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Middle TennesseeFall Creek Falls State Park

Fall Creek Falls

A short but steep descent to the base of one of the tallest waterfalls in the eastern U.S., plunging 256 feet into a shaded gorge.

A high waterfall plunging into a shaded plunge pool
Photo by Jsfouche, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Length
2 mi
Elevation gain
400 ft
Difficulty
moderate
Route
out-and-back

Find the trailhead

Weather at the trailhead

73°FMainly clear now

Sunrise 5:28 AM · Sunset 7:48 PM

  • TodayOvercast79° / 68°F43% precip
  • ThuOvercast82° / 69°F18% precip
  • FriDrizzle80° / 64°F59% precip

Forecast from Open-Meteo. Mountain conditions change fast; check again before you go.

The signature hike of Tennessee's flagship state park. From the overlook, a steep, rocky trail drops to the base of Fall Creek Falls, where the water free-falls 256 feet into a cool, misty plunge pool. It's short but the climb back out is a workout, and the rocks stay slick; take your time. Pair it with the nearby Cane Creek and Piney Falls overlooks for a full day.

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