Angel Falls Overlook

Standing on the Edge of the Gorge

The Angel Falls Overlook trail is one of the finest hikes in Big South Fork, and the payoff at the end — a dramatic cliff-top view of Angel Falls Rapids churning through the gorge 200 feet below — is one of the most stunning vistas in all of Fentress County and beyond.

Angel Falls Rapids is a Class V+ rapid widely regarded as one of the most dangerous stretches of whitewater in the entire eastern United States. From the overlook, you can watch the Big South Fork River crash and boil through the gorge, with towering sandstone bluffs rising on all sides. The scale of the canyon here is humbling.

The Hike

The Angel Falls Overlook trail is a 4-mile round-trip hike from the Leatherwood Ford Parking Area. It follows part of the John Muir Trail — the same legendary trail that eventually connects to Georgia — along the rim of the gorge, offering intermittent views through the trees before arriving at the main overlook. The trail is well-marked and rated easy to moderate, with no major elevation challenges.

For a longer and more challenging route, the 5.6-mile Angel Falls Overlook Trail adds additional cliff-top views and further exploration of the gorge rim, and can be combined with the Grand Gap Loop for a full-day adventure.

Getting There

The trailhead is located at Leatherwood Ford Parking Area on Leatherwood Ford Road. From Jamestown, take Highway 27 north and follow signs to Big South Fork and Leatherwood Ford. The paved parking lot is large and easy to find.