Upper Dennis Cove Falls

Getting there is half the fun... The 1.6 mile hike to Upper Dennis Cove Falls is a beautiful adventure. It's beautiful in that you walk through a tunnel of rhododendron along the cascading Laurel Fork Creek. The adventure is in making three creek crossings. This time of year, with water levels way down, getting across is manageable. At other times of the year, you may have no other choice but to wade across. Both the upper and lower falls are cascading waterfalls (with drops of 25' and 10') which form large pools at the base perfect for a summer swim. Click here to see my photo of the lower falls. Click here, here and here to read what others have said about this hike.

Directions: Hampton, TN is located between cities of Elizabethton and Roan Mountain on Highway 19E. Once in Hampton, turn north onto route 321/67 toward Mountain City. Drive 0.8 miles and turn right immediately in front of the Citizen's Bank onto Dennis Cove Road. Take this incredibly curvy and steep road for about 5 miles. (At 4 miles in, you'll pass by a parking area on your left for the trailhead to Laurel Falls -- soon after that, you'll pass by Laurel Fork Lodge on your left). At 4.6 miles, if you look carefully to your right, you'll see a trail heading up into the woods which leads to Coon Den Falls. At 4.9 miles you'll see a gravel parking area on your left immediately before crossing a single lane bridge (which leads to the Dennis Cove Campground). The trailhead is to the right of the bridge and is well-marked. It's a 1.6 mile hike to the upper falls. After the third creek crossing, you'll eventually come to a short trail to your right leading to the lower falls. Continue back on the main trail for a short distance and another spur to the right will lead you to the upper falls.