Burgess Falls

Drop everything

Is it plungeworthy?

136feet tall

A block on Falling Water River.

Scale52/60

Documentation20/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Block
Watercourse: Falling Water River
Coordinates: 36.04533, -85.59954

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About Burgess Falls

Burgess Falls is a 136-foot block in Tennessee, on Falling Water River.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Burgess Falls 8.6/10 — drop everything. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Three falls stack down the Falling Water River and the last — about 103 feet by modern lidar, whatever the 136-foot postcards claimed — drops into a stone bowl. Know before you go: the staircase to the base is gone for good. This is an overlook waterfall now, and the only path to its pool is by kayak from Cane Hollow.

Getting there

Trailhead: Burgess Falls State Park, between Sparta and Cookeville
Parking: Main lot
Road: Paved
Hike: 1.6 mi round trip (moderate)
Heads up: The River Trail passes all three falls to the main overlook. Base access is permanently closed — the flood-destroyed staircase was removed with no rebuild planned.

When to go

Spring for volume, fall for color. Day-use park with early gates — check closing time before an afternoon start.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: None
Dogs: Leashed
Hours: Day use; gates close before sunset
Warnings: The gorge drops away fast past the rails — they mean it.

Researched from TN State Parks — Waterfalls guide · Wikipedia — Burgess Falls State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Burgess Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.