QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: N/A
- Trail Mileage: 0.25 miles one way
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: challenging
- Sights: Austin Gorge, pool, waterfall
Austin Gorge is a pretty waterfall, but hard to reach. To access the big pool below the falls requires both a steep ascent down an eroded path and a dicey scramble down slippery rock.
But the lead-up to the gorge is pleasant, as you follow a quiet dirt road and then walk along a pretty, 0.25-mile jeep road through shadowy forest. This trail emerges at an open area (there was an old fire pit here when we visited) and you’ll see the scramble down the bank ahead.
If you think you can pick your way down the cliff to the water, it is worth it. If the water level is high, the fast stream is exciting to watch. Evidently, the water drops 88 feet in just a quarter mile.
Directions: From Route 201, turn onto Route 16. In less than a mile, turn left onto the gravel Dead Water Road. Follow this pretty smooth dirt road for 5.5 miles. You’ll see an unmarked jeep trail on the left and a small pull over for parking. Walk down the jeep road 0.25 miles to the gorge. If Dead Water Road is closed, drive in from Town Line Road. Follow this dirt road about 2.75 miles from where it leaves Route 16 to the intersection with Dead Water Road. Park at the intersection with Dead Water Road, and walk into the falls along the road for about 0.7 miles. Turn right and walk the jeep road 0.25 miles to the gorge.
