Sparkling swimming holes and jaw-dropping waterfalls, all in a two-mile hiking trail? Sign me up!
With three beautiful waterfalls, picturesque rocky gorges, inviting plunge pools, and an iconic spiral staircase, the Greeter Falls Trail in Tennessee is definitely worth hiking!
Before you venture to Greeter Falls, there are a few things you should know. As a local Tennessean who’s hiked this trail, explored these waterfalls, and splashed in these swimming holes, I will tell you everything you need to know about the Greeter Falls Trail in Middle Tennessee.
In this guide, I’ll share how to get there, the best time to go, when the waterfall is usually flowing, what to bring, important know-before-you-go info, and exactly what to expect as you hike this awesome “bang for your buck” waterfall trail from start to finish.
Greeter Falls Trail Guide: Waterfalls & Swimming Holes!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on the links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks so much for your support!
Directions & Parking
Greeter Falls is tucked inside Tennessee’s newest state park, Savage Gulf, in Middle Tennessee.
An hour and 15 minutes from Chattanooga, two hours from Nashville, and 2 hours 45 minutes from Knoxville, Greeter Falls is a popular day trip destination for many Tennesseans, including myself!
To find the Greeter Falls trailhead from Highway 56 (or Main Street) in Altamont, turn onto Greeter Falls Road and drive for about 0.7 miles until you reach the large parking area.
Click here for Google Maps directions.
A few important things to note about Greeter Falls:
- There are no restrooms.
- Inner tubes, noodles, and other water toys are not permitted.
- The area closes at dark.
- Trail and park access are free!
- Glass is prohibited.
- Jumping from the falls is not allowed.
- Dogs are welcome, but must be leashed, even in the water.
- There are no lifeguards on duty at any of the swimming holes. Stay safe and make smart decisions.
Hours
The Greeter Falls Trail is open from sunrise to sunset. No hiking is allowed after dark.
Overnight parking is prohibited. If you’d like to stay the night in the area, I’d recommend camping at Greeter Falls Campground, just about a half-mile down the road.
Dogs
Leashed dogs are permitted on the entire trail system in Savage Gulf, including Greeter Falls. Make sure to be a responsible pet parent by picking up after them!
Leave No Trace
Just like everywhere else, it’s important to Leave No Trace when recreating outdoors.
Leave the trails, swimming holes, and waterfalls exactly as you find them. This includes packing out your trash, not carving the trees, and not moving or stacking rocks.
Bonus points if you bring a trash bag and pick up other hikers’ garbage along the way!
When to Hike the Greeter Falls Trail + Are the Falls Always Flowing?
The Greeter Falls Trail and waterfall are beautiful year-round! But it’s important to note that the falls don’t flow at the same rate throughout the year.
The falls are usually at their heaviest flow in the wettest seasons – winter and spring.
Summer and fall bring drier conditions, so the falls are typically a lot lighter during these seasons.
So when is the best time to go? Well, it depends on your preferences! Here’s what you can expect at Greeter Falls, season by season:
- Winter: Cool temperatures, no crowds, flowing or frozen waterfalls
- Spring: Mild temperatures and low crowds in the early spring, warm temperatures and more crowds in the late spring, flowing waterfalls
- Summer: Hot temperatures, high crowds, and light waterfalls
- Fall: Warm temperatures and more crowds in the early fall, mild temperatures and low crowds in the late fall, light waterfalls
We hiked to Greeter Falls the first week of June. The falls were flowing heavily, and the temperatures were hot enough to swim. Win, win!
What to Bring
Here are some essentials to bring for your day hike to Greeter Falls:
- Swimsuit. Mine is lightweight and perfect to wear under a hiking outfit!
- Lightweight pack towel. For post-swims
- 10 essentials – Don’t hike without packing these items
- Day pack – To store all of your essentials
- GoPro. Having a waterproof camera around waterfalls is a must
- Packed lunch – Have a picnic with a view by one of the waterfalls
Greeter Falls and Blue Hole Trail Description
- Length: 2 miles
- Elevation Gain: 370 feet
- Type of Trail: Loop
- Difficulty: Moderate
There are several different route combinations that you can hike from the Greeter Falls trailhead. A few of your options include:
- A 1-mile lollipop trail that leads to all three waterfalls
- A 1-mile out & back trail that leads to the Blue Hole
- A 2-mile lollipop and out & back trail that leads to all three waterfalls and the Blue Hole
If you’re interested in extending your hike, or even backpacking, the trail system continues past the Greeter Falls loop for many, many miles.
For the sake of this blog post, I’ll share what to expect on the most popular route, which is the 2-mile lollipop and out & back combo trail that leads to all three waterfalls and the Blue Hole.
About a tenth of a mile from the trailhead (which is just south of the parking area), you’ll come to your first junction. This is where you’ll have a fun decision to make: go left or go right?
Going right will lead you to the vibrant Blue Hole swimming hole, while going left will take you to all the pretty waterfalls (Upper Greeter, Lower Greeter, and Boardtree).
The half-mile jaunt to Blue Hole is quick and uneventful. The trail has a very subtle, mild elevation loss all the way to the swimming hole.
The trail ends at the river, but the official swimming hole is just downstream from the rapids section. The water down there is deeper and much calmer!
When you’re done swimming and/or exploring, retrace your steps to get back to the junction.
Back at the junction, continue straight, following the signs for Greeter Falls.
About a quarter-mile past the kiosk, you’ll reach another junction. Since this begins the looped portion, you can choose to hike in either direction. We chose to go right so that we reached Greeter Falls first.
If you go right like we did, you’ll soon approach a towering rock wall.
Just past the rock formation, you’ll reach this sign below.
Turning right will take you on a short path to Upper Greeter Falls, which looks like this:
Turning left will take you to Lower Greeter Falls, which is the most well-known waterfall. It looks like this:
Perhaps the most iconic part of this entire trail is the spiral staircase that leads down to Lower Greeter Falls.
The spiral staircase is very steep and can be slippery, so watch your step.
After descending the staircase into the gorge, there are a few more steps to conquer before you’re at the base of the falls and the swimming hole.
The views along the way are jaw-dropping.
One of the things I deeply appreciate when visiting waterfalls is room to spread out. And there was plenty of that at Lower Greeter!
Even though there were about a dozen people down there with us, it never felt crowded.
We picked a giant boulder in the middle and hung out for a couple of hours, splashing in the water and playing cards.
The sparkly blue pool at the base of the falls is so enticing, you likely won’t be able to resist taking a plunge.
Once you’re ready to move on to the next waterfall, head back up the steps and the spiral staircase, and then turn right.
In roughly a half-mile, you’ll reach the third and final waterfall on the loop, Boardtree Falls! Once you see/hear the falls, take the steep, narrow path off to the right to get down into the gorge.
While it’s not nearly as steep as the descent to Lower Greeter, there are no stairs here, so you will have to do a tiny bit of scrambling.
Boardtree doesn’t get as much love as Lower Greeter Falls, but we absolutely loved it! We enjoyed everything from the scramble to the bottom to the surprise of walking right up to the waterfall!
Part of the appeal was that, unlike Greeter, there was no one down there. So we were able to enjoy the falls all to ourselves.
To complete the loop and get back to the trailhead from Boardtree Falls, climb back up out of the gorge and turn right. Follow the signs until you reach the beginning.
Even though the junctions are all pretty well marked in this area, it’s helpful to download offline maps ahead of time. I’d recommend AllTrails, especially for beginners! Use my code alexysabroad30 to get 30% off your membership!
FAQs About Greeter Falls
Can You Swim at Greeter Falls?
Yes! There are many amazing swimming holes along the Greeter Falls Trail, such as the Blue Hole and at the base of the lower falls.
Swimming is not advised at the upper falls due to the current and steep drop-off just downstream.
How Hard Is the Hike to Greeter Falls?
It’s moderately difficult. The steepest part is the descent into the Lower Greeter Falls gorge.
Are There Bathrooms At the Greeter Falls Trailhead?
No. If you have to go while on the trail, make sure to find a spot 200 feet from the trail, and pack out all solid waste and toilet paper.
I always bring my Kula Cloth! It’s so much better than dealing with toilet paper.
Can I Camp at Greeter Falls?
Camping is permitted at the campground that is about a half-mile from the Greeter Falls trailhead parking lot.
If you’re interested in backcountry camping, there are many primitive campgrounds in Savage Gulf State Park.
How Tall Is Greeter Falls?
The Upper Falls (pictured above, left) is 15 feet tall, while the Lower Falls (pictured above, right) is 50 feet tall.
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Burgess Falls
- Rock Island State Park
- Fall Creek Falls State Park
- Lost Sea
PIN IT AND SAVE THIS POST FOR LATER!
