Looking to get outdoors for a short hike that ends with a beautiful waterfall and watering hole for swimming? Then look no further than Cummins Falls in Cookeville, Tennessee. Located just 82 miles or 1 hour 20 minutes from Nashville, this is a great day trip to get out of Nashville and into nature. And it’s perfect for a hot day when you want to swim in refreshingly cool water.
I recently went with a group of friends and had a great time! But, there were some things I wish I knew before going that would have been super helpful to know ahead of time. And I’m going to share all the info I learned so you’re ready to take on this hike and enjoy the Falls!
Before You Go
If you take one thing away from this post, it’s that you need to pre-purchase permits to go to the base of the waterfall – which is what you want to do! They limit the number of the people that can go per day, so it doesn’t get overcrowded. I believe it’s 200 passes a day. Passes are per person and cost $6 plus tax. They check tickets at the start of the hike down, so they take it seriously!
Don’t forget your swimsuit, sunscreen, and a towel if you plan on swimming! And drinking water – the gorge is hot depending on the day!
And a note from the official website:
What to Expect at the Park/Trailhead
There’s a large, free paved parking lot available at the Visitor’s Center/Gift Shop which is also the trailhead starting area. There are indoor restrooms at the center as well. If the paved parking lot is full, there’s a ton of overflow parking in the grass.
When we arrived at the trailhead, we were greeted by park employees who asked us about our permits and let us know that they were sold out for the day but would allow people to purchase permits on-site as people left for the day. They also provided information about other local watering holes to swim in if we didn’t have permits which I thought was a nice touch. Luckily, we were all set!
On the Hike
The beginning of the hike is just a flat walk through the woods, where you quickly find a fork in the trail and a park employee who is checking passes. One route goes to the waterfall lookout and the other to the base of the waterfall.
The start of the trail to the waterfall is a few steep switchbacks and stairs before you enter the gorge. After that, the hike is essentially a trek through a shallow river. While you can skirt the edges of the water for most of it, you do eventually have to cross over water to the other side. Because of this, I’d recommend water shoes like Chaco’s or Keen’s – water shoes made for light hiking.
There are a lot of slippery rocks in the gorge, so be careful not to slip. The small gravel rocks were safer than the bigger rocks that had algae on them. My friend slipped and lost her expensive sunglasses – a lesson for us all! There are also large rocks that you must climb over or around, especially near the waterfall.
Also a good note – the gorge doesn’t have much tree coverage so you’re in direct sunlight which can get pretty hot. I suggest a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses (but be careful!), and lots of water to keep you protected.
Overall, the hike is fairly short – taking about 30 to 45 minutes depending on hiking experience. It’s a little over 1 mile each way, but the rocky terrain makes the hike slower.
At the Falls!
Turning the last corner, you’re greeted with the truly breathtaking 75’ cascading waterfall (and a hundred other hikers/swimmers)! Even when it’s busy, the waterfall is beautiful, and the area is large so there’s still room to swim and explore – plus the passes really do help limit the amount of people there.
While they say no lifeguards, there are park rangers on duty – perhaps only on the weekends? – that are monitoring the falls and have first aid available. There are also a limited number of life jackets available at the base of the waterfall.
There are shallow and deep parts of the watering hole. So, there are plenty of spots to stand in waist-deep water, but there are also spots to be cautious in, or else you’ll fall off into a deep spot! Though, I enjoyed that because I wanted to swim a bit!!
The falls themselves were cool to explore. You can go under the waterfall at the base of the watering hole, or you can climb up onto the cascades and hang out there. Getting down can be a little tricky, but that’s the fun!? Not so fun was when I fell going back down and bruised my hand. Don’t be like me!
Final Thoughts
Cummins Falls is a great day hike to hit in the summer when you want a beautiful waterfall view and some swimming to escape the Tennessee heat. The hike isn’t too long, and the destination is worth the slippery terrain. Plus, it’s the perfect distance from Nashville to make it a no-brainer trip! Happy hiking!
Let me know if you enjoyed this guide on hiking Cummins Falls – in the comments or over on Instagram! If you liked this Tennessee activity guide, I’d love for you to share this post!
