Burgess Falls State Park
Burgess Falls State Park is a day-use park featuring several activities including fishing below the dam and along the main waterfall. Picnicking is also popular with a large covered pavilion and 16 picnic tables, most equipped with grills.
Located on the rugged dissected eastern edge of Tennessee’s Eastern Highland Rim, this 217-acre natural area is famous for its four exquisite waterfalls. Visitors are drawn to the park for scenic views and moderately distanced hiking trails. Learn more by clicking here.
Hiking Trails
Burgess Falls State Park is a day-use park that offers the opportunity to fish, boat/kayak, hike, and picnic. The park has several hiking trails that showcase the beauty of the surrounding landscape and offer different vantage points of the four waterfalls. The River Trail is an easy 1.5-mile hike that will lead you past all of the waterfalls while the Ridge Top Trail is more challenging and offers a view of the river from above.
Guests can also explore the gorge by paddling down the Falling Water River. This is a popular activity and it is recommended to visit during the week when there are fewer people, as it tends to be quite crowded on weekends and holidays. The park is also a great place to go fishing, as the river offers a variety of species including smallmouth bass and bream. It is also home to numerous bird species, such as Night Herons and swallows.
Fishing
The Falling Water River, which forms the center of Burgess Falls State Natural Area, is home to waterfalls and diverse forest communities. Visitors are welcome to fish on the lake and river during the park’s open season. However, boating is prohibited below the dam. Guests can fish for bream and large and smallmouth bass at the park’s fishing pier or on the nearby Center Hill Lake.
Burgess Falls State Natural Area is situated around a steep gorge where the Falling Water River plunges over multiple waterfalls. The park and natural area are most notable for their scenic value.
The gorge is home to several hiking trails including the River Trail, which takes hikers past the numerous waterfalls. The half-mile Ridge Top Trail offers a beautiful view of the prime canyon of the Falling Water River. The park also contains a Native Butterfly Garden. Parking and restrooms are available on-site. The park’s entrance is located off Tennessee State Route 135, equidistant from Sparta and Cookeville. Visit another area in town here.
Picnicking
Located on the Falling Water River in Putnam and White County, Burgess Falls State Park is a day park renowned for its waterfalls. This natural area is part of the Cumberland Plateau’s Eastern Highland Rim and features sheer bluffs, narrow ridges, rolling waters, and lush forests.
The park is free to the public and offers picnicking opportunities on the banks of the waterfalls. There are also several trails within the park to hike including the one-and-a-half-mile River Trail/Service Road Loop and the 1.3-mile Ridge Top Trail.
The park is also a birding destination with woodland species such as the Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, and White-breasted Nuthatch being common residents of the park. It is also home to breeding birds such as the Ovenbird and Red-eyed Vireo. Guests can visit the park throughout the year, but spring through autumn are popular seasons for guests. The park also offers Junior Ranger Camps throughout the summer for local youth.
Junior Ranger Camps
With four awe-inspiring waterfalls and outdoor recreational activities, Burgess Falls State Natural Area is a true hidden gem. A paradise for waterfall chasers and anglers, the park is also a perfect place to discover wildlife.
The park offers year-round educational programs for children and adults as well as curriculum-based education programs for schools. Park staff also provide interpretive hikes and other programs on request.
Junior Ranger Camps are a great way to introduce kids to the outdoors. The camps are designed to give kids ages 6 through 14 a new look at the world around them by encouraging exploration and a deeper appreciation of nature. Camp topics vary from year to year but may include: Outdoor Safety, Astronomy, Reptiles and Amphibians, Water Studies, Outdoor Skills Workshops, Wilderness Survival, and Map and Compass Navigation.
The park offers picnic areas with a scenic view of the river. A large covered pavilion that can be reserved for groups and a playground are located nearby. Find out more!
Driving directions from Advanced Cleaning Services to Burgess Falls State Park
Driving directions from Burgess Falls State Park to Sunset Rock
