Jackie Steffan — 2.0 miles — 1 hour — Easy — 390 ft. Elevation Gain —
Northeast TN has so many waterfalls, and we think Martin Creek Falls often goes overlooked. This one is very easy to get to, not far from the town of Erwin, and is in the Cherokee National Forest. Although only a 20′ falls, it is still pretty and won’t be very crowded, so it deserves a visit.
Getting There
From I-26
- Take Exit 37 and turn towards downtown Erwin
- After 0.4 mile, turn right at the stop light onto N. Main Ave.
- After 0.3 mile, turn left onto Love St.
- After travelling through 4 stop lights, approx. 0.4 mile, take a slight right onto Okolona Dr. (there will be a school on your right)
- Keep going on Okolona Dr. for 0.5 mile, paralleling the school, and then turn left onto Martin’s Creek Rd.
- Continue to the dead-end in about 0.6 mile, where you will find a small gravel parking lot next to the closed forest service road gate.
The Hike
Walk around the forest service gate and start down the gravel road. Continue for approx. 0.9 mile.
Once you get near 0.9 mile, begin looking for a small sign posted on a tree on the left side of the gravel road. The sign has an arrow with the word “Falls” above it. Note: previously that tree was only marked by a blue ‘O’ spray-painted, which you can still faintly see near the base of the tree. Take the trail to the left of the tree.
The falls will be within earshot. You will proceed through rhododendron tunnels for less than 0.1 mile to reach the top of Martin Creek Falls. There is a somewhat steep and precarious trail, full of roots, next to the falls that will allow you to reach the bottom. Someone has apparently added a rope to help your descent and ascent. The pool at the bottom of the falls is remarkably clear. When you are done admiring this little gem, simply retrace your steps back to the parking lot.
Bonus, if you go in the spring, there are many lovely wildflowers along the gravel road on the way to the falls. The sheer number and variety of wildflowers was stunning when we went in mid-April. This is probably one of the best wildflower trails we’ve been on in the area.
