Plan a trip

When to go

Flow and crowds change through the year. These are the land managers' own notes.

• Cherokee and Hemlock Falls: Georgia State Parks says winter and early spring bring the strongest, most constant flow.Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites, checked October 26, 2026
• Little River Falls: On late spring and summer weekends, the lot is often full by 11 a.m. Central.Little River Canyon National Preserve, checked October 26, 2026
• Greeter Falls and Blue Hole: The lot fills early in peak season; the park says to arrive early.Tennessee State Parks, checked October 26, 2026
• DeSoto Falls: The small lots often fill on weekends, and there's no overflow or roadside parking.Alabama State Parks, checked October 26, 2026
• Lula Falls: Open only on the first and last weekends of each month, by reservation.Lula Lake Land Trust, checked October 26, 2026
• North Chickamauga Creek Gorge Blue Hole: Closed for construction from March 23, 2026, for about a year.Tennessee State Parks, checked October 26, 2026

Water safety

Chattanooga Falls never says whether swimming is safe. Here's what the land managers themselves warn about.

• Little River Falls: The Park Service says the river can rise quickly from storms upriver, and is slow to drop.NPS Little River Canyon, checked October 26, 2026
• North Chickamauga Creek Gorge Blue Hole: The park says flash flooding can happen any time rain is in the watershed.Tennessee State Parks, checked October 26, 2026
• Big Soddy Creek Gulf: The city warns of flash flooding and falling boulders.City of Soddy-Daisy, checked October 26, 2026
• Little River Falls: The Park Service warns you can be carried over the falls in seconds, and says rescues and deaths have happened there.Little River Canyon National Preserve, checked October 26, 2026
• Greeter Falls and Blue Hole: Tennessee State Parks bans climbing on or jumping from waterfalls or cliffs in any park area.Tennessee State Parks, checked October 26, 2026
• Greeter Falls and Blue Hole: No lifeguards at the park's swim areas.Tennessee State Parks, checked October 26, 2026

Every spot page loads the National Weather Service's flood alerts live. If that check fails, the page says so instead of showing nothing.

Questions

Where can I swim near Chattanooga?

The land manager allows swimming at Big Soddy Creek Gulf, Foster Falls, Greeter Falls and Blue Hole, Lula Falls and North Chickamauga Creek Gorge Blue Hole. Each has its own rules, on the swimming page.

Which spots are free?

Free: Big Soddy Creek Gulf, Fall Creek Falls, Foster Falls, Glen Falls, Greeter Falls and Blue Hole, Little River Falls and North Chickamauga Creek Gorge Blue Hole. Benton Falls, Cherokee and Hemlock Falls, DeSoto Falls and Lula Falls charge for parking or entry. The land manager for Ozone Falls doesn't list a fee. See Fees and passes above.

Do I need a reservation?

Only for Lula Falls, which opens on its Open Gate Days by reservation. No reservation, no entry.

Can I bring my dog?

All twelve spots allow dogs on a leash. Some add their own advice; each spot page has the details.

How do you know if a spot is open?

From each land manager's own pages, checked every few hours. A posted closure always wins, and a check more than a day old shows "Status unknown." See every spot now.

Is it safe to swim?

We don't say, for any spot. Creeks here can change fast after rain upstream. We report whether a spot is open, its rules and live flood alerts, so you can decide.