Blue Hole Falls
Tracy City, Tennessee · on Little Fiery Gizzard Creek · Grundy Forest Designated State Natural Area
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- waterfall pool
- FALLS
- Waterfall on site
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Blue Hole Falls
Blue Hole Falls is a small waterfall and plunge-pool swimming hole on Little Fiery Gizzard Creek in Grundy Forest, the northern gateway section of Fiery Gizzard State Park (formerly part of South Cumberland State Park) near Tracy City, Tennessee. Tennessee State Parks officially lists it among the park's waterfalls with an (SW) designation, meaning its plunge pool normally holds enough water to swim or wade in, which puts it among the park's more reliable places to swim.
The falls sit in a sandstone gorge within Grundy Forest, an old-growth hemlock and hardwood forest reached via the Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead just behind Tracy City Elementary School. The Grundy Forest Day Loop, a roughly 2-mile trail with moderate elevation changes, winds through the gorge past hemlocks (some reported over 300 years old) and other features including Black Canyon Cascades and Hanes Hole Falls before reaching Blue Hole Falls.
Swimming at Blue Hole Falls
Blue Hole Falls drops about 9 feet into a clear, turquoise plunge pool that Tennessee State Parks designates as swimmable/wadeable under normal (non-drought) water conditions. First-hand accounts describe crystal-clear, cold water suited to a quick dip or wade rather than long-distance swimming, with depth and swimmability varying with recent rainfall and season.
How to get to this swimming hole
From I-24, take the Monteagle exit and head about five miles east to the Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead, located behind Tracy City Elementary School; Blue Hole Falls is reached via the Grundy Forest Day Loop trail from this trailhead.
Parking: Trailhead lot at the Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead (Grundy Forest) described as well-maintained, with restrooms, a water bottle filling station, a covered picnic area, and flat grassy spots.
The hike in
Grundy Forest Day Loop (northern segment of the Fiery Gizzard Trail system)
- Time on foot
- roughly a couple of hours to complete the full loop at a casual pace
Difficulty: moderate - clearly marked and not technical, but with elevation changes, rock steps, roots, and creek-side footing
Trailhead: Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead, behind Tracy City Elementary School; from I-24 take the Monteagle exit and head roughly 5 miles east toward Tracy City.
Blue Hole Falls sits along the roughly 2-mile Grundy Forest Day Loop, which also passes Black Canyon Cascades and Hanes Hole Falls before/after the falls; the loop is the day-hike gateway to the much longer 12+ mile Fiery Gizzard Trail to Foster Falls.
Could not confirm the trail mileage specifically from trailhead to Blue Hole Falls (as opposed to the full 2-mile loop). TN State Parks' own trail subpage and the independent trail write-ups checked all returned access errors during this research pass, so this stays unconfirmed rather than guessed.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Reaching the falls requires a ~2-mile loop hike over uneven, rocky, creek-side terrain, so it's not a toddler-easy drive-up spot. The plunge pool itself is small and cold, and there is a rock ledge above it that looks tempting to jump from, but Tennessee State Parks prohibits jumping from waterfalls/cliffs anywhere in the park; pool depth/swimmability also varies with recent rainfall. With supervision on the hike and no jumping, it's manageable for older kids comfortable on trails.
Parking
Free
Developed trailhead lot at the Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead behind Tracy City Elementary School, described as well-maintained with flat grassy areas; Tennessee State Parks/Natural Areas do not charge entrance or parking fees.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms, a water bottle filling station, and a covered picnic pavilion are at the Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead (Grundy Forest Pavilion) parking area, not at the falls themselves.
Water clarity
Clear
Consistently described as clear/turquoise: an official state-park-affiliated aggregator calls it a 'turquoise swimming hole,' and a first-hand trip report describes 'crystal-clear water' in a 'mesmerizing' blue pool. Depth and how full the pool looks vary with recent rainfall.
Hours
8:00 AM to 30 minutes before sunset (park office hours 8:00 AM-4:30 PM)
On the water
No mention of kayaking, canoeing, or paddleboarding found for this location, and none would be expected: Blue Hole Falls is a small plunge pool beneath a roughly 9-foot waterfall on Little Fiery Gizzard Creek inside a narrow sandstone gorge, terrain that isn't navigable by watercraft. No rental outfitters serving this creek were found.
Backstory
The Grundy Forest Pavilion near the trailhead is a recreation of an old Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) pavilion; the surrounding forest includes old-growth hemlocks reported to be centuries old.
Blue Hole Falls: FAQ
Does Blue Hole Falls charge a fee?
No entrance fee noted; Tennessee state natural areas/parks in this system are generally free to enter.
Is Blue Hole Falls kid friendly?
Reaching the falls requires a ~2-mile loop hike over uneven, rocky, creek-side terrain, so it's not a toddler-easy drive-up spot. The plunge pool itself is small and cold, and there is a rock ledge above it that looks tempting to jump from, but Tennessee State Parks prohibits jumping from waterfalls/cliffs anywhere in the park; pool depth/swimmability also varies with recent rainfall. With supervision on the hike and no jumping, it's manageable for older kids comfortable on trails.
How hard is the hike to Blue Hole Falls?
A hike is required (roughly a couple of hours to complete the full loop at a casual pace). Wear real shoes, since approaches to natural swim spots are often rocky or rooty.
Where do I park for Blue Hole Falls?
Developed trailhead lot at the Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead behind Tracy City Elementary School, described as well-maintained with flat grassy areas; Tennessee State Parks/Natural Areas do not charge entrance or parking fees.
When is the best time to visit Blue Hole Falls?
Summer is described as the main season for swimming, though the pool's swimmability depends on rainfall/water levels; the creek water is reported as cold year-round.
What are the rules at Blue Hole Falls?
Park hours are 8:00 AM to 30 minutes before sunset (office hours 8:00 AM-4:30 PM). Tennessee State Parks explicitly prohibits jumping from waterfalls or cliffs anywhere in Fiery Gizzard State Park, which would include any ledge above Blue Hole Falls.
What water body is Blue Hole Falls on?
Blue Hole Falls is on Little Fiery Gizzard Creek, a natural waterfall pool verified in USGS hydrography data.
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