Very cool place awesome hike. Dipping in the water on a hot day was amazing. All kinds of beautiful…read morenature and sounds. Brought a publix sub from florida to enjoy out here

Rock Island State Park has a strange layout but is jam-packed with interesting sites. If you stop…read morein the Visitor Center, they have maps and written directions on how to hit the highlights easily. You can view different falls, cascades, flow stones, and more from short distance strolls to overlooks, or delve deeper into the gorge for a closer view. Swimming is not permitted except in certain areas, so take notice, people have drowned here. Be careful when hiking and exploring the floor of the gorge as the dam can release water with limited warning. That being said, the Twin Falls and Great Falls are lovely, and the diverse landscape keeps the walk extremely interesting! Me and the dog did the Upstream and Downstream trails on the Twin Falls side, and the Gorge Trail on the Great Falls side, and while Dianne, they are steep and slippery, so wear proper shoes!

A beautiful setting in the woods. The owners are amazing and super sweet. The grounds are clean and…read morespaced out. You feel safe and comfortable and can enjoy the great outdoors. The store offers some beautiful jewelry, cute cups and shirts, ice cream, sandwiches, and ice cold drinks. It is worth the drive to enjoy this gem even if you aren't going to hike to the falls.

Always enjoy our stay at Old Mill Camp! The spots are spacious, the grounds are well maintained,…read moreand the restrooms are spotless. Did I mention the value? Great pricing, especially if you stay a week or more.

We arrived on the first Sunday in May so it's a bit cool & left (are leaving) on a Thursday. It's…read morebeen fairly quiet here which has been wonderful. This campground isn't far from highway 40 but that hasn't interrupt my sleep. There's some upkeep needing to be done but I saw them busy working on some of those projects during our stay so that tells me they are striving to provide the best experience possible for their guests. This is a pet friendly campground. There's a play area for children and a pool for those warm weather months. There's a pavilion and a few spots to just sit on a swing and enjoy the day. Just this morning I saw a redheaded woodpecker. I'd recommend this campground for folks who love nature like we are. Id definitely return if we ever come by this way again.

Premium site, fairly level, back in with crushed stone. Nice morning sun & afternoon shade. 50 amp…read morewith excellent voltage. Super nice wood deck/patio at the back of the site. Nice but small store with pretty good prices. Nice playground for the kids. The pool looked pretty good though we didnt use it. Also they have an older style, hot tub in a separate building, it looked very clean and well maintained. We were very happy with our stay. It was quiet, and staff & other campers were very friendly. We will stay here again in the future.

This is the best lake in TN hands down! One of the cleanest in the United States and very deep…read more It's not filled with debris like some others in the middle Tennessee area and it has quite a few wonderful campgrounds/RV parks, for those who would like to travel here. The "city" of Smithville isn't exactly a booming place to be... Mostly closed or old buildings - very small, and unless you're camping, I wouldn't stay in the immediate area. But once you get to the lake, it's amazing! The campgrounds are well kept and fairly large. The lake itself winds around, snake-like, with cove after cove to play in or soak up the sun in. You want privacy? You got it! You want wakes? You have that too! The fishing must be outstanding considering the many tournaments they have there. My husband and I live closer to two other lakes, but we drive just over an hour to come to this one. We can't say enough great things about it!

Did a quick stop to visit this beautiful park. You have to hike a little to get to the different…read morefalls, but nothing too strenuous. It was a hot day which wasn't that fun, but once we got to the falls it was nice to take in the view and relax. We went midday in the middle of the week so it was not busy... I am guessing during the weekend it would get packed. Note that parking is limited, so either get there early or go when we went. Would I go back? Yes.

This is Burgess Falls, another state park located in Central Tennessee sitting 12 miles northwest…read moreof the town of Sparta, TN. There's a 3/4 of a mile out and back hike called the River Trail that leads to 4 different waterfall lookout points comprising Burgess Falls SP. Waterfall #1 - The Cascades. Sort of the introduction area to the park. Waterfall #2 - First Falls. A quick glance at a 30 foot high waterfall section. But nothing special, imo. When Continuing on the trail, you'll cross over a wooden bridge and follow up a staircase. Now at... Waterfall #3 - Middle Falls... Middle Falls is 80 feet high and partially obstructed by trees and branches having grown over time. *Side Note*.... I wish park services would do some forest cutting for everyone to enjoy clearer views of the park's waterfalls. Entrance right now is free. I'd suggest charging a small fee and using that money to pay for some grooming. A lot of the observation points can't be fully appreciated. Just me venting a little, lol. Waterfall #4 - Burgess Falls... Burgess falls is the centerpiece highlight of the park. Standing at 136 feet from top to bottom, Burgess Falls can absolutely be dramatic, but still natural excess forest maturation disrupts full visibility of the falls. I did read that kayaking at the bottom of Burgess Falls is the most interactive way to come face to face with this statuesque waterfall. You can rent kayaks at Cane Hollow Recreation Area, located at the end of Cane Hollow Road. It's about 10 minutes from Burgess Falls. You can end the River Trail hike at the Top of Burgess for a panoramic overlook of the rugged gorge the falls splash down into from high above. It's another quick stop and go area before returning back towards the trailhead. Overall, Burgess Falls was a muted experience for me, but still has potential to be a rewarding visit if park authorities can maintain the inevitable growing forest hindrances that negate special moments at the waterfall overlooks.

We had a great time! Making the reservations was simple as was checking in. All around it was a…read moregreat, relaxing experience. We will definitely do this again and recommend to our friends.

Super friendly and accommodating. They were great with their communication. We rescheduled (our…read moreown decision) twice due to weather and they were super friendly about it. Such a great trip with the kids. Highly recommend.

You need a permit to walk all the way down to the falls and it is a very challenging hike. They…read morelimit the amount sold so it does sell out. The gorge does flood so def watch the safetyvide. we wouldn't have made it without out hiking poles. It was my first time using them but theybare game changer for hills and uneven terrain. We had to cross a river ... not creek. Climbing over rocks and boulders. River rocks are sooo slippery. Shoes should have good tread. This was challenging and truthful doubt I'd do it again. Water was cold. But falls are beautiful.

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.

Absolutely stunning walk in nature. I highly recommend this easy 3 mile in and out hike. It's…read morewaterfall heaven! I should have counted to see how many waterfalls there were; I am curious to know how many I saw today. The museum is nice as well. There is also camping, playground, picnic area and large ceremonial Indian field.

Great park with beautiful waterfalls! I came here right before the hurricane so the there was not…read moreas much water and but it was still beautiful! The hike is super easy and very kid friendly! We had brought water shoes so we could dip our feet into the lake! It was lots of fun! We will definitely be back! Very scenic and fun!

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!