The Walls of Jericho can be reached by two trailheads. Since the canyon lays just south of the Tennessee-Alabama border, in Hytop, Alabama, there are trailheads in both Tennessee and Alabama. The hike is a difficult 7 miles round trip. You begin at the top of the mountain and go downhill into the gorge, but the first half of the journey is the easy part. Since you are going mostly downhill on the way there, the way back is completely uphill, and it is a strenuous hike up.
I have done the Wall of Jericho trail twice. Once starting and ending in the Alabama side, and once starting from the Tennessee trailhead and ending at the Alabama trailhead. The first time I did ventured to the ‘Walls’, we did not actually reach the ‘Walls.’ We assumed the small overflow of water from the ledge above was the waterfall and the walls of the gorge on either side of us where the ‘walls’, so we turned around. The second time, however, we went exploring. We crossed the stream and climbed up some rocks right next to the overflowing water, and there it was!
The ‘Walls’ form a large bowl shaped amphitheater, which rises 200 feet, and arches above your head, acting as a large canopy. There are natural springs, which spout from bowling ball sized holes in the limestone. Turkey Creek drains through the “Walls” and is the main reason why the amphitheater has its form. If you climb up the steep rocks of the amphitheater, and go to the very back of the gorge, you will find a beautiful waterfall flowing. Even further, if you climb down some rocks you can reach the base of the huge waterfall. On the rocks walls that surround the waterfall, you will find carvings and rock writing of initials, dates and names of past visitors. Being that this was the first waterfall I had ever seen, it was quite spectacular and surely a place I will visit again.
