Fall Creek Falls Loop

This ride can be started anywhere in Fall Creek Falls State Park, but we picked the Taft Village & Snack Bar area for the route map, as it is centrally located and is a good place to park if you're just driving over for the day. Clean restrooms and a water fountain for filling up your bottles are located nearby.

The route runs clockwise, so you'll head northeast out of the park on Village Camp Road. This is winding road with some steep descents early on, so watch your speed heading downhill to ensure that you can negotiate the curves. Sadly what goes down must also go up, and you'll soon be faced with a long (and in places very steep) climb out of the park. The road will also change names to "Park Road." As this is one of the main roads in and out of the park, you may encounter a few vehicles.

Around Mile 3.5, you'll turn right onto Groves Road, and a few miles later, you'll turn right again, this time onto DeWeese Road. DeWeese Road soon changes names to Old Spencer Road, and you'll be on this road for the next five miles. It's a beautiful road with some fun rollers typical of the terrain on the Cumberland Plateau.

(At Mile 8, you'll "T" into Watson Loop. Take a left and then a right in order to stay on Old Spencer Road.)

Around Mile 10.5 keep an eye out for Pleasant Grove Church on the right side of the road. You'll take a right here, onto Griffiths Road. Because Griffiths Road has no street sign, and because you'll be going downhill fast as you reach it, you'll want to look for the church as your cue to turn.

Griffiths Road is another lightly travelled backroad with great farmland scenery and some fun roller coaster ups and downs. Some of these climbs are pretty challenging, so be prepared to gear down and settle in, especially for the half-mile climb at Mile 19.5.

Eventually Griffiths Road "T's" into Brockdale Road (around Mile 22), where you'll take a right. As you continue on Brockdell Road, you’ll enter Amish country. Look for the distinctive clothing and occasional horse & buggy as you roll through this section of farmland. You may also want to stop at Brockdell Produce (Mile 29.5) for some fresh fruit.

Around Mile 31 you’ll take a right onto Walling Road. Walling Road winds around for a few miles before it “T’s” into Archie Rhinehart Parkway (Highway 284). The Parkway will most likely have more traffic than any of the roads you’ve ridden to this point, so stay to the right and be aware of passing vehicles. The Parkway will take you straight to Fall Creek Falls State Park, and the name will change to Village Camp Road after you enter the park. (Do not take the right turn to continue on Highway 284.)

Around Mile 40, look for signs pointing to the General Store, Pool, Canopy Challenge, Snack Bar, etc. and follow them back to the original parking lot (taking a left turn off of Village Camp Road). Once back to the starting point, grab some food at the Snack Bar and refuel at a picnic table. The Snack Bar has salads in addition the regular fast-food fare, and they have beer in addition to a variety of non-alcoholic drink options.

While there is a nice swimming pool next to the Snack Bar, consider heading over to the Fall Creek Falls trailhead and hiking down (a third of a mile) to the natural pool at the base of the falls. It's a refreshing way to cool off after a fun ride on the Cumberland Plateau!