Bald River
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| Bald River | |
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| Mouth | Tellico River in Monroe County, Tennessee |
| Basin countries | USA |
| Mouth elevation | 1,348 ft (411 m) [1] |
The Bald River is a short river located in Monroe County, Tennessee in the Cherokee National Forest. It is a tributary to the Tellico River. Just before its mouth into the Tellico, it falls over a large waterfall, Bald River Falls, which is variously reported as being between 80 and 100 feet (25 and 30 m) high. It then flows under a bridge on Forest Service Road 120, the falls and the river mouth both being very readily visible from the bridge. The falls is generally regarded as being the most impressive and scenic waterfall in East Tennessee. The river is short in length but powerful as it flows through a steep, densely wooded valley and it is constantly replenished by the area's frequent rains. It rises just north of the North Carolina state line and begins by flowing northeast for a short distance before turning to flow basically northwest.
The forests of the Bald River basin and the Tellico River basin were almost completely logged by the Babcock Lumber Company during the early 20th century, from their local base of operation at Tellico Plains. The present road up the Tellico River was built on the old logging railroad bed built by Babcock.
