RATtreks

Lower Higgins Creek and Birchfield Camp Falls – 1-24-2012

This was another one of those places that I had not visited since at least 20 years ago, the last time being with the old Rat > Patrol Hiking Club which used to take this route all the time back then on our way to places like Bearwallow Gap, Rich Mountain, Wilson Knob, Frozen Knob, Big Butte, etc., as it is one of the most direct and easiest routes to do so. We never bothered to stop and climb down to the base of the Lower Higgins Creek Falls so I only had one primitive photo (taken with 110 film) of them (taken from the trail above) so I have been wanting to get back up there when the water levels were up to see if I could get some good pics. This opportunity came on a Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 when my waterfall friend Dave Aldridge invited me to go with him and Lou to see the Lower Higgins Creek Falls and then on up to Birchfield Camp Falls which I eagerly accepted.

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

We got an extra early start due to my working until 5am and wanting to stay up rather than try to get 2 or 3 hours sleep (which seems to make it harder to get up)  so, we met at Hairnt-Quarters around 8 am and after a short stop at the ‘Friends’ restaurant in Unicoi  for a light breakfast, we were at the trail-head by 9:30 am. There used to be an old house there but it burned many years ago.  There was two guys there cutting a sycamore tree up to make a custom door header for a house near there and come to find out one of them was born and raised in the old house that used to be there so it was in his family. He was a nice guy, a veteran,  recently back from Iraq and it did not take Dave long to learn that he was also a Mason. We also learned some very useful knowledge of a secret waterfalls that are hidden just below the Lower Higgins Creek Falls but can not be seen or accessed easily from there and, since I was familiar with the area he explained the secret route to me. There is an old log road that is well hidden on the other side of the creek which can only be accessed by crossing at just the right point and doing a short bushwhack and he described them as very tall and having cut a deep crevice in the rocks with a huge pool at the bottom. This I had to see so I was very thankful for this new knowledge. Since our first destination was the Birchfiled Camp Falls near the top of the mountain, we decided to go there first and stop at the Higgins Falls on the way back down and I felt that I could possibly negotiate down the steep cliffs on the other side to reach the hidden falls and then take the secret log road back out instead of going all the way back down the mountain and coming back up the log road to find the falls.

Lower Higgins Creek Falls (as seen from the trail above)

The water level was really high due to recent heavy rains for the past few days so crossing the creek was very difficult as there were few rocks showing and they were far apart but I managed to successfully keep my feet dry the entire day. There was a lot of water coming out of places that there is normally not any water making nice waterfalls and cascades, some of which were running right down the trail. It did not take long to reach the old baby blue #5 and the top of the Lower Higgins Creek Falls. There are a few sizable cascade-like drops above these falls at the top that can not be seen from below and they are all impressive. Not far after this and another creek crossing where a bridge used to be is the turn off to the Birchfield Camp Trail. This is where the Lower Higgins Creek and Birchfield Camp Creek  converge together. This was also a difficult crossing to make. From there it is only about two or three tenths of a mile up to the falls. There were some nice cascades along the way. These are not the tallest falls you have ever seen but, they are very nice and well worth the effort it takes to see them. After getting some pics of these I investigated further up the trail to see what the condition was like as this trail leads directly to the hidden lake on top of the mountain just below Frozen Knob. It is sometimes call Higgins Pond but only because Higgins Ridge leads to it as the water from the pond actually is the source of the Birchfield Camp Creek and not Lower Higgins Creek. I hope to walk this trail to the pond as soon as possible.

Birchfield Camp Falls

Birchfield Camp Falls

Birchfield Camp Falls

RAT standing on the large downed tree above the Birchfield Camp Falls

After Dave and Lou finished enjoying and taking pics of the Birchfield Camp Falls we made our way back down to Lower Higgins Creek and proceeded back down to the top of the Lower Higgins Creek Falls. From there we made our way down the super steep trail that goes straight down the bank there to the bottom of the falls. We stopped to take pics at different levels on our way down until we all ended up at the bottom. The water was so high that it was not an easy task to get across the creek to the other side and the feeder falls on that side below the falls were really kicking as these are normally dry. They are fed by two ponds located on Rich Mountain near Chestnut Knob above.

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

After enjoying the falls and the several smaller falls below them, I went a little ways downstream and found the top of the hidden falls that we were told about that morning. There was no getting down the right side that we were on as it is a vertical cliff drop so I found a place where I thought I could jump across to a large, moss covered rock in the middle, and hopefully from there  jump to the other side and then make my way down the rocky cliff on the other side to reach the bottom of the hidden falls. It was a risky venture and I looked back to see Dave and Lou shaking their heads as if to say ‘Don’t do it!” but I lunged across the roaring chasm anyway. I made it safely across and got some decent pics of the Higgins Creek Falls and the feeder falls from that side.

Lower Higgins Creek Falls (with view of feeder falls coming in on right)

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

There was no way they were coming across the creek there, so as they climbed back up to the road high above, I made my way down the other side to find the safest way to the hidden falls. I found my way down rather easily and when I seen the falls I was speechless as they are amazing. My first view was from the top and to the side of them.

Hidden Falls found below the Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Hidden Falls below Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Hidden Falls below Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Hidden Falls below Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Hidden Falls below Lower Higgins Creek Falls

They are at least 30 to 35 feet tall and have cut a narrow chasm far back into the rock which hides them. There is a cave-like area halfway down before they drop the rest of the way. It is no wonder why these are not known by many and I have not seen any pictures of them ever before. Here is a photo with me at the falls to give you a better idea of their height:

RAT standing on the hidden falls below the Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Here is a short video of these falls:

I spent a long time here enjoying these falls and trying to get photos of them while I waited on Dave and Lou to get there. I seen them when I first got to the falls high above on the trail there and gave them the 2 thumbs up and a loud ‘hairnt scream’ so they tried to get across the creek much further down but with the really high water levels that was not an easy task. I eventually found the secret old log road which was hiding behind some laurels just after the bottom of the hidden falls so I went to find out what had happened to them.

Hidden Falls below Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Hidden Falls below Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Hidden Falls below Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Hidden Falls below Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Hidden Falls below Lower Higgins Creek Falls

I did find them way downstream where they were trying to find a good place to cross. Since there was none, I told them they might as well get wet as the hidden falls were well worth it but, they crossed on a slippery log where Dave made it all the way across and then fell backwards in the creek ! The one time I did not have my camera ready ! Dave was pretty wet after that point and had to keep moving to keep warm but we all went back up the old log road to the hidden falls where they could enjoy them as I had done earlier before it came time to get out of there and get Dave into a warmer place. I climbed up on the falls so Dave could get a picture of me there for size comparison while he also checked the height using his Hypsometer. Looking back we could see not only the new hidden falls but the Lower Higgins Creek Falls above them in one view.

Mossy log in the Lower Higgins Creek just below the hidden falls

Going back was much easier than going in, aside from the creek crossings to get back to the road but, that was completed successfully and we were soon crossing the blue plywood bridge at the trail-head and back into a warm vehicle. It had been another awesome day in the woods and having seen a new and well hidden and mostly unknown waterfalls,  I was quite content and could not wait to come back again to show my friend Bol’Dar.

Lower Higgins Creek (not too far from the trail-head)

To see the complete set of photo`s for al these falls and more, please visit our Photo Gallery here.