Riley Moore Falls is a great place to waste a summer day. The area features a natural, sandy beach and plenty of room to spread out and play in the Chauga River. The cascade is only 12 feet high, but it’s 100 feet across. It’s reminiscent of Hooker Falls, but bigger. This area is absolutely gorgeous. The falls, river, and shoreline combine for a perfect swimming hole.
Much like Bee Cove Falls, the hike to Riley Moore Falls requires the descent of a primitive road before you get to the trailhead. Unless you have a 4×4 with high clearance, I would not recommend driving down the road. Just park on the main road and walk down the rutted, muddy road. It’s only ½ mile to the trailhead and then another ½ mile to the falls, making this a 2-mile out-and-back. It’s downhill to the falls and uphill back to your car.
The map point below will take you to the intersection with the primitive road that leads to the trailhead. There’s a parking area where the road ends at a locked gate. There is probably room for eight cars. The trailhead is to the left of the gate.
The hike is easy and surprisingly flat until the final descent to the river. Then you’re presented with a sandy beach and a beautiful view.
Overnight camping is allowed in the area, so expect to see other people there. I happened to drop by after torrential rains. The water was high and muddy, but I had the place all to myself.
If you want to see what the place usually looks like, click the location link in the Instagram post below.
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This area is filled with waterfalls. Some have proper trailheads with parking lots and others are hidden gems just off forestry roads. I own and use this book to plan multi-site trips. The waterfalls are broken down by region, so it makes planning easy. I highly recommend it.
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