Are there fees or permits required for Hilliard Falls?

No, there are no fees required to visit Hilliard Falls.

Is swimming allowed at Hilliard Falls?

No, swimming is not allowed at Hilliard Falls.

LiDAR bare-earth terrain around Hilliard Falls near Pikeville, Tennessee, showing about 84 feet of drop, a long cascade, facing southwest

LiDAR terrain view · USGS 3DEP

Nearby gauge (Basses Creek) · 9 ft³/s · Higher than usual

Hilliard Falls

Q: Are dogs allowed at Hilliard Falls?

No, dogs are not allowed at Hilliard Falls.

Tennessee

By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026

LiDAR & 3D terrain

Before you go

Hilliard Falls appears to be on private land, and no public trail or access point is documented. Do not enter without the landowner's permission.

About Hilliard Falls

Hilliard Falls is a USGS-named waterfall on Zealy Branch on Walden Ridge east of Pikeville in Bledsoe County, Tennessee, near Summer City Road. Federal protected-area records show no public land at the site, and we found no public trail, parking area, height or access rules for it.

Nearby Falls Worth Visiting

Laurel Falls (80 ft) lies 7.4 miles to the south. Also nearby: Stinging Fork Falls (30 ft, 9.0 mi).

Laurel Falls Stinging Fork Falls

Trail & Hike Details

Frequently Asked Questions

🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Hilliard Falls?

❌ Dogs are not allowed

Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?

🆖 No fees required

🏊 Is There Swimming at Hilliard Falls?

❌ Swimming is not allowed

When to Visit

spring summer fall

Seasonal Access

The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, and Fall. Winter access may be limited.

Current Water Conditions

Updated about 1 hour ago Moderate

These readings come from the USGS gauge on Basses Creek, 13.8 miles away, not on Hilliard Falls's own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.

9 ft³/s

Current discharge — how much water is flowing

Higher than usual for this time of year

Very Low Low Normal High Very High

0 2 6 148

Based on 14 years of record

2.73 ft

Water depth at gauge

7-Day Discharge Trend

What does this mean for your visit?

The water is flowing higher than usual for this time of year.

About This Gauge

This gauge is on a nearby waterway and may not reflect exact conditions at the falls.

BASSES CREEK AT LAKE TANSI NR CROSSVILLE,TN

USGS 03538970

13.8 miles from waterfall

Drainage: 8 sq mi

Altitude: 1,789 ft

7-Day Flow Outlook

Based on the USGS gauge BASSES CREEK AT LAKE TANSI NR CROSSVILLE,TN (22 km away).

Moderate confidence

Moderate right now

9 cfs

→ Holding steady

Today

Moderate

9 cfs

9/10

Tomorrow

Moderate

9 cfs

9/10

Tue

Moderate

5 cfs

9/10

Wed

Moderate

6 cfs

9/10

Thu

Moderate

4 cfs

9/10

Fri

Moderate

7 cfs

9/10

Sat

Moderate

6 cfs

9/10

Best window: Today — moderate flow, sunny (trip score 9/10).

Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from mid February to late March, peaking in December.

How we calculate this

This is a transparent outlook, not a precise forecast. We take the waterfall's current flow strength (how it ranks against its historical normal for today, from the nearest USGS stream gauge), carry that ranking forward along the gauge's seasonal curve, and nudge it for forecast rain. Confidence is highest for the next day or two and falls further out. Always check official conditions and your own judgment before visiting — high flows can be dangerous.

Know when to go.

Get a free email alert when waterfalls near Pikeville hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.

Is Hilliard Falls Frozen?

Updated about 17 hours ago

Not frozen highs above freezing lately

Hilliard Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 40°F to 34°F.

Days below freezing: 0 of the last 14
Current cold streak: 0 days
Freezing days ahead: 0 of the next 7
Flow: 10 ft³/s

Winter safety. Frozen falls are the one waterfall trip with a documented injury pattern: falling ice, and ice-glazed rock and trail. Wear microspikes, keep well back from the base and from overhangs, and never walk out on ice over moving water.

Estimate from Open-Meteo daily temperatures at the falls, the LiDAR-measured facing direction, and the nearest stream gauge. It is a likelihood, not a report from the trail.

Weather Forecast

The Terrain, Seen by LiDAR

Aircraft-mounted lasers measured this ground to within inches. Trees and buildings are digitally stripped away, leaving the bare shape of the land the water has carved.

Here the descent is spread out: 1-meter lidar measures about 84 feet of drop through Hilliard Falls, stretched along the creek rather than stacked in one wall. The brink sits at about 1,940 feet above sea level.

The ground changes about 25 feet in the 500 feet above the falls and 65 feet in the 500 feet below. The falls face southwest and glow in afternoon and evening light.

Aerial photo of the same ground around Hilliard Falls near Pikeville, Tennessee, for comparison with the lidar view

Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.

Ground elevation: 1,940 feet; Measured by 1-meter lidar
Drop at the falls: About 84 feet; Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
Faces: Southwest; Glows in afternoon and evening light.