Skip to main content
LakeQuality

DeBord Falls is a small two-tiered waterfall of roughly 12 feet reached about 0.6 miles up the Panther Branch Trail in Frozen Head State Park near Wartburg. It is often hiked together with nearby Emory Gap Falls in a roughly 3-mile round trip.

Height
12 ft
Type
Tiered
Access
Short Hike
Trail
1.2 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
Not documented
Best season
Spring (high flow)
Land manager
Frozen Head State Park (TN State Parks)
Watercourse
Emory River (Flat Fork)

Before you go

Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Frozen Head State Park (TN State Parks) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

Frequently Asked Questions

DeBord Falls drops about 12 feet. That makes it the 658th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 4% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Panther Branch Trail reaches it about 1.2 miles (out-and-back), rated easy. The nearest town is Wartburg. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Frozen Head State Park (TN State Parks) for closures and current conditions.

Spring (high flow). Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

More Tennessee waterfalls

Get trip conditions by email

Lake grades, water temperature, and seasonal conditions as the data updates. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.