Waterfall Hero Hikes: Mary Falls (Round Knob)

Mary Falls, or Mary's Falls, is a 35-foot waterfall on a tributary of Davis Creek in Artie Hollow in Greene County, Tennessee. The waterfall is located near Old Forge Recreation Area in Cherokee National Forest.

Hike Length: 3.7 miles
Estimated Time: 3 to 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Old Forge Recreation Area (Unaka Ranger District of Cherokee National Forest)
Trail Users: Hiking only for full hike, bikes and equestrians permitted on Davis Creek Trail
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: Low
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are slippery. Artie Hollow Trail is overgrown and requires creek-walking. The scramble down to the falls is very steep.
Trailhead GPS: 36.06518,-82.68055
Waterfall GPS: 36.05929,-82.69858

Directions:

From Greenville, head south on TN-350 for about 8 miles and turn right on Greystone Road. Drive 2.5 miles and turn on Round Knob Road and follow this 4.4 miles to the end. It changes to gravel and becomes Forest Road 88 after a mile or so. The road is rough in places but suitable for 2WD.

Map:

Hike Description:

From the parking area, pick up the yellow-blazed Davis Creek Trail (#19) that descends steeply. At 0.4 miles, cross a tributary of Davis Creek and the trail levels out a bit following this tributary downstream. Cross the tributary and then a different tributary before reaching Davis Creek at 1.1 miles. If the water is up, this will be a wade. Once across, turn left on the blue-blazed Artie Hollow Trail (#18). This trail is overgrown and narrow, but I found it relatively easy to follow. The trail will cross the tributary from Artie Hollow then follow it upstream on river-right side. At about 0.4 miles from Davis Creek, the trail crosses the tributary again and then pretty much stays in the creek for a ways. At 0.6 miles, the trail leaves the creek back to river-right side. Mary Falls is right off the trail a few hundred feet past this point. It is a very steep climb down to creek level for a good view.