About this spot
North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Park near Soddy-Daisy TN, about 25 minutes north of Chattanooga; free access via the Montlake Rd trailhead and an easy-to-moderate Cumberland Trail/Hogskin Loop hike. Stripmine Falls is a tall, narrow cascade named for old strip-mine terrain nearby, with an upper 20-foot drop continuing over rock roughly 300 feet down the gorge. Multiple guides describe cool swimming pools along North Chickamauga Creek near the falls as a popular warm-weather draw, though Tennessee State Parks explicitly prohibits technical rock climbing here. The hazard that matters is slippery creek rock and submerged obstacles; wade in and check depth before entering any pool. Note: the park is closed for major renovations from March 2026 through an expected mid-2027 reopening, so it is currently inaccessible.