Turtletown Falls
The drive to Turtletown Falls is through the Georgia mountains, and it is beautiful
Last August, Jesse and I drove up to rural Farner, Tennessee to hike the trail to Turtletown Falls. Turtletown Falls is located just north of the Georgia border, but even closer to the North Carolina border. Turtletown Falls is within the Cherokee National Forest.
The drive to Turtletown Falls is through the Georgia mountains, and it is beautiful. As you get closer to the trailhead, it becomes more and more rural. The road itself for the trailhead is easy to miss. It isn’t marked except for a little brown sign that says “1166 National Forest.” The trailhead is at the end of a forest service road. We did not know this so of course we brought the Corolla – it ended up being okay! However if you are going on a rainy day or have the option to bring a car with more ground clearance, you probably should. You know you’ve made it when you reach a very small parking lot next to Turtletown Creek.
We visited in late August – this was a perfect time to see wildflowers and butterflies. I have never seen so many butterflies in a parking lot! We really got lucky with our timing. Once you park the car head towards the brown gate and you will find the start of the trail.
The trail is a 3.8-mile lollipop loop. We did not try the loop; we just hiked to the waterfall and back. The trail is not marked with blazes, but it does have a clear path. The trail is very pretty, following alongside Turtletown Creek. The trail does have a little up and down, but it wasn’t that difficult at all. The most difficult thing that day to deal with was the heat and humidity!
On the trail, there were tons of wildflowers, mushrooms, and cool bugs
On the trail, there were tons of wildflowers, mushrooms, and cool bugs. It probably took us slightly longer to hike because I kept stopping for pictures to log on to iNaturalist. But who says you need to hike quickly? Taking your time on the trail, you see so much more. Jesse was able to spot a river otter in the creek. So, while you are here definitely keep your eyes peeled for wildlife!
While hiking, we finally came to the spot on the trail that splits for the lollipop loop. Jesse and I took a minute to decide which way to go. Like I said earlier, it was very hot and humid that day. We wanted to take the shorter hike to the waterfall. This trail has no blazes, no signs, just a clear path. Luckily, a nice couple was coming up the trail as we were trying to decide which way to go. One of them said that she just happened to read on Tripadvisor, “when in doubt go left.” And she was right! I was very thankful we ran into them. And sure enough, right at the start of the split, is a hidden arrow carved onto a tree.
If you don’t want to hike the entire loop, take the left and go straight to the waterfall. It is still a little bit to go; the waterfall isn’t right there. But the hike is sure worth it!
Turtletown Falls is a double waterfall. At the base there are large rocks – perfect to chill and watch the waterfall. The waterfall is loud, the water is cool, and the view is great. While there, look for crawdads and other little critters!
The waterfall is loud, the water is cool, and the view is great
You can continue hiking from this point to continue the loop, or you can go back the way you came for an out-and-back hike. To get to the waterfall, it was 1.19 miles and took us about 51 minutes. The entire hike was 2.37 miles with an elevation gain of 316 feet. We loved this hike! The waterfall was a rewarding destination, but seeing all of the butterflies, wildflowers, and other wildlife made it even better. We definitely recommend hiking this trail in late summer – just make sure you bring enough water because it will be hot.
Once you make it back to the parking lot and crank on the A/C, you’ll hear a little voice in your head saying, “You deserve a li’l treat!” Where will you find that li’l treat? How about Copperhill Brewery?
Tips for your trip to Turtletown Falls:
● If possible, drive to Turtletown Falls in an SUV or truck due the trailhead being at the end of a forest service road.
● The service is not great in this area, so make sure if you go alone that someone knows where you are headed to!
● Look for butterflies, wildflowers, and even a river otter! There is so much wildlife on this trail.
● Don’t pick the wildflowers!
● When in doubt on this trail, keep left! Thank you to the nice couple on the trail who shared that with us!
Happy Trails,
Katie & Jesse
Turtletown Falls Trailhead directions: 318-338 Newman Rd B, Farner, TN 37333. Google Map
35.1268011° N | -84.3532883° W
Last Updated on January 13, 2026
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