If Cummins Falls State Park isn’t already on your bucket list, it should be!
Cummins Falls is home to the 8th largest waterfall in Tennessee, and you can hike right up to the base of it! To get here, you’ll go through an incredible hike through the woods, through a river, and through a gorge! It’s such an unique and adventurous hike.
This incredible waterfall was on my list way too long before I checked it off, and my only regret is I didn’t come here sooner!
I’ve written everything you need to know before you visit Cummins Falls so you can have the best adventure possible without worrying about the details!
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What is Cummins Falls?
Cummins Falls State Park is an incredible park in middle Tennessee home to its namesake, Cummins Falls.
Cummins Falls is 75 feet fall, and is the 8th largest waterfall in Tennessee by water volume!
The Cummins Falls Base Route via Falls Overlook Trail and Blackburn Fork Trail in the park takes you into the gorge and to the base of the waterfall, the hike we’ll be focusing on here. This is for sure the coolest hike in the park.
This is a great waterfall to visit for adventure lovers since to get to the falls, you have to hike through the woods and through a river on a challenging but epic trail. Not only this, but there are plenty of other waterfalls and great hikes nearby to Cummins Falls.
Where is Cummins Falls?
Cummins Falls State Park is located in Cookeville, Tennessee. Something special about Cookeville is that there are 150 waterfalls within a 40 mile radius of downtown, but there isn’t too much else to do in the town itself.
Cummins Falls is about 1 hour 20 minutes from Nashville, 2 hours from Chattanooga, 2 hours from Knoxville, and 5 hours from Memphis. Cookeville is in central time zone.
Some amazing other waterfalls to check out in this area are Burgess Falls, Twin Falls, and Foster Falls. If you’re interested in more waterfall hikes close to Nashville, check my blog post with 6 falls in addition to Cummins Falls to check out.
Getting a Permit for Cummins Falls
You are required to have a permit to do the hike to the base of Cummins Falls.
It’s a fairly straight forward process, but permit tickets can sell out quickly, especially during the summers and the weekends.
It’s a safe option to buy your permit a week or so in advance if going during these peak times, or a few days ahead if going at a slower time. There are 200 permits available for purchase every day, and you do have to specify what day you’re going on.
You can buy a permit on Cummins Fall’s website. Permits are $7 per person, and with tax, it ends up being $7.68. You’ll get an email with your permit, and you’ll need a version of this either on your phone or a printed copy.
There will be someone checking for permits before you enter the trails near the visitor center. I’d recommend screenshotting your ticket whenever you get it just in case you don’t have adequate service to load it at the park.
Once you purchase your permit for a specific day, the park doesn’t offer any refunds, exchanges, date transfers, or rainchecks.
What to do if you can’t get a Permit
If you can’t get a permit to hike to the base of the falls, fear not! There are still hikes you can do in the park with amazing views to still have a great time.
Perhaps the prettiest of these is the Falls Overlook Trail. This easy trail is only 0.8 miles long, and is a quick out and back trail with only 144 feet of elevation gain.
The majority of this hike is through the woods, but at the turn around point you’ll reach the incredible view point of Cummins Falls from above!
Here, you can see the falls, the swimming hole below it, and the insane rock faces surrounding them.
Difficulty of Cummins Falls
The Cummins Falls Base Route via Falls Overlook Trail and Blackburn Fork Trail is a bit of a difficult hike, surely one of the more challenging waterfall hikes I’ve done around Tennessee.
This trail is rated as moderate on AllTrails, is 2.4 miles, has 351 feet of elevation gain, and is an out and back trail.
While this trail has its challenges, I think any seasoned adventurer should have little to no problem. The hike through the woods that I’ll touch on later is your standard, run of the mill woods hike. The real challenge is the 1 mile section that goes through the river.
Here, you can expect to have to wade through water, cross over slippery rocks, and just overall struggle more than you may expect to.
For me, the river crossing was made more challenging by trying to stay dry and keep my feet from getting wet. If you wear the proper attire to alleviate these concerns, you should have an easier (but still a fun level of challenging) time.
This hike is dog friendly, but depending on the breed, they may be challenged as well. The water level could be a big factor.
What to Expect at Cummins Falls
When you arrive at the park, you can expect great infrastructure. There’s plenty of parking in their paved lot, restrooms, a visitor center, and even a small gift shop.
Once you show your permit to the employee and start past the trailhead, the first section of the out and back is a well marked forest hike!
You’ll be slowly descending at first, barely even realizing it. Very soon in you’ll see the overlook of Cummins Falls and all you have in store to explore!
Quickly after this, the descent becomes a lot more intense. This is where you’ll really feel the elevation change as the trail transforms into switchbacks as you had towards the river.
The good news about both these areas is they’re very shaded during the summer, you’ll have a canopy of leaves above you practically the entire time.
I can’t say the same about the river section you’re about the enter, although it honestly depends on how close to the tree line you try to stay. Obviously, the closer to the tree line, the more shade.
Once you reach the river, you have about half a mile until you reach the falls! This half mile is entirely in the river. If you go when the water is low enough, you may be able to get away with just walking on the rock river bed near the tree line. I was able to do this for a chunk of my hike.
At some point though, you’ll likely have to do a river crossing. Even when the water level was low when I went, I had to. This is where your waterproof sturdy shoes will really be pivotal for you.
Depending on where you cross, you can have a straight forward walk across a flat rock situation, or go rock hopping. I did the latter on the way to the falls, and the former on the way back after I saw other hikers doing this and realized I didn’t want to fall in again like I had rock hopping.
Your experience with the river could honestly be very different from mine. It truly just depends on how high the water is, and it was only about to my ankles when I went. With this being said, I still managed to get pretty wet (I’m clumsy, okay).
Soon enough, Cummins Falls should come into view for you! You can walk right up to it if the water levels allow, although, please be careful and cautious of slippery rock. This is what held me back from attempting to do this myself and stick to admiring from afar.
There are plenty of spots to enjoy views of the falls on dry land. I just roamed around hopping on different boulders and enjoying different angles of it. The pool in front of the falls is a beautiful shade of green, and you can swim in it!
Whenever you’re done admiring the falls, remember, this is an out and back trail. So, now start your 1.2 miles back, this time going uphill. Worth it, though.
Can you Swim at Cummins Falls
You sure can swim at Cummins Falls!
You’ll more than likely already be wet by the time you reach the falls since a decent part of this hike is through the river. So may as well enjoy the giant pool that forms at the bottom of Cummins Falls!
If you’re up for bringing a backpack, it could be a good idea to pack a towel, and perhaps a change of dry clothes for your drive home after your hike.
There are a few life jackets at the falls if you feel you need one.
Risks of Cummins Falls
While swimming is allowed, there is a risk of flash flooding at the base of Cummins Falls. Be aware of this if you go after a period of heavy rain, and I wouldn’t recommend going while it’s raining – the park will probably be closed anyways.
There are a few areas around the base marked in yellow where it suggests you go to in the case of flooding. If you happen to be in the gorge when it starts to flood, head to these areas and follow any additional ranger guidance.
Check their Facebook or website for any updates they may have on park closures due to weather or other reasons.
While not a direct risk, there is spotty service in the gorge. Make sure to tell someone where you’re hiking, have a map downloaded, and check out my article on solo hiking tips. These are great to follow even if you’re not alone.
What to Wear While Hiking Cummins Falls
You NEED to wear water shoes! This can make your hike at Cummins Falls go from super fun to perhaps a bit miserable really quickly.
When I say water shoes, I mean sturdy waterproof sandals such as Chacos or Keens, especially if you’re going when the water is high. I wore my waterproof hiking boots, which are fantastic in 90% of situations, but the water levels were so high it went right over the top of my boots and got my socks wet.
Squishy socks are not a vibe. You may be ok if you go during a dry season to wear hiking boots over specific water shoes, just plan accordingly.
If you go during summer and you’re wanting to swim in the hole at the base of Cummins Falls, consider wearing a bathing suit under your hiking clothes! Or quick wicking spandex. If you do this though, consider keeping a set of dry clothes in your car to change into after! There are kept up bathrooms at the trailhead you can use to change.
Over the bathing suit or whatever under garments you choose to wear, definitely opt for dry fit or quick wicking clothes, especially with your pants. They’ll likely get wet. I made the mistake of wearing white shorts that did not dry quickly, and that was a poor decision.
Depending on what season you go, you may need different attire, such as a jacket, rain jacket, or a hat. Make sure to bring plenty of water!
When to Visit Cummins Falls
I think late Summer is the best time to visit, but it all depends on your preference. During summer, the park is also open a bit later.
While late summer will be hotter than other times, you’ll also have warmer swimming water. I went in August, and the heat wasn’t terrible, and I credit that to the hike being shaded for a big part of it. The waterfall was lighter than I’ve seen some other pictures of it, but still flowing!
Winter is also a famed season to go on waterfall hikes I’ve heard, but I’m yet to do one here.
During the summer (on-season), the park is open from 8 AM to 6 PM. During the winter (off-season), the park is open from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. The gorge itself closes at 5 PM during the summer, so you’ll have to head back to your car at this point to make it back by 6.
Rules to Obey at Cummins Falls
There are a few rules you need to follow while at Cummins Falls to make sure your trip goes smoothly and safely.
They’re pretty straight forward. Don’t bring alcohol, coolers, or glass. While you can swim, don’t bring pool floats, and children under 12 must be supervised by an adult and have a life vest on. If you’re in the gorge area at 5 PM, start headed out. Keep pets on a leash and clean up after them.
While it’s not an official park rule, please follow the 7 principles of Leave No Trace, meaning:
- Be considerate of others
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
It’s possible that not all of these may apply for your visit to Cummins Falls, like you won’t be making campfires or camping. But, keep these in mind for any future trips to somewhere where these may be applicable.
You should be all set for your visit to Cummins Falls State Park now!
More Tennessee Hikes
I mentioned this earlier, but if you’re wanting more waterfall hikes near the area and around Nashville, check out my post on the best waterfall hikes within an hour of the city. If you’re wanting to explore that area more, I also have a post on the prettiest 11 hikes within an hour of Nashville.
