Bald River

Bald River Falls just of the Tellico

Dropping Bald River Falls

I enjoy the Holly Flats camping area in the top of the gorge. Trout fishing is excellent. Bring a skillet and corn meal.

Tim Mason

Big Boy does his big boof.

I've found that the way to do this one is to hike from the bottom. You miss 4 miles of flatwater and one good rapid. The other cool thing is you don't need shuttle. Its only like a half mile hike up and you get 3/4 mile of river putting on a little ways above the cascade above suislide. Portage suislide on the left and you can slide back into the last part from the left back to right. From here its beautiful 3-4 untill the falls, which you can portage on the left with care and still run the lower tier. Tony and I found this to be an enjoyable addition to the Ledges with little work.

Alot can be accomplished with a tripod and a video camera.

Todd Hoffman running Bald River falls.

How to gain a bridge audience...

Kudzu Kayaker Dallas Shaw runs his first 20 footer. Visit

Kudzu Kayakers

Jeff caught this great picture while waiting on the ledge to go over the drop himself. Chris Boone and Cooper Lamblah also made the drop. If you run the Tellico make sure to make the hike up.

Coop styling at the falls for the Senoritas on the bridge.

Great photos and description, Daniel!

This is one awesome crick!

Gran Torino can be run anywhere...paddler is heading for the river left side here.
Rob after running the right side of Shallow Falls...the river left is currently blocked by a tree.
Rob leaving the micro eddy above Suislide.
Rob entering Shallow Falls on river right because of a river left blockage.
Rob after dropping over the first ledge at Suislide...it's a corkscrew ride to the bottom.
Rob midway down Suislide Falls.
Daniel Fosbinder dropping into Suislide Falls on Bald River.
Buried in the whitewater midway down Suislide Falls.
looking back upstream at Suislide...the main line is hidden off to the left. Doe rapid is just downstream of the pool.
Rob enters Doe rapid, just downstream of Suislide.
Rob midway through Doe rapid on Bald River.
just a jumble of rocks on Bald River, about 1/4 mile above Bald River Falls.
A piton/pinning hazard exists on river left.
The LAST waterfall you can run before Bald River Falls. If you blow the ferry to the river right bank here or run the next waterfall, you ARE RUNNING BALD RIVER FALLS.
The 20 ft drop out of the lower pool on Bald River Falls.
Rob about to launch into Gran Torino, a burly-looking rapid at any level.
Rob cruising down to a soft landing at Shallow Falls. Going vertical here can result in a very bad piton.
one of the small slides/rapids between Jumble and the picnic area takeout.
This small eddy is the only way to boat scout Suislide, and getting to it is a hairy move in itself...

Gordon Byrd runs 20' of Bald River Falls.

Other boaters pictured Stephen Hales, Marc Gilley, Brian Carter

Other boaters in picture are Marc Gilley, Stephen Hales, & Brian Carter.

How to gain a bridge audience...

Jason Foley running Bald River Falls.
Omer Hall Running Bald River Falls.
Adam Thomas running Bald River Falls.

Photo courtesy of and copyright by Julie Keller. Winner of 2000 National Paddling Film Festival Best Paddling Image, Best Web Image, Best Digital Image.

Bald River Falls -- one of the most beautiful waterfalls in east Tennessee.
Daniel Fosbinder at the beautiful Bald River Falls in Tellico Plains, TN.

An upstream view from atop the 'Hogback.' The river has carved a facinating horseshoe bend around this high, rocky spine.