Big Bend Falls

GPS for waterfall:  34.95321, -83.11874

Water source:  Chattooga River

Height:  approximately 25 feet

Parking:  Main parking for Big Bend Falls is the same parking for the Winding Stairs Trail and Miuka Falls, going north on Highway 107, at 34.94115, -83.08987, just before you reach the Cherry Hill Recreational Area and campground.  Alternatively, if you have a high clearance, 4WD vehicle, you can drive down Big Bend Road, which is just across the road from the Winding Stairs parking area, to cut some off of the hike.  I have not done this, so I can’t say what the road is like or how far you can go.

Hike:  From the Winding Stairs parking, the hike is just under 7 miles round trip, all of which is trail, until you reach the falls.  Once you reach Big Bend, there are three distinct paths down to the river from the trail.  Take the second path to reach the spot for the photo shown above.  It is a bushwhack/scramble/slide the whole way down, so be careful.  The first path down will end near the top of Big Bend Falls, and does not offer any views of the falls for photography.  The third path down is dangerous and slick, and ends at the river out of sight of the falls.