base of the waterfall. Find a nice log or rock to take a rest and enjoy the view! While the water looks nice and refreshing after a hot hike, do not swim in the pool. There are strong undercurrents and there have been drownings.

When you’re ready, retrace your steps and head back to the trailhead!

There is another trail from Dennis Cove that also leads to Laurel Fork Falls. This is about 2.3 miles; we will discuss this route in a later post!