Blue Hole
Elizabethton, Tennessee · on Mill Creek · Cherokee National Forest
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- waterfall pool
- FALLS
- Waterfall on site
- ACCESS
- Local spot, unofficial
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Blue Hole
Blue Hole (also called Blue Hole Falls) is a multi-tiered waterfall and plunge pool on Mill Creek in the Cherokee National Forest, reached via a short trail off Panhandle Road outside Elizabethton, Tennessee. It is a popular, informal summer swimming hole known for its turquoise-blue water and a deep pool below the falls.
The spot sits in a wooded canyon in the Cherokee National Forest (Watauga Ranger District area) off Panhandle Road (also referenced as National Forest Road 202/NFSR 56), a partly gravel forest road branching from TN-91 northeast of Elizabethton. A gated path descends through forest with tree roots and wooden steps into the creek canyon where a series of about four cascades tumble into the main pool.
Swimming at Blue Hole
The main plunge pool below the falls is described as roughly 15 feet deep and about 40 feet wide, with cold, spring-fed water that appears turquoise, emerald, or blue depending on light and water clarity. A rope swing has been present at the pool. Shallower, wadeable sections exist below the main pool, making the spot suitable for a range of swimmers, though sources caution that jumping is risky due to submerged rocks and uneven depth.
How to get to this swimming hole
From Elizabethton, take TN-91 north/east roughly 9-10 miles toward the Stoney Creek/Shady Valley area, then turn left onto Panhandle Road (National Forest Road 202, also cited as NFSR 56) at the Cherokee National Forest sign. Continue about 1 mile on this partly gravel road to small pull-off parking on the left; the trailhead begins at a gate and descends via wooden steps about 0.25-0.5 mile to the falls and pool.
Parking: No formal parking lot; small, informal gravel pull-offs along Panhandle Road with limited capacity. Multiple sources note it fills quickly on summer weekends and recommend arriving early or visiting on weekdays.
The hike in
- To the water
- Roughly 0.15-0.25 mi one-way down to the falls/pool (sources are inconsistent and often quote the whole out-and-back or loop as 0.25-0.5 mi total rather than a clean one-way figure).
- Time on foot
- About 10-15 minutes each way at a normal pace (per one first-hand account: 'the entire descent takes maybe ten minutes for most people, fifteen if you are taking your time'); the uphill return is described as more demanding.
Difficulty: Easy-to-moderate: short but steep in stretches, with wooden steps (some sections lack railings), exposed tree roots, and packed dirt that gets slippery when wet.
Trailhead: Unmarked gate/gap at the small gravel pull-off parking area along Panhandle Road (NFSR 56 / National Forest Road 202), about 1 mile off TN-91 northeast of Elizabethton; described by one source simply as 'a simple path past a gate' rather than a formally named trail.
This is effectively a single short access trail/stairway to the falls rather than a longer trail with the swim spot partway along it, the entire descent from the pull-off to the pool is the hike.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Sources describe the main pool (~15 ft deep, ~40 ft wide) as good for confident swimmers with close parental supervision, but caution it is 'not well-suited for elderly visitors or very young children.' Hazards for kids include a steep, sometimes unrailed wooden stairway down to the pool, slippery wet rock, cold spring-fed water, no lifeguard, and submerged rocks that make jumping/diving risky. Shallower wadeable sections below the main pool exist for younger or less confident swimmers.
Parking
Free
No formal lot; informal gravel roadside pull-offs along Panhandle Road (NFSR 56 / National Forest Road 202), with room for roughly 10-15 vehicles. Sources note it fills quickly on summer weekends, recommending early arrival or weekday visits. Free, no fee booth or gate.
Restrooms
None on site
Multiple first-hand accounts confirm no restrooms or facilities exist at the trailhead or pool; visitors are advised to use facilities in Elizabethton before heading out.
Water clarity
Clear
Consistently described across sources as exceptionally clear, cold, spring-fed water; one account attributes the clarity to mineral content and limestone formations, noting visibility to the rocky bottom. Color is often described as turquoise/emerald/blue depending on light.
Hours
Open 24 hours daily, year-round (no gate or fee booth), though multiple sources recommend daylight-only visits for safety on the unlit trail and stairs.
On the water
No source discusses kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, or motorized craft at this location, and none appear applicable: the swimming area is a small plunge pool (~15 ft deep, ~40 ft wide) reached only via a steep stairway trail from a roadside pull-off, with no vehicle or drive-in water access for launching any watercraft. Established boating in the area instead centers on Watauga Lake, a separate reservoir roughly 7-8 miles away (e.g., Sink Mountain Boat Ramp ~5.2 mi, Little Milligan Boat Launch ~7.9 mi per land-manager facility data), which is unrelated to this creek-based swimming hole.
What regulars say
Recurring observations from first-hand visitor accounts: the water is strikingly clear and cold even in summer; the site is popular enough that pull-off parking fills up on summer weekends, so weekday mornings or off-season visits are recommended to avoid crowds; visitors are warned not to jump or dive because of submerged rocks and uneven depth; and one account specifically flags a litter problem from the spot's popularity, urging visitors to pack out trash.
Blue Hole: FAQ
Does Blue Hole charge a fee?
No entrance fee reported; described by one source as accessible 24 hours a day with free access (standard National Forest access, no fee booth or gate documented).
Is Blue Hole kid friendly?
Sources describe the main pool (~15 ft deep, ~40 ft wide) as good for confident swimmers with close parental supervision, but caution it is 'not well-suited for elderly visitors or very young children.' Hazards for kids include a steep, sometimes unrailed wooden stairway down to the pool, slippery wet rock, cold spring-fed water, no lifeguard, and submerged rocks that make jumping/diving risky. Shallower wadeable sections below the main pool exist for younger or less confident swimmers.
How hard is the hike to Blue Hole?
A hike is required, about Roughly 0.15-0.25 mi one-way down to the falls/pool (sources are inconsistent and often quote the whole out-and-back or loop as 0.25-0.5 mi total rather than a clean one-way figure). to the water (about 10-15 minutes each way at a normal pace (per one first-hand account: 'the entire descent takes maybe ten minutes for most people, fifteen if you are taking your time'); the uphill return is described as more demanding.). Wear real shoes, since approaches to natural swim spots are often rocky or rooty.
Where do I park for Blue Hole?
No formal lot; informal gravel roadside pull-offs along Panhandle Road (NFSR 56 / National Forest Road 202), with room for roughly 10-15 vehicles. Sources note it fills quickly on summer weekends, recommending early arrival or weekday visits. Free, no fee booth or gate.
When is the best time to visit Blue Hole?
Summer for swimming; fall (including October) for waterfall flow after rains and foliage. Weekday mornings or off-season visits are recommended to avoid summer weekend crowds.
What water body is Blue Hole on?
Blue Hole is on Mill Creek, a natural waterfall pool verified in USGS hydrography data.
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