The Allure of Falling Water
What is it about waterfalls that is so universally appealing? I looked up that question on the web and found many compelling answers. From the mood uplift of negative ions suspended in the mist that boosts serotonin (the happiness bio-chemical) to the raw, awe-inspiring beauty and power of masses of rushing water. Waterfalls are alive. Living water is a metaphor for life itself.
We have a series of waterfalls on our property we call the Falls at Sewanee Creek. The falls are clearly the main draw for our vacation cabins. For me, it’s the constantly changing nature of the falls. I never tire of introducing our guests to Miller’s Falls. It’s a fifty foot drop from the top of the falls that catches your breath. When the flow is high, the negative ions are refreshingly intoxicating. In winter, when temperatures drop well below freezing, a massive wall of ice clings to the face of the cliff and creates a volcano shaped mountain at the bottom. A recent guest told me he plans to return in winter to scale the icy face.
In summer, when temperatures and evaporation rates are high, and the parched, sandy soil slurps up even torrential rains, the flow can drop to a trickle. But the cliff is still a gorgeous place for rappelling and the unique micro-climate below the falls where ferns and umbrella magnolia trees flourish is enchanting. In summer, we enjoy the delighted screams of guests reveling in a cold, natural shower or the tranquility of a shared picnic on the natural stone bench in the grotto behind the falls. Always refreshing and cool. The combination of a towering, majestic stone wall and the power of masses of crashing water is a natural phenomenon that inspires awe. I feel God’s presence and His peace at the falls. It’s a spiritual high. In my youth as a college student on Oahu’s north shore, I experienced the ocean’s waterfall equivalent, body surfing the ten foot shore break of Waimea Bay or board surfing walls of overhead water at the pipeline. Raw, beautiful power. On Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau, far from the ocean, nature‘s closest equivalent is our own Miller’s Falls. It’s not the same adrenalin rush. Adrenalin is replaced with serotonin. But nature’s presence is equally palpable. We host a lot of waterfallers here who plan days of visiting many famous waterfalls nearby. Like fingerprints and snowflakes, every waterfall is unique. Beyond that inherent uniqueness, Miller Falls lacks something that makes it a valuable experience in a different way - no crowds of tourists. On the waterfall circuit, there is a kind of pressure to move along with the flow of hikers. You arrive at the destination, briefly admire the beauty and within a few brief moments feel you have seen what there is to see and need to make room. There is no such pressure with the Falls at Sewanee Creek. The solitary bench at the top of the falls beckons each guest to linger as long as they like in quiet contemplation.
The bridge across the creek invites a quiet summer nap, inches above the gentle, white-noise babble. The natural stone bench that juts out from the grotto wall behind the falls takes that sense of oneness with the falls to yet another level. The occasional skinny dipper (not pictured😉) enjoying a cold shower attests to the sense of privacy afforded by a truly private experience. There’s nothing like it.
I have taken my alto sax to the grotto below the falls for a solo jam session. I don’t recommend it when the flow is high. But when the light percussive rhythm of a few drops is my accompaniment and the deafening noise is subdued enough to enjoy the acoustics of the bowl shaped grotto below the falls, the atmosphere for a little smooth, soulful jazz can be electric.
Continue hiking down the creek below Miller’s Falls over boulders bigger than school busses. It’s a bit rugged, but very doable and the payoff in memories is worth the effort. If you enjoyed the tranquility of Miller Falls, the absolute solitude of Swallowtail Falls will complete you.
Then down and down past seemingly endless cascades of tumbling water to Sewanee Creek. Private, remote, pristine hiking for miles along the creek bed lined with steep cliffs and pocked with caves.
Yes, we know a little about the appeal of waterfalls. Come and experience it for yourself. Add your insights to mine in the comments.
Contact Information:
Phone: (931) 450-2426 | (931) 273-9657
Email: Grant@TNwaterfallGetaway.com
Location: Browns Hollow Rd, Tracy City, TN 37387, United States of America