Waterfall Hero Hikes: Coon Den Falls (Dennis Cove)

Coon Den Falls is an 50-foot waterfall on Coon Den Branch, a tributary of Laurel Fork in Carter County, Tennessee. The waterfall is located in Dennis Cove Recreation Area in Cherokee National Forest.

Hike Length: 1.2 miles
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Dennis Cove Recreation Area (Watauga Ranger District of Cherokee National Forest)
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: Moderate
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are slippery.
Trailhead GPS: 36.25700,-82.11181
Waterfall GPS: 36.25334,-82.11906

Directions:

From Elizabethton, head south on US-19 E for about 5 miles to Hampton and turn left on US-321 south. Go 0.8 miles and turn right on Dennis Cove Road. Follow this for 4.8 miles to a parking area on the left just before the bridge over Laurel Fork.

Map:

Hike Description:

Cross the street and pick up Coon Den Falls Trail (#37) that runs parallel to the road for the first 1/4 mile, then turns left to head up along Coon Den Branch. There are some nice cascades along the trail.

At 0.6 miles, there is a fork - right continues up on the trail towards the Appalachian Trail while left is a short spur to the base of the waterfall.