Updated July 2026
Stinging Fork Falls
Stinging Fork Falls is a roughly 30-foot waterfall in a pocket-wilderness gorge near Spring City on the eastern Cumberland Plateau. The moderate trail descends about a mile into the gorge to the base of the falls.
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 Tennessee State Natural Areas (Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stinging Fork Falls drops about 30 feet. That makes it the 533rd-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 23% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Stinging Fork Falls Trail reaches it about 1.9 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 403 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Spring City. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Tennessee State Natural Areas (Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area) for closures and current conditions.
Spring (highest 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
- Abrams Falls · 20 ft
- Bald River Falls · 90 ft
- Benton Falls · 65 ft
- Big Falls (Old Stone Fort) · 30 ft
- Burgess Falls · 136 ft
- Cane Creek Falls · 85 ft
- Coker Creek Falls · 40 ft
- Conasauga Falls · 35 ft
Sources
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