Virgin Falls, Little Chestnut Mountain

The area around Sparta, Tennessee is nicknamed "The Land of Falling Water" for good reason!  There were a couple of different hikes we could have taken, but one had some trails around the waterfall closed off from storm damage awhile back, so we decided to hike to Virgin Falls.  We didn't really know what we were getting ourselves into when we got started, but it was totally worth it!

But first we had to get there!

We were driving on a gravel road, about a mile from the parking area, and a little old guy was coming towards us driving a gator.  The road was pretty narrow, so Brad pulled off as far as he could and stopped, and then the man stopped next to us.  He told us he had grown up around the falls, and now he drives his gator in just about every day, just to see how many people are enjoying his old stomping grounds.  We chatted with him a couple of minutes, then he said, "Just a minute, I want to give you something."  He pulled this little guy out of a pouch he carries.  It's a little monkey, carved from a peach pit!  So cute!

So we made it to the parking area, and set off down the trail.  About 20 feet in, we saw this sign.

I believe every word of it.... now.  We didn't let it deter us!

This was the beginning of the trail.  It's cute how I thought, at this point, that the worst thing we'd have to worry about was staying out of the mud from the last two days' rain.

We had a couple of these little bridges to cross.

The trail followed this little stream quite a bit.

There were several small "teaser" falls along the way.  And the trail was beginning to get hillier and rockier.

The was called Big Branch Falls.

More of the stream.  In many places it disappeared underground, and would reappear farther down the trail.

This was called Cable Crossing.  There's a cable strung above the stream, to hold onto as you cross.  It wasn't entirely necessary today (although we clung to it!) but if the water was higher it would be very welcome!

More of the stream.

Part of our hiking path.

More little falls.

More "path".  We made sure to step very carefully.  It would have been a long ways to hobble out with a sprained something, and about 10 minutes into the hike, there was absolutely no cell service.

And then we came upon this... Big Laurel Falls.  One of the coolest areas along the hike.  The water falls over this rock ledge, and then flows underneath that ledge (back under where it fell from) and goes into this cave, where it disappears underground.

I had to climb down there and see the cave!

The stream of water from the waterfall swirled around the edge of the cave, and then disappeared underground.

This is where it is coming into the cave.

Where you see that log in the center is about where the water went underground.

From underneath the falls.

We finally got on our way again.

We came to a point where we had to make a choice.  It was only 3/10 mile farther to follow the path to Sheep Cave, so we said what the heck!

Pretty cool.  This water came out of Sheep Cave.

And this is Sheep Cave.  No sheep, though.

And then finally!!  We made it to Virgin Falls!!  Very impressive.  Totally worth the 5 mile hike in, the up and down climbing, and the terribly sore muscles I'm going to have tomorrow!  These falls come from an underground stream, drop 110 feet, and then vanish underground again.

This was our lunch view.  There also people there who had packed in their tents and things and were camping there.  We passed several couples who were either hiking out after camping, or who were hiking in to camp.

Brad on our lunch rock.

It seemed like the whole hike back out was uphill!  We took more breaks hiking out than we had going in.

Brad crossing back across the cable crossing.

We made it back out!  About a 10 mile round trip.  I'm guessing we won't be doing much tomorrow!