Fall Hollow Falls

Random Spring Greenery at Fall Hollow Falls

The 1st Falls

It took my son and I about 30 minutes to recover from the hike back up the ravine from Stillhouse Hollow Falls.  It wasn't that the hike was horrible (although it felt like it at the time) so much as how out of shape I have become.  I have always been a big gal, but I have always been an active big gal.  That has changed and I could feel it with every step up that climb.  But I know when I return to Stillhouse Hollow the hike back won't be so bad!  Every day I hike gets me closer to the Earth Mama I was and am. 

About 30 miles from Stillhouse Hollow Falls was Fall Hollow Falls on the Natchez Trace Parkway.  The falls was conveniently on our way home too so while Orion wasn't quite up to hitting another waterfall, I knew he would feel differently after a good lunch, a rest, and a 30 minute drive.

The 2nd Falls

The first part of the hike was paved to a nifty little overlook of the first falls.  From there the trail became quite primitive and wet (as it had rained the day before).  While the full trail wasn't very long (half a mile), it was steep.  Orion skipped the long way around and took the shale-y 'ladder' straight to the base of the second falls.  We didn't spend too much time at Fall Hollow Falls but I plan to revisit this ravine when I can spend a bit more time! 



Runoff

Stillhouse Hollow Falls

Middle Tennessee enjoyed several pop up thunderstorms on Thursday with several earth drenching deluges.  Orion and I had originally discussed heading to Cedars of Lebanon to try out two or three of their shorter, level easy trails as a warm up.  But the rains promised spectacular waterfalls so I turned to the Hiking Waterfalls in Tennessee book that had arrived in the mail just days before to find a few, short hikes within an hour or two of home.  Find them I did.  Orion and I decided we would head to Summertown and start with Stillhouse Hollow Falls.  It's only 3 miles, Mr. Molloy reported. It's an "easy" trek the book confirmed. And the falls' beauty was rated 4 out of 5.  So off we headed in hopes we would hit Fall Hollow Falls and Jackson Falls on the Natchez Trace on the way back home! 

While Stillhouse Hollow Falls was worth every ache in my long ignored muscles and the thought I might not make it back up the steeper parts of the trail, it did knock the starch out of my britches.  We spent just over two hours.  The trip down took about 40 minutes and the return trip took about 50 minutes, with lots of huffing and puffing.  There is a shorter, but lovely falls about half way down.  Stillhouse Hollow Falls itself is quite lovely.  The temperature is about 7 to 10 degrees cooler at the base.  The water tumbles off the rock face into a shallow (about 12 to 18 inches deep) pool.  Would I bring the family?  Yes?  Could they spend hours enjoying flipping rocks in shallow water looking at snails, frogs, tadpoles, and crawdads?  Totally!  It may be a while before I make the 2 hour trip back this way, but I plan to return to Stillhouse Hollow Falls for each season. 

 

 

 

Weclome

Five years ago I described myself as a hiker and a camper.  My office and home are filled with framed photographs of some of the prettiest sights to see in Arkansas and Missouri.  I spent every weekend in the woods.  Five years ago today I graduated with my Ph.D.  A few months later I moved to Tennessee, one of the prettiest states I've had the pleasure of living in, and I stopped hiking. 


There are a million little excuses why I haven't take the time to hike, but no real reason.  So in an attempt to get to know my new surroundings and to spend time with my son, Orion, I have decided to get back to the Earth.  And to find myself. 
So I armed myself with a few guide books:  Hiking Waterfalls in Tennessee: A Guide to the State's Best Waterfall Hikes and 50 Hikes on Tennessee's Plateau: Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks from the Tennessee River Gorge to the Big South Fork and throughout the Cumberlands, both by Johnny Molloy, a new pair of Keen hiking shoes, and my son as Sherpa!  Sit back, bear with me, enjoy the pictures, and perhaps you might be compelled to get out and explore!