Burgess Falls State Park, Tennessee, United States

5NewbernTraveler 5:00 PM Jun 24, 2020

Beautiful falls, but with a few things to be aware of...
Burgess Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Tennessee, and only about 12 miles south of I-40, at Cookeville. It is well worth a stop, but that said, there are some things you need to known in advance. * It is a 3/4 mile walk to the falls from the parking area, and there are two ways to do this. One is a very strenuous walk along the river that takes you by three of the other smaller falls on the way to the main falls at the end. This has numerous steps that get steep at times. Many are made out of rocks, or sometimes using the roots of trees. The easier way is simply to take the gravel service road from the parking lot to the main falls. It has an incline, but is much easier to walk. It also has one observation area where you can see one of the other smaller falls. * Get there early... Parking here is extremely limited. On weekends, by 9:30 am, the parking areas are filled up and closed sometimes. The park opens at 8 am, and closes 1/2 hour before sunset. Weekdays are better, and going after 4 pm can help, too. * There is no camping or swimming. While this is a state park, it is actually a state natural area, with less features than standard state parks. You can walk to the bottom of the falls, and people do get in the water at their own risks. * Take water with you. While 3/4 mile doesn't seem long, on a hot day it can get tough, especially if you use the river walk with all the steps up and down.

4Whatafall 5:00 PM Jan 20, 2020

Amazing natural wonder marred by plastic playground and tailgating families.
I LOVE the hike at Burgess Falls and you will too - just ignore the plastic swingsets and picnic area and go straight to the river, then downstream. Once on the trail it beauty comes to life! The waterfalls and pools look inviting to swim in, and perhaps the city upstream will clean up enough to make that appealing. For now it's best in cooler months or after a big rain when the falls are pumping and the spray covering everything in mist. You can take boring gravel road in to the main falls, and this means when you get there you'll see more people, but the old trail is the gem so I suggest you return on that too.