Tennessee is such a beautiful place and Burgess Falls is just one of the amazing sites to see. Burgess Falls is located in a dense forest that is 80 miles east of Nashville, on the Falling Water River in Cookeville, Tennessee. It is an area that once lived the tribes of the Cherokee, Creek, and Chickasaw that was used as their hunting ground.
Burgess Falls is named for Tom Burgess, a Revolutionary War Veteran who settled in this area around 1810. Their family built a grist mill there on the Falling Water River, harnessing the power of the water to bring corn meal and later they added a lumber mill to the people living in the area.
We had been hearing so much about these falls and wanted to visit them but life being what it is always seemed to get in the way of our dreams. It was an unseasonably warm winter Saturday… so we decided to go on an adventure. We chose Burgess Falls. Little did we know we would run into people we knew or the former mayor would snap a family photo for us. But sometimes that’s just how it goes.
The Falling Water River descends over 250′ making a series of amazing cascades (think small medium and large waterfalls). When we visited the falls the lookout decks were all closed due to storm damage and flooding that damaged the decks as well as the trail down to the big falls. Which was disappointing, they said it probably won’t be open again for at least a year. But we still had fun hiking the trail and enjoying the other two waterfalls.
The Burgess Falls State Park is home to over 3oo species of trees and plants. For bird lovers you can find species like the Red Eyed Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Tufted Titmouse, Oven Bird, White Breasted Nuthatch, and Carolina Chickadee. There are also wild turkey and white-tailed deer as well.
There are several trails that you can take to enjoy your experience at Burgess falls
Wonder what this use to be? And what is through that little hole?
Burgess Falls River Trail
This trail is 1.5 miles of natural surface trail. It is listed as being difficult or strenuous. This trail gives you a good view of the waterfall
Burgess Falls Ridge Top Trail
This trail is a moderate 1 mile trek and gives you a view of the canyon below.
There are great fishing spots on the river. You will find Bream, Wide Mouth Bass, and Small Mouth Bass in its waters.
Great spots to fish are
- Below the dam
- The shoreline of the waterfalls
- The fishing pier
There are great bird-watching opportunities on the wildlife viewing trail at Burgess Falls State Park
You can find it here Lat-Long: 36.0440, -85.59453
Burgess Falls State Park
4000 Burgess Falls Drive
Sparta, TN 38583
Phone: 931.432.5312
The family photo the former mayor snapped for us.
Fall #1 At Burgess Falls
Fall #2
- Hiking Stinging Fork Falls
- Exploring Tennessee’s Piney Falls
- Exploring Ozone Falls
- Cummins Falls
- Fall Creek Falls State Park
- Travels and Journies with the Rosevine Cottage Girls
