Wild Senna growing along a roadside this Summer.
Elrod Falls Swimming
Dana & Kenny & Gabe Koogler
Michael & Tessa Lindsey
Saturday Aug. 22, 2020
Hike distance one way 0.10 miles
This album is a combination of several trips. Click arrow to right to advance. Begins with Elrod Falls photos.
We had planned all week long to do something this weekend with our grandkids all together. The original plan was to go down to Reliance and take them back swimming, exploring and for a cook out. The forecast looked very pretty bleak down that way. It called for rain off and on all day. We decided we'd best talk it over with them and figure out what was our best bet? After checking the forecast again and realizing that further northeast was going to be better Nanny came up with a better idea. We all decided we'd go to Morristown to check out the new, schmaltzy looking KARM store we'd been wanting to visit. We'd go thrifting then we'd eat lunch at Freddy's Frozen Custard down the road. From there we'd head another forty minutes northwest to Elrod Falls. We'd swim and play in the creek.
The thrift store visit was great. We found some awesome treasures for a bargain price. We had a yummy lunch at Freddy's. We started our drive toward Elrod Falls. Everyone was very happy and chill. I expected there would be other families at the falls today. I only hoped it would not be too crowded.
The drive up through Hawkins and Hancock counties was very pretty.
We around 1 pm to find several families there, but not crowded at all. Just right.
Families cooking out. Families with kids playing in the creek and swimming.
The place is absolutely beautiful anytime of year, but Summer is vibrant green.
We found plenty of parking and shade for the vehicle. We quickly hid in the truck or behind doors and put on our swimsuits and gathered up our water toys.
We had a 0.10 mile one way super short, easy walk to the falls. The kids were amazed at how short it was! It looked beautiful. Not a lot of water coming over the falls, but the water here is so sparkling clear. You can see all the way to the bottom of the plunge pools.
Above: arriving at Elrod Falls.. the first large pool of water is where most of the kids played.
Above: Papaw didn't get in and swim. He doesn't care for cold water.
Above: Tessa, Michael and Gabe are very excited. They are remarking how beautiful this place is! The three college aged guys in the far left of the frame are the only ones who went swimming in the upper plunge pool while we were here besides us.
Above: one of the shallow pools of water between the upper and lower pools.
Below: Looking back at the lower pool
Below: Tessa is getting in
Below: Gabe smiling in his floatie
Below: Michael and Tessa playing
Above: Elrod Falls is beautiful. Today it is a beautiful swimming hole and not as great a waterfall. During normal flow I'd put this falls up against any for scenic beauty.
Above: Underwater look at the ring. We had a set of five colored rings to throw in and hunt for underwater.
Above and Below I'm down in the water and Gabe is heading to me to come swim with Nanny.
Below: Michael is all smiles.
I swam with the kids. We hunted for objects tossed in. I took underwater footage with the Go Pro. I swam on my back looking up at the blue skies and trees. It was heavenly. I did flips backwards and forwards. I think I freaked out the young guys. I don't think they'd ever seen a granny swim before. I am the kind of person who will stay in the water and ignore the cold if I am having fun. I was having the time of my life. I should have known... that my fun was going to knock too many angels off the head of that pin that balances the universe. Things were going entirely too well. Gabe was yawning over and over. Between the full tummy and the exercise and the cold water he was sleepy. Kenny said he'd take him back to the truck and get him dried off and entertain him so we could linger in the water. It wasn't long til Michael and Tessa grew tired from the cold water and were ready to head out.
I love swimming in a place like this. The water smells good. Your skin feels and smells good when you get out of the water. It is sparkling and you can see all the pretty stones on the bottom and the shapes of the bedrock. The sound of the water flowing and the falls gushing. The sun shone down in one patch that made a bright gold spot of sunbeams all the way to the bottom of the pool. I swam into it and could feel how the rocks of the falls had warmed the water. It was several degrees warmer here than the rest of the plunge pool.
We went back to the truck and began the process of drying off to get ready for the next thing. We had been considering driving home via Rutlege Pike and stopping by Buffalo Spring for the kids to play in the water there. Gabe has been, but the older two had not.
Kenny and Gabe got out on the drivers side of the truck. I went round to the passenger side to get my clothes and my camera. The door was locked. No problem. I'll go back to the drivers side. The door was locked. Gulp. I had the sinking feeling we were in a bad spot. Kenny immediately realized what had happened. He had locked us out of the truck completely. No cell phone signal possible down in here. We were too far out in the boonies for that.
We thought what to do. There was only one thing for it. He did not want to call a locksmith and potentially bung up his new truck paint job. He asked a man .. the dad of a family who was there if he'd give him a lift out to the main road so he could get a phone signal to call our daughter for help. The fellow was super nice and readily agreed. Within 15 minutes Kenny was back and had reached Crystal. He gave her instructions how to find us and where the keys were. Two hours later ..She arrived with the keys and the ordeal ended.
We were safe. We were not cold or hot or hungry or thirsty. Just bored and a little annoyed. Kenny will look into options to prevent that from ever happening again. If he'd had On Star service and an app on his phone... within fifteen or twenty minutes we'd have been out of there. Lesson learned.
Other than that we had a splendid time and I'd definitely go back. The people we encountered were great. The mom of the family... checked on us before she left. She gave us extra bottles of water just in case. We thanked her and graciously accepted them. We had a couple bottles of water and green tea and a few snacks, but it was a good back up. It is a nice place that does not feel in any way unsafe as far as crime or the vibe of the place. It is great.
I'll be back. I want the keys to the truck though when we get out. An adult really needs to take charge of them.
Below is a video of Elrod Falls from our day of fun.
Below is a video of Elrod Falls from our day of fun.
Directions to Elrod Falls:
From Hwy 31 Yount Town Road-- turn onto Elrod Falls Road and stay on it for 1.5 miles. It is well signed. There is one more turn to stay on Elrod Falls road, but again it is signed and the road dead ends at the parking area. You will be within sight of the falls. There are trash cans provided. No restroom facilities. No changing rooms. There is a picnic pavilion and a couple tables you will have passed on your way to the end. There is no phone signal down in this holler so keep that in mind.
The hike to the main falls is 1/10th mile easy. The upper falls are reached by hiking another 0.20 miles up the right side of the falls if facing it. There is a rope provided, but it is not an official trail. Use great care and please don't try to take kids on that part of the trip.
Also It is worth mentioning that I was able to find out through the Hancock County Historical Society that it IS ok to camp there, but again... no hook ups or bathrooms for campers. The ground in the meadow is beautifully green and lush grass. It is also marshy and soft and would be a great place to get stuck. So be cautious if you go where you park the camper or set up the tent.
