Fall Creek Falls State Park

Fall Creek Falls State Park in Van Buren County, Tennessee, encompasses 29,843 acres on the Cumberland Plateau and is home to some of the most dramatic waterfalls in the eastern United States. The park's namesake waterfall, Fall Creek Falls, plunges 256 feet — the tallest free-falling waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains and among the most impressive natural features in Tennessee. Located approximately 90 miles east of Nashville and 80 miles northwest of Chattanooga, the park draws hikers, cyclists, paddlers, and campers from across the state and region. The Fall Creek Falls trail begins at a rim overlook, where the full height of the cascade is visible from a fenced viewing platform, then descends 0.8 miles into the gorge to a plunge pool at the base. The gorge floor receives limited sunlight, maintaining cool, humid conditions year-round that support dense fern and moss growth along the canyon walls. Three additional major waterfalls are accessible by trail within the park: Piney Falls (85 feet), Cane Creek Falls (85 feet), and Cane Creek Cascades — a 200-foot-wide broad cascade flowing over flat sandstone shelves in wide curtains. The 26-mile trail network ranges from short waterfall loops to demanding ridge-top hikes with open views across the surrounding plateau. Beyond hiking, the park offers 227 campsites, a lake-view inn with cabins, an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, an Olympic-size swimming pool, and paddleboat and kayak rentals on Fall Creek Falls Lake. The park's cycling infrastructure has been significantly expanded, making it a destination for mountain bikers on the Gravel Hill Trail and the scenic plateau road system. The park is administered by the Tennessee State Parks system and charges no day-use entrance fee.