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East TennesseeLamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park

Rocky Fork Creek Trail

A gentle streamside walk up Rocky Fork Creek past cascades, deep pools, and giant boulders in Tennessee's highest-altitude state park.

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Cascades and clear pools among boulders along Rocky Fork Creek at Rocky Fork State Park
Photo by Tfbybyhf, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Length
1.4 mi
Elevation gain
300 ft
Difficulty
easy
Route
out-and-back

Trail conditions

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Elevation

0.7 mi · 188 ft of climbing · high 2,533 ft · low 2,357 ft

Find the trailhead

Parking

Gated trailhead on Rocky Fork Road in Unicoi County; free. Access is a narrow one-lane road with limited parking, so carpooling is encouraged.

Directions to parking

Weather at the trailhead

75°FOvercast now

Sunrise 6:12 AM · Sunset 8:48 PM

  • TodayOvercast76° / 58°F12% precip
  • WedOvercast83° / 59°F3% precip
  • ThuThunderstorm82° / 65°F82% precip

Forecast from Open-Meteo. Mountain conditions change fast; check again before you go.

From the gated trailhead, a well-maintained gravel path follows Rocky Fork Creek upstream along old logging grades, passing a long run of cascades, clear plunge pools, and house-sized boulders. The creek is a wild trout stream, and the route connects to steeper trails like Headwaters and Whitehouse Cliffs for a longer day or a Blue Ridge overlook.

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