Cloudland Canyon Trails

View or Download PDF Map of Cloudland Canyon State Park

Offering picturesque views into the canyon, the Overlook Trail is a flat, easy, one-mile roundtrip path.  It leads along the rim of the canyon to the Main Overlook, then continues onto a second overlook.  Benches along the way offer opportunities for relaxation and contemplation.

The Waterfalls Trail is a strenuous, 1.8-mile roundtrip hike that involves 600 stairsteps one way.  Visitors who take the trail are rewarded with the sight of Cherokee Falls after ½ mile and then Hemlock Falls about ½ mile further down the canyon. The quantity of water over the falls varies greatly from month to month, but, in general, winter and early spring offer the greatest flow.

Named after Jacob Sitton, an early settler on Lookout Mountain and owner of a prominent sawmill, Sitton’s Gulch Trail is a strenuous 6-mile roundtrip hike that parallels cascading, boulder-strewn creeks downward to the mouth of Cloudland Canyon.  Wildflowers abound along the lower section of the trail in springtime.

A 5-mile moderately strenuous trail, the West Rim Loop provides several overlooks that showcase the park’s rugged geology, deep canyons, dense woodland, and views beyond.  From the Main Trailhead, hikers drop down to cross over Daniel Creek, then proceed uphill to a rocky promontory.

This easy 1-mile roundtrip trail takes visitors to an observation deck overlooking the unique meadow ecosystem and fishing pond area of the park.  Explore the meadowland on the grassy paths.  In the summer, thousands of wild blackberries are ripe for picking.

The moderate 2-mile loop provides access to the park’s backcountry campsites but is also a nice hike in itself.  In a clockwise fashion, the trail slopes gently downward through oak woodland on its way to a small stream and dark groves of eastern hemlock, then climbs approximately 200 feet back up to the trailhead.

The CCT offers great workouts for mountain bikers, trail runners, and long-distance hikers.  The CCT is 14 miles one way and can be accessed from four trailheads.  Portions of the CCT are also open to horseback riding.

• Tell someone your itinerary and expected return time.
• Be prepared for unexpected weather changes by dressing in layers and carrying rain gear.
• Take a map, water, snacks, first aid kit, flashlight, and whistle.  Three short blasts on a whistle are known as a call for help.
• Do not stray from trails.  If you become lost, stay in one location and wait for help.
• Don’t count on cell phones to work in the wilderness, but if they do, be able to give details about your location.  Note the numbers on checkpoint posts as you hike.
• Keep all pets on a leash.
• Pack out all trash.
• Do not pick flowers or disturb wildlife.
• Protect your park by staying on trails.