A Great Waterfall Hike to Sougahoagdee Falls

My Facebook feed is full of beautiful waterfalls that fellow travelers are hiking to. It’s only natural to want to hike to some, too! Read on about our waterfall hike to the Sougahoagdee Falls in the Bankhead National Forest in Alabama!

Finding A Trail To Hike

While spending the last three months in Orlando, Florida, we didn’t hike at all. We got plenty of walking in around the campground (read our write-up of the Thousand Trails Orlando campground here) but we didn’t hike anywhere. We’ve been itching to get back out in the woods. Where better to go than to a waterfall?

My family only really likes to hike if it leads somewhere. I can’t get them to hike just for the fact that it gives them exercise. They want to know it’s leading somewhere, like to a firetower, a cabin, or in this case, a waterfall.

Like most destinations we’ve gone to, we get there and I Google things to do in the area. When we arrived at the Hidden Cove RV Resort in Arley, AL, I searched for Waterfall hikes nearby. My search brought up three in the area: Sougahoagdee Falls, Shangri-La Falls, and the Caney Creek Falls Trail. The last one charged a fee, so we opted out. The Shangri-La Falls reviews said the trails were hard to follow, so we decided on the Sougahoagdee Falls trail. And it did not disappoint!

Getting There

The ride from the campground we were at to the trailhead parking was a 43-minute drive for us, mostly back roads. And by back roads, I mean dirt roads and woods. A lot like back home in Vermont. We began to question if the road was even leading anywhere.

We were able to find the trailhead parking because after miles of dirt roads, we came to a bridge and about 10 other cars were parked along the road. Clear sign that that was the place to be! While there was no exact sign marking the trail, it was clear there was a trail based on the clearing in the woods. Hydration backpacks in tow and we were off!

The Water Along the Way

One unusual (to us) thing about this flat hike was the river that ran alongside the trail. It was wide and had a steady current to it. There were even three canoers that came zooming by at one point. They were each in their own individual canoes, but were soaked. I’m sure it was an amazing experience for them – a little too adventurous for us!

The water itself, though, was a teal color. Back in Vermont, many of the rivers are super clear because they are draining off a mountain. Then, when we were in other parts of Alabama and Louisiana, the rivers were all brown, and you couldn’t see into them. But this teal-looking water was something different for us!

While this teal water could be due to sediment, algae, or rain water, it was such a bright, colorful thing to see on our spring hike, and unlike anything we’d ever seen before.

The Sougahoagdee Falls Trail

According to Google, the hike was 4.5 miles to the big waterfall and back. It was mostly flat, with the exception of a few small inclines. The four of us had no trouble completing this hike, and met several other small groups on the trail of all different ages. Definitely a doable hike for these reasons.

As I mentioned, the hike followed alongside the winding river. We knew that there were a few waterfalls to see and a bigger one at the end, but we couldn’t help but think at each one we came across – is this it?

There weren’t actual trail signs or anything to label the different waterfalls, but you could clearly see where the trail went. We probably came across four or five different waterfalls along the way. Each one got a little bigger. Again, we would say: “Is this the big one?”

It’s pretty cool to be able to see so many different waterfalls in one hike. But we kept seeing more trail to follow and we are super glad we did. As this is what was at the end!

The Sougahoagdee Falls

It was breathtaking! There were many layers of rock all around and this one magnificent waterfall in the middle. It was such a rewarding thing to hike to!

To walk behind the waterfall. To listen to the water crashing down. To feel the mist of the waterfall from anywhere in the cove. To feel the ice cold water on your feet. It was amazing!

One tip I would suggest – time your hike! This is in a cove, surrounded by rock. We got there at probably 3 p.m. on a day in March, and it was entirely in the shade by then. I imagine midday, when the sun is right above, this place would be warm and even more beautiful. Even though we were sweaty from hiking, we very quickly cooled off and were cold in the shade with the mist spraying us. Either bring sweatshirts, or plan to be there when it is still in the sun!

It did provide us with a great backdrop for a photo, too! It’s amazing what the timer feature on your smartphone can do! It came out way better than selfie mode!

Ever find yourself in Alabama, or out touring waterfall hikes: check out this one. Sougahoagdee Falls in the Bankhead National Forest of Alabama is a beautiful place to go.