So Who Really Cares?

There was a demonstration going on when I entered the nature center to get a trail map.  A park ranger was explaining how they rehabilitate rescued raptors.  The ranger was holding a leather strap that was attached to a hawk’s leg as the hawk sat on her heavy falconry glove called a gauntlet.  She explained the types of raptors native to the area and how they work with injured birds.  The nature center presents the geology, ecology and history of the park with static displays, demonstrations and movies, and also houses a nice gift shop.

The trailhead is just below the nature center and starts on a long swinging bridge that traverses the Cane Creek Cascades, which was the first set of falls I encountered.  A short climb takes you to the top of the ridge where the trail splits into the Woodland and the Gorge Overlook Trails (both trails link back together before reaching Fall Creek).  The Gorge Overlook Trail is slightly longer by about a quarter-mile and offers several side trails with views of the Cane Creek Gorge.  I took the Overlook Trail and quickly came to the first overlook. It provided an excellent view of the Cane Creek Fall (85-ft) and the Cane Creek Cascades (45-ft).  Other overlooks on the trail were less impressive as the views of the gorge were obscured by heavy foliage.  

Linking back up with the Woodland Trail after a little more than a mile, the leaf covered path started a gradual decent to a plank bridge over Fall Creek, then back up to the top of the parks signature falls, Fall Creek Falls.  The path continues to a nice wooden-fenced overlook directly opposite the falls where you can really enjoy the vista.

From here, I traveled a half-mile trail to the base of the falls.  This was the part of the hike I enjoyed the best.  The trail is labeled “moderate” but even with some large boulders and scree to traverse, it is not difficult, and part of the way down is via a staircase.  

Don’t forget to look up while on the trail to observe the rock outcroppings and trees growing out of the rock faces.  At the base of the falls you get a better perspective of the magnitude of the falls. Listed at 256 feet, the plunging Fall Creek Falls is noted as the highest free-fall waterfall east of the Mississippi River.  Just a small amount of ice was visible at the top of the small fall and ice and slush were starting to form at the base, but the larger fall showed no signs of freezing. 

In the winter the falls become ice curtains and are beautiful.  If you enjoy winter weather, January or February would be a good time to view the falls.  

Returning from the bottom of the Falls via the trail, I revisited the overlook then backtracked to the two trails junction and returned by way of the Woodland Trail.  Please note that neither trail is blazed, but there are periodic wooden signs with identifiers.  After a short hike I ended back where I started at the swinging bridge.  I crossed to the far side of the nature center to a second overlook of the Cane Creek Cascades to enjoy one last look.

My hike route took about 3-hours and covered 4-miles and would rate this hike as “easy” and doable by anyone of any age.  There was a lot of time spent stopping to take photos and enjoy the surroundings. If you were hiking for fitness and not enjoyment you could cover the distance in less than 1-1/2 hours. 

I did not realize that just a short distance up the road was the Cable Trail.  This trail leads to the base of Cane Creek Falls so I missed out on this experience.  Reading after the fact, the trail is listed as “moderate/difficult” and requires some scrambling over rocks.  There is a cable to assist you in climbing down and back out.  The distance is listed as 6/10-mile each way.