Cookeville

Unnamed Falls #3, Burgess Falls SP, Tennessee

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A smaller waterfall in Burgess Falls State Park (December 2009)

In Burgess Falls State Park, there are a number of smaller waterfalls to be found. They are all waterfalls that flow into the Falling Water River. The third of these unnamed falls is probably the least intriguing.  At the right time of day, it might be very pretty, but the sun was shining directly behind the falls. (It was early morning when I visited, and had the whole place to myself.)  I’m guessing the waterfall is likely to be flowing only in times of higher rainfall. I could imagine it drying up when there isn’t as much rain. I visited the falls in late December, though I don’t know if there was much rain before that.

A random note:  Even though I numbered this #3, this is actually the one of the first unnamed waterfalls you will encounter.

Directions:

  1. From I-40 near Cookeville, take the exit for TN-135 and head south on TN-135.
  2. Follow TN-135 for a ways, until you see the sign indicating the turn for Burgess Falls. From there, its a short distance to the parking lot for the falls.
  3. The signs make the hike very simple to follow.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 15′
Length of Hike: 1.6 miles round-trip (to see all falls)

Where in the World is Unnamed Falls #3?

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Unnamed Falls #1, Burgess Falls SP, Tennessee

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A smaller waterfall in Burgess Falls State Park (December 2009)

In Burgess Falls State Park, there are a number of smaller waterfalls to be found. They are all waterfalls that flow into the Falling Water River. The first of these unnamed falls is about 5 or 6′ tall, if I remember correctly.  I arrived in the early morning when the air was still chilly, and it was difficult to photograph this falls because the sun was behind it.  It would probably best be photographed during noon.  But that brings up a point…Since each of the falls at Burgess Falls State Park are not oriented in the same direction, each falls would be best photographed at a different time of the day.  You would either have to stay the whole day at the park, or visit multiple times, which isn’t always possible.  Oh well…

Directions:

  1. From I-40 near Cookeville, take the exit for TN-135 and head south on TN-135.
  2. Follow TN-135 for a ways, until you see the sign indicating the turn for Burgess Falls. From there, its a short distance to the parking lot for the falls.
  3. The signs make the hike very simple to follow.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 6′
Length of Hike: 1.6 miles round-trip (to see all falls)

Where in the World is Unnamed Falls #1?

Waterloo Falls, Tennessee

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When I visited Tennessee in December 2009, I ended up driving around a considerable amount of the central portion of the state. Some counties and areas have a considerable number of waterfalls within a short distance of each other. That is not the case for Waterloo Falls, with only Cummins Falls and the smaller Hardy-Reagan Falls and being relatively nearby.

I hadn’t actually even planned on visiting Waterloo Falls.  I intended to visit Cummins Falls, only to drive by and realize that there was no place to park. I later learned a very sad tragedy had occurred at the falls, and the area was now blocked off. (As of 2017, Cummins Falls has a designated state park.) I ended up driving about 9 miles to find Waterloo Falls instead. It’s not extremely tall or extremely wide. It’s almost right in the middle. What I love about this falls is its photogenic nature. Without much difficulty, I was able to achieve a really spectacular cascading effect. I think that was just pure luck, but if you look at the right portion of the picture, you’ll even notice I was able to capture a rainbow formed by the mist from the falls. I just love the way this waterfall looks.

Directions:

  1. From the junction of US-70N and TN-136 in Cookeville, head north on SR-136 for about 10 miles.
  2. After that 10 miles, bear left onto Waterloo Road.
  3. On Waterloo Road, you’ll go down a mildly steep, narrow dirt road to a “parking” area, where if you open your window, you’ll hear the falls. The area is a short distance from a house, so please respect private property nearby.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 35′
Length of Hike: negligible

Waterloo Falls in late December 2009

Where in the World is Waterloo Falls?

Unnamed Falls #2, Burgess Falls SP, Tennessee

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A smaller waterfall in Burgess Falls State Park, December 2009

In Burgess Falls State Park, there are a number of smaller waterfalls to be found. They are all waterfalls that flow into the Falling Water River. The second of these unnamed falls is one of the more beautiful ones. It’s actually taller than one might expect, and it may actually continue on underneath the trail. I’m guessing the waterfall is likely to be flowing only in times of higher rainfall. I could imagine it drying up when there isn’t as much rain. I visited the falls in late December, though I don’t know if there was much rain before that.

Directions:

  1. From I-40 near Cookeville, take the exit for TN-135 and head south on TN-135.
  2. Follow TN-135 for a ways, until you see the sign indicating the turn for Burgess Falls. From there, its a short distance to the parking lot for the falls.
  3. The signs make the hike very simple to follow.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 30′
Length of Hike: 1.6 miles round-trip (to see all falls)

Where in the World is Unnamed Falls #2?

Falling Water Cascades, Tennessee

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As you begin your hike to see Burgess Falls and the other waterfalls along the Falling Water River, the Falling Water Cascades are one of the first drops you will encounter. I didn’t really notice them, though, until I was hiking back to the parking area. As with any waterfall, the direction of approach matters.

The Falling Water Cascades are very photogenic. The multiple, small drops allow for a very beautiful effect. Pay attention to the cascades in the presence of the much larger falls.

Directions:

  1. From I-40 near Cookeville, take the exit for TN-135 and head south on TN-135.
  2. Follow TN-135 for a ways, until you see the sign indicating the turn for Burgess Falls. From there, its a short distance to the parking lot for the falls.
  3. The signs make the hike very simple to follow.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 10′
Length of Hike: 1.6 miles round-trip (to see all falls)

Falling Water Cascades in December 2009

Where in the World is Falling Water Cascades?

Burgess Falls, Tennessee

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If you’re in the Cookeville region of Tennessee, you definitely need to visit Burgess Falls. It’s an extremely beautiful waterfall with a very interesting shape.

When you visit Burgess Falls State Park, you’ll see Burgess Falls, the largest of the falls, along with four other smaller falls on Falling Water River. There are also multiple tributary “waterfalls.” Visiting Burgess Falls is also surprisingly easy. You can most likely bring your children to the falls, though they need to exercise caution, as do adults. Everyone can view the falls from the overlook. If you want to view the falls from the base, though, this requires more effort and is probably not everyone. There were stairs making the hike down safer than I expected.

Directions:

  1. From I-40 near Cookeville, take the exit for TN-135 and head south on TN-135.
  2. Follow TN-135 for a ways, until you see the sign indicating the turn for Burgess Falls. From there, its a short distance to the parking lot for the falls.
  3. The signs make the hike very simple to follow.

Accessibility: 8/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 136′
Length of Hike: 1.6 miles round-trip

Burgess Falls in December 2009

Where in the World is Burgess Falls?