Waterfalls & state parks · Tennessee

Waterfalls of the Upper Cumberland day trip

Waterfalls of the Upper Cumberland

A waterfall day trip east from downtown Nashville: the 75-foot Cummins Falls from its overlook or, with a gorge permit, from the plunge pool, lunch by the 1909 depot in Cookeville, and the four falls of Burgess Falls on the Falling Water River, planned around permits, parking limits and flash floods.

Time
11–12 hour day
Driving
About 3½–4 hours of driving in total
Best time
Mid-April to early June, or October
Updated
$4 USD

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Cummins Falls pouring over a layered limestone ledge into a gorge, with wide stair-step cascades below, green summer forest on the left and a tall rock wall on the right
Brian Stansberry · CC BY 3.0. September 2012 photograph from above the gorge; resized and displayed with crop.
Suggested times, not bookings

Your day at a glance

  • 7:00 amLeave downtown Nashville
  • 8:45 amCummins Falls State Park
  • 12:30 pmCookeville WestSide and Depot Museum
  • 2:15 pmBurgess Falls State Park
  • 4:15 pmDrive back to Nashville
Highlights

Worth the trip

  • The 75-foot Cummins Falls and its plunge pool, reached through the gorge with a permit
  • Four waterfalls in 1.5 miles on the Burgess Falls River Trail
  • Lunch on Cookeville's WestSide by the 1909 railroad depot

What’s in the guide

Detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links and weather alternatives. Read it online any time, or keep it offline in the Greg’s Guides app for iPhone and iPad. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

From late May through September the Upper Cumberland is usually warm to hot and humid, with pop-up afternoon thunderstorms that can raise the rivers fast. April and May bring the strongest waterfalls and frequent rain, with cool water. October is usually mild and drier, with lower falls and fall color late in the month. Winter is cold, with short park hours and high water after rain. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast the evening before and the morning of your trip, including rain upstream of the parks.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.

A good day, in the bag.

Your guides

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