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Often, it is disappointing that some most photogenic waterfalls are located on private land. In some isolated cases, the owners are generous enough to allow the public to visit, but unfortunately, the majority of the time, such waterfalls are strictly off-limits. Timpson Creek Falls is one of those private waterfalls, but visitors are in luck: the property boundary stretches directly across the waterfall, and it is easy to view and photograph the falls from public land immediately downstream, avoiding any trespassing. This single-drop 40-foot waterfall is quite a beauty. This hike occurred on Saturday, March 4th, 2017. My plan was to hike a well-established old forest road, sometimes referred to as the Timpson Creek Trail, out and back to Timpson Creek Falls from Forest Road 162 (Timpson Creek Road).
Summary
R/T Length of Trail: 1.5 Miles
Duration of Hike: 1:00 Type of Hike: Out and Back Difficulty Rating: 2 out of 10 Total Elevation Gain: 200 Feet Pros: Very easy hike mostly along forest road Cons: Potentially deep ford of Timpson Creek Points of Interest: Timpson Creek Falls - 8 stars Trail Blaze Colors: None Best Seasons to Hike: Spring, Summer Fees: None Beginning Point: Timpson Creek Road Trailhead Directions from Clayton, GA: From the intersection of US 23/441 and US 76 West in downtown Clayton, follow US 76 West (Savannah Street) for 4.9 miles, and then, turn right onto Loop 76 Road. In 0.1 miles, turn right onto unpaved Timpson Creek Road (FS 162). This road is in acceptable condition, but it passes through an area of tornado damage, where the road gets narrow and where brush next to the road may scrape your car a bit. 1.1 miles from Loop 76 Road, reach a small wide area in the road. Park on the right side of the road here; a faint path heads down to the creek and to Timpson Creek Falls. Map
Click here for more information and to download this trail map to view in Garmin Basecamp.
Details
Timpson Creek Falls is one of those waterfalls that is beautiful, easy to reach, but for mysterious reasons is off the grid. One reason for this may be the potential for trespassing on private land. However, if you pay attention to and follow my directions closely, you will stay entirely on public land on this hike.
Begin the hike at the aforementioned point on Timpson Creek Road, about 1.1 miles from the south entrance to the road. From the small pullout, a faint path leads down to Timpson Creek. At the creek, bear left and ford Timpson Creek. During the drought conditions that were present on this day, the ford was only knee-deep at the the deepest point. However, Timpson Creek is a large creek, and during normal winter and spring water levels, the crossing will be deeper. On the other side of Timpson Creek, pick up a wide and well-used old forest road that follows the east side of Timpson Creek. Simply follow this forest road, which stays nearly level or rises slightly. There is one blowdown closer to the beginning, but for the most part, the forest road is maintained well. There are some views of Timpson Creek throughout the hike, but generally, the road stays well above the creek. At 0.6 miles, the road makes a gradual bend to the east just as the creek does the same. Then, at 0.7 miles, reach a well-used steep path leaving to the left down to the creek. A big roar is audible in the creek down below - you're hearing Timpson Creek Falls. Please do not continue on the forest road, as it enters private land shortly thereafter; instead, turn left onto the path that leads to the falls. The path is steep but manageable. In about 200 feet, reach the bottom near the creek. Turn right here, and following the obvious route, reach Timpson Creek Falls at 0.75 miles. Timpson Creek Falls is a beauty! The waterfall is about 40 feet high and the creek falls down in a single drop into a beautiful rhododendron-lined pool. There are good views of the falls from the side and from the front. While the waterfall is on private land, the boundary crosses the falls, so the viewing area in front of and on the south side of the falls is on public land. Do not wander any further, however, and do not cross the creek, as the north side is entirely private. From Timpson Creek Falls, simply retrace your steps back to the trailhead. The climb back up to the forest road is tough but short, and once you catch your breath at the top, the rest of the hike is a breeze. You will conclude the hike at 1.5 miles. Mileage
0.0 - Timpson Creek Road
0.75 - Timpson Creek Falls 1.5 - Timpson Creek Road Variations
None
Bonus Stops
Several short waterfall hikes are available nearby. Two of them are to Angelica Falls on Plumorchard Creek and to two waterfalls on Moccasin Creek. In fact, I did both of these hikes in addition to Timpson Creek Falls on the same day.
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2 Comments
Bill
1/16/2018 10:43:19 am
Some good news on Timpson Creek Falls. The property ownership is designated Conservation and is held by a Land Trust. That land use designation doesn't allow for development of land or structure. Hopefully I can contact the owner to get permission to cross a corner of land to access the falls. Will post my findings.
Reply
Helen Mcswain
8/7/2019 06:44:41 am
My sister owns this falls and the structure nearby. She might be contacted by email. Acatallie @yahoo.com it has been in our family for years. We do not want lots of folks destroying the natural beauty of the place or getting injured. I think she would let a small number of environmentally friendly folks visit. You can ask her
Reply
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About MeMark Oleg Dear readers: I have invested a tremendous amount of time and effort in this website and the Georgia Waterfalls Database the past five years. All of the work that has gone in keeping these websites updated with my latest trip reports has almost been like a full-time job. This has not allowed me to pick up a paid job to save up money for college, and therefore, I will unfortunately have to take out loans as I head to college this September. I plan to study environmental science and molecular biology, with a focus on environmental conservation, which is my passion. I want to do research that would ultimately benefit the well-being of the earth, as it feels like a mission to me. If you find the information on this website interesting, helpful, or time-saving, you can say "thanks" and help me out by clicking the button above and making a contribution. I will be very grateful for any amount of support you give, as all of it will apply toward my college tuition. Thank you!
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