Granny Burrell Falls

Hike Description: You’ll descend on Panthertown Valley Trail (#474) from the gate for 0.3 mile to Salt Rock, which offers a wide-open view of the valley. Continue descending on the road. At 0.59 mile, you’ll reach a fork. The right fork leads to Frolictown Falls and Panthertown Creek Falls. Go left, remaining on Panthertown Valley Trail. You’ll descend to a three-way intersection. Panthertown Valley Trail goes straight ahead and leads to the east access for the valley. Turn right on Macs Gap Trail (#482). The trail passes a campsite in 0.1 mile. About 200 feet beyond the campsite, the trail forks. Both routes lead to the same spot. Macs Gap Trail goes left. It passes through a white-pine plantation with no understory—just a bed of pine needles and running cedar. It’s difficult to follow the trail through the pines. Look for the plastic magenta blazes. Shortly after exiting the white pines, you’ll come to a bridge over Panthertown Creek. About 125 feet beyond the bridge, you’ll reach a fork. Turn right on Granny Burrell Falls Trail (#486), which leads 0.1 mile to the falls.

Overview: See the Panthertown Valley introduction for general information about the area.
Granny Burrell Falls is a popular destination for hikers entering the valley from the west entrance. It’s especially popular in summer, as the waterfall is great for sliding, swimming, and soaking up the sun. The pool is among the largest on any stream in the mountains and has a sandy beach to boot. The overall setting is more scenic than the beauty rating suggests, but the waterfall itself is not remarkable.
If the water is up, you won’t get a good view of the falls from the river-right side without getting wet. If wading isn’t an option, you can return to Macs Gap Trail, cross the bridge, and follow a path up the river-left side to an open view of the falls.
Many years ago, I was camping with a group at the campsite on Macs Gap Trail. Late one evening, I hiked to Granny Burrell Falls to take a creek bath. I’m not sure what possessed me to do so, but I started belting out my best coyote howl. One member of our group had decided to spend the night on Little Green Mountain. He returned to camp the next morning with a wild tale of hearing a pack of coyotes in the valley below. Today, it’s not unusual to hear a coyote in Panthertown Valley. But during the late 1980s, the only howling came from nuts.
From the falls, Granny Burrell Falls Trail continues following Panthertown Creek on the river-right side. It’s a typical creek path in Panthertown—winding, rooty, draped in rhododendron. It’s about 0.25 mile to a T intersection at Great Wall Trail (#489). A left turn leads to Panthertown Creek Falls. A right turn leads across Panthertown Creek, then to Deep Gap Trail (#449). From there, you can access Frolictown Falls and Wilderness Falls by turning left. A right turn on Deep Gap Trail brings you back to Panthertown Valley Trail near Salt Rock. Each of these waterfalls has a separate listing.

Directions to Location:

1. See the Panthertown Valley introduction for directions to the Salt Rock Gap trailhead, on the west side.

Trails and Waterfalls can be dangerous; take no chances, only photos for memories. Read our Safety and Insider tips to have a safe, fun and enjoyable trip to Jackson County.

Leave No Trace — Seven Principles

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

For more details, visit www.lnt.org
©1999 by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics