Burgess Falls State Park

The land takes its name from the Burgess family, early settlers who received the ground for military service and farmed and milled along the Falling Water River. In the early twentieth century the river's power was harnessed for a small hydroelectric operation that helped light the growing town of Cookeville, and remnants of that industrial past can still be traced along the water.

A flood in the 1920s damaged the power works, and over time the state acquired the scenic river corridor and set it aside as a park. Managed today for its waterfalls and wooded gorge, Burgess Falls has become one of the most beloved short hikes in the region, drawing waterfall seekers from across Tennessee.

The trail is really a tour of the river's descent. First comes the small Upper Falls, then the Middle Falls, a wider curtain over a rock shelf, followed by the Little Falls, before the river makes its dramatic final leap at the main Burgess Falls. Each cascade has its own character, and the steady drop of the trail mirrors the drop of the river.

The main falls is the reward, a broad, powerful cascade of about 136 feet that fans over the rim and crashes into the gorge below. An overlook perched near the lip gives a commanding view, and on a full-water day the roar and mist fill the whole gorge. The stairs and trail below the overlook have been closed at times for safety, so it is wise to check current conditions before counting on reaching the very base.

The Falling Water River corridor is a rich strip of Tennessee woodland, with hemlock, oak, and hickory shading the gorge and wildflowers lining the trail in spring. Herons and kingfishers work the river, hawks ride the air over the gorge, and deer, turkey, and smaller mammals move through the surrounding forest. The mist and shade near the falls create cool pockets where mosses and ferns thrive.

Because the falls depend on the river's flow, the park changes character with the seasons and the rain. After a wet stretch the cascades are thunderous, while a long dry spell can thin them considerably, which is part of what makes each visit a little different.

Spring is the classic time to visit, when snowmelt and rain swell the river, the falls run their fullest, and wildflowers carpet the gorge floor. Summer brings green shade and warmth, though flows can drop in a dry stretch, and the cool river corridor is a welcome retreat from the heat.

Fall lights the surrounding hardwood forest with color and thins the crowds, a favorite season for photographers. Winter is quiet and stark, and after a hard freeze the falls can develop ice along their edges, though trails may be slick and some sections harder to reach.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.