Big Laurel Falls is a 40-foot plunge waterfall on Big Laurel Creek in White County, Tennessee, in the Virgin Falls Natural Area.
The falls
The creek plunges 40 feet over Bangor Limestone and Hartselle formation rock into a large sandstone rockhouse, and the water sinks below the falls into an underground network.
Getting there
The Virgin Falls Natural Area, now managed as part of Scott's Gulf Wilderness State Park, is reached from a trailhead at 2080 Scotts Gulf Road off US 70 and Eastland Road. Big Laurel Falls sits 2.35 miles one way from the trailhead, a 4.70-mile round trip by the same route. At 1.5 miles, a cable-assisted crossing of Big Laurel Creek should not be attempted during flooding, and the trail beyond it is rocky and uneven. Backcountry campsites farther along the route require online reservations.
When to go
An early start and a check of the weather are recommended, since the creek crossing becomes unsafe when the water is high.
On site
Dogs are allowed on leash. All caves in the area are closed to recreational entry to slow the spread of white-nose syndrome.
Nearby
Big Branch Falls is about 0.8 mile away, Sheep Falls about 0.9 mile, Virgin Falls about 1.3 miles, and Upper Polly Branch Falls about 2.8 miles.
Distances are straight-line.