Tallulah Gorge Hike, Slide and Swim

After arriving at the park, we'll get the permits to hike the floor of the gorge at the Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center. The reason we depart so early is to be there at 8:15-8:30 AM and have a better chance of getting them. Save those permits in a safe and dry place and be prepared to show them if a ranger asks. 

If for any reason we cannot get the permits, we'll have a back-up hike at the Panther Creek Falls Trail.

The plan is to walk down the Hurricane Falls Staircase, which has about 550 steps. Cross the suspension bridge and, at the bottom, get past the gate that says "Permit Required". We'll have to go to the other side of the river. A dry crossing is possible, but be prepared to have to step in the water. Then we'll scramble along the rocky margin of the river until we reach the Bridal Veil falls. The terrain is very uneven. There is one place that is slightly slippery, so you may want to wear shoes with good grip. At the falls, we'll stop for a swim, slide, have lunch, relax, take pictures and enjoy the views. The slide is really fun, I recommend you try it, if you've never done it before.

Getting out of the deep pool may feel tricky. The most obvious place is not the easiest. If you are not a good swimmer, check where you are going to get out of the water before you get in. There is also a shallow pool, so knowing how to swim is not required for this trip. Just stay out of the deep waters and away from the slide.

After a couple of hours, we'll hike back the sliding rock trail.  This is rated a D4 mostly because of this hike out of the gorge and the scramble along the river. The Sliding Rock Trail trail is a very steep (45° inclination) trail. It is not very long, but it is still strenuous.

The pace of this hike is leisurely. After we have the permits there is no reason to run. The total hike is only about 4 miles. Important: If it rains the night before or if rain is forecast, the hike may be delayed, postponed or cancelled. The park doesn't issue permits if the rocks are wet. Rain makes the hike on the gorge very difficult, if not impossible.