The view from the top of this waterfall was absolutely amazing! There are also opportunities to…read morewalk down into the gorge but you must purchase a trail permit and watch the training videos. When walking the gorge I think they mentioned you cross the river twice so wear water shoes and be careful! It is a more difficult trail to take. But you can swim at the falls if you'd like. My family walked I the overlook two different days during our stay in the area. The waterfalls from above is breathtaking and it is amazing to see how deep the gorge walls are. If you need an easy trail, need wheelchair accessible, or have small kids then the yellow trail to the overlook is the best option for you.

Cummins Falls State Park is located 10 miles north of the town of Cookeville, in Central Tennessee…read more Can you go swimming at Cummins Falls??? Of course you can! It's a 1 mile hike down to the bottom of a gorge to reach a swimming hole Travel and Leisure Magazine rates...as one of the "10 Best in the United States"! It's $7 to gain access to the gorge. You can purchase passes online ahead of time at tnstateparks.com. Or, you can buy passes inside the Visitor Center the day of, but they allot only 200 tickets per day so depending upon the time of year, passes can sell out quickly especially during peak summers. Now...there is a waterfall overlook to check out but I think it'd be more worthwhile to get to Cummins Falls ASAP before the crowds arrive and you can always visit the lookout on the return trip back up towards the trailhead. Once you reach the river area, it's 6/10th's of a mile remaining until you arrive at the falls. Also, make sure to hang towards the left while hiking beside the river and (imo) it's imperative to be wearing water shoes as the creek is filled with sharp rocks and water levels reaching shin high. While hiking to Cummins Falls, you really get a sense for being in the heart of nature. I enjoyed the setting. Approaching the falls, it's 75 feet of cascading waters flowing down the cliffside and ideal for swimming. Best of all, visitors can climb the rocks and explore at their leisure making for an adventurous experience. Of course, it's a rite of passage to finish the experience in style by going swimming. The park opens at 8am. I'd suggest arriving as early as possible before it gets busy. The park closes at 6pm but there's a clearly stated sign that visitors must exit the gorge area by 5pm. One extra note...lifeguards are on duty at Cummins Falls throughout the day. When returning back up towards the trailhead, now head over to the lookout platform getting to admire Cummins Falls from high above. It makes for a photogenic perspective and is a clear reminder of why the great outdoors can be so special. Right nearby Cummins Falls SP are more local waterfalls to check out including...Fall Creek Falls, Burgess Falls, Ozone Falls, Virgin Falls, Piney Falls and Stinging Fork Falls, just to name a few.

Love this hike! We went on a rainy day, hardly anyone on the trail. It was too chilly to swim, but…read moreevery portion of the trail was gorgeous!!! Can't wait to go back!!

Absolutely beautiful!! I went with my neighbors and we had a great time! The virgin falls is huge…read moreand it's stunning, we are going back and camping nearby. Can't get enough!

Beautiful state park! Highly recommended for a relax hike and for great scenery. Parking is limitedread more

This was a beautiful park. The falls were spectacular. The hike was an easy one and didn't take…read morelong to get to the falls outlook. I'm almost 63 and had no problem. The trail to the bottom was closed unfortunately.

This was our second time here. I am always impressed by TN State Parks. Clean bathrooms, friendly…read morestaff, it can make a big difference in your day. We did some fishing, but no catching haha. We napped in the sun, and watched boats and birds go by. While we did not go up the tower or in the wildlife area, we thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing day here. It's a little early in the year, so we didnt see too many people. One note, the two bathrooms we used both had stairs. Im sure they have bathrooms that can be accessed without stairs, but I didn't see them. One note, there are picnic tables near the road to one of the boat ramps. As I was driving through a small child ran out in front of me from between to parallel parked cars. No big deal, I was driving like an old lady, but highky recommend keeping an eye out if you drive through there.

To be fully transparent, we didn't get too far in, just the visitor center with the really cool…read moreobservation tower (it just keeps going and going...) and the Highland Rim Trail, but it felt like a lot! The park has access to a river beach across from a neat dam, where kids were having a great time lifting big rocks and heaving them into the water. The trail was rather steep, went down pretty quickly, flattened for a while, then sharply inclined back up. All in all, I get the feeling we need to return and do a little more, but I like what I see so far!!

Dogwood park playground was amazing! The kids had a fantastic time on the playset. There was a wide…read morerange of activities for the kids to enjoy. Including swings, slides, tunnels, balance beams etc. There was even a little tots area just for toddlers. We spent a lot of time here and the bathrooms were very clean and had baby changing tables. Highly recommend checking this place out if you are in the area.

My friends and I are working at a local camp, and tonight we had the night off. :)…read more We discovered a charming local park and spent several hours soaking in the sunshine and soft green grass. I found a shady spot under a tree and quietly watched the world go by--kids zipping past on scooters, dogs enjoying their evening walks, and a couple sharing a quiet picnic in the grass. A walking path loops around the park, perfect for a stroll, and there's a splash pad that keeps kids of all ages squealing with happiness. It's the kind of place where the simple sounds of laughter and conversation remind you how beautiful the little moments can be. If you're ever nearby, bring a book, a blanket, and maybe your pup. Settle in, slow down, and let the park work its quiet magic

Absolutely love this place! Cute local area, good for photos or just a little nature walk. The park…read moreis good, and the kayaking is nice as well. Definitely a must go around Christmas for a cheap family outing.

I would have really liked to have seen this place when it was a public fun spot. I've read reviews…read moreof people getting married here with fond memories of coming as a kid. I ve read of people feeding the ducks, kayaking, hiking, camp fires. It sounds amazing. I am reviewing it for what it is now, not what it used to be. Now, the Wheel House is an Airbnb. The mini golf is open and free for the guests. The grounds are still able to be explored, but not meant to be functional. My daughter and I spent two nights here. The Wheel House is clean, nice and updated. It has a bedroom upstairs with the bath. The downstairs is a kitchen, couch/sleeper. There is a TV both upstairs and down. There is no Wifi (this is clear in their listing), but the cell reception for me was strong. The hosts provided us with some complementary Gatorade, water and soda choices. There was also coffee available and a filtered water jug in the fridge. We arrived late, didn't have a chance to get to a store before arriving - those complementary drinks were very much appreciated! We had a great time here. We played mini golf, explored the old amusement park, went fishing (catch and release rules apply) - she caught 8 and I caught 5. It was everything we needed. And it's only 15 minutes to downtown Cookeville! The accommodations are comfortable. The brochures on what to do around Cookeville was also helpful. I enjoyed the stay here very much!

You can easily see why this is one of the most visited state parks!! It's huge, for one, with lots…read moreof hiking trails that highlight the key features of the park, think lots of waterfalls!! Most are visible from overlooks with short hikes, and for the more adventurous, there are treks to the bottom of the namesake falls, a cable trail (bring leather gloves, carabiner, possibly climbing gear) to Rockhouse Falls, or longer trails like the Paw Paw loop, Overlook trail, or even the Prater Place for a hidden Hemlock Falls. I also stayed in the lodge, which was fantastic! The rooms were well equipped, comfortable, and had great features like balconies. The view at the restaurant over the lake was beautiful, especially at sunset. The fisherman style cabins have decks literally on the water, so that looked like a must see at some point, too!! Couple of other hits: pet friendly rooms, pet friendly trails, golf course, cabins, fire pit and pool at lodge, Nature Center, and Visitor Center!

Fall Creek Falls State Park Campground Review: Campground C - Site 148 - The site is not level and…read moreour fifth wheel would not self level. We manually had to level our rig with our jacks. Many sites in campground C have a minimum to major slope to the concrete sites as they fall to a valley. All utilities are in the back corners of sites that include water spigot, a power pedestal with 20AMP, 30AMP, 50AMP electricity, and sewer connection. The campground did have decent guest WiFi, but we utilized our own StarLink satellite for internet. The park is amazing with golf, lodge, trails, and falls.

Quick excursion but still worth the stop! Short trek down a fairly easy path to a beautiful…read morewaterfall.

This is a beautiful place to visit and enjoy nature. One of Southeast Tennessee's hidden gems. The…read moreHike to the bottom is very strenuous, lots of slick rocks and steep inclines over rocks. All the work is well worth the hazards.