Visit Beautiful Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee

2 hours from Nashville

A variety of hiking options

Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of Tennessee’s most visited state parks. I can see why. There are 35 miles of hiking trails, camping, backpacking, a ropes course, and most importantly, waterfalls. I have only done day trips to these falls but would love to camp someday.

Fall Creek Falls

Let’s just talk about the Fall Creek Falls for a second. They are massive. At 256 feet tall, they are so impressive. The power of the rushing water is stare-worthy.

I wouldn’t recommend swimming here. The falls are powerful, and debris can fall. If you’re looking for a good swimming hole, Cane Creek Falls is located in the same park and also worth seeing. The swimming there is much safer.

Hiking

You have a bunch of trail options. My vote is to park at the Nature Center, take the Woodland Trail to the Base of the Falls Trail, then take the Overlook Trail on the way back. This would be around 2.5 miles. You get more of a workout and more time in the woods.

You could also park at the Lower Loop Trailhead and just do the 0.8 mile hike to the base of the falls.

You can also just hike to the Rocky Point Overlook for a great view.

This map shows what I’m talking about.

Advice

Make a day of it. Pack a picnic lunch, hike Fall Creek Falls in the morning, then swim at Cane Creek Falls in the afternoon.

Arrive early to avoid crowds, especially in peak times/holiday weekends.

Visit in Spring, Summer, or Fall.

Go camping if you can!

You can spend a day or an entire weekend in this glorious state park. Enjoy!

PS. I apologize for the lack of photos. My iPhone died while in Costa Rica, I hadn’t set up the cloud, and I lost all my photos from these falls.

For Free and Cheap Yoga in Nashville, check out this post! And for all 8 Best Waterfall Hikes near Nashville, head over here.

Addresses

2009 Village Camp Road, Spencer, TN 38585 is the Fall Creek Falls State Park Entrance

10821 Park Road, Pikeville, TN 37367 is the address for the Betty Dunn Nature Center