Cummins Falls, TN

Cummins Falls

Cookeville, TN

Photo: TN State Parks

Cummins Falls, one of Tennessee's newest State Parks, boasts a 75 foot waterfall and has an excellent swimming hole for lounging in the water. Getting down to the water can be perilous, but the beauty of the falls and the surrounding area make up for any difficulty getting there. 

Fun fact: Cummins Falls was rated one of America's Best Swimming Holes by Travel & Leisure Magazine in 2010. 

Difficulty

1     2     3     4     5

(1 = Super Easy ::: 5 = Extremely Difficult) 

Can Be Tricky - Be Careful

Description: The trail down to the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River is not too difficult, though it can be steep at times. Once you have hiked down the trail to the water (a good 30 minutes at a leisurely pace), you have to hike another ½ mile or so back upstream to get to the water falls. The trek over these mossy rocks can be very slick, so watch out! Even the most seasoned swimming hole visitors will fall on these tricky rocks and river beds. It's a good idea to make sure you have appropriate water shoes for this trip. Seriously, no flip-flops! You will break an ankle or something.

Note: The first time we went to Cummins Falls there was a rope at the beginning of the trail that allowed you to scale the side of the cliffs (a shortcut to the water - knocked about 30-ish minutes off of the trip to the falls). It was kinda scary and extremely difficult, but I loved it!!! Super dangerous, though. Wouldn't recommend getting down this way with children, or older folks. Two weeks later, the rope had mysteriously vanished. Not sure if it was gone due to injuries, or if it was being replaced. If the rope is there and you decide to go down it, be careful!

Water Quality

1     2     3     4     5

(1 = Dirty/Smelly/Grimey ::: 5 = Crystal Clear)

Pretty Good

Description: The water quality at the main swimming hole area and waterfall was nice, though it was lightly stained. I didn't notice any murky/smelly business with the water there. There was a little bit of litter here and there, but I didn't see a bunch of broken glass or anything around. I would definitely recommend wearing water shoes, though, to make sure you don't step on any glass or sharp rocks.

Water Temperature

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(1 = BRRR!!! ::: 5 = OMG HOT)

Just Right

Description: The water temp up at the falls is nice and tepid, while the pool below is cool and refreshing. 

Sun Exposure

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(1 = Dark Side of the Moon ::: 5 = THE FACE OF THE SUN)

Sun (almost) Everywhere

Description: While there are a couple of shady spots at Cummins Falls, they move away too quickly to be a dependable spot for the whole day. are Be sure to bring sunscreen and a hat to protect yourself from the Sun's evil rays.

Crowds

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(1 = Super Isolated ::: 5 = Too Crowded for a Good Time)

Totally Not Alone

Description: While the crowds aren't so large they're a deal breaker for this spot, you probably shouldn't go there expecting any privacy. Cummins Falls continues to be pretty popular, and will be super crowded on holidays (We went on Memorial Day and it was packed). 

Five-Oh

1     2     3     4     5

(1 = Minimal ::: 5 = Constant Supervision)

The (invisible) Man

Description: There was a park ranger at Cummins Falls when we went on Memorial Day, however two weeks later that was not the case. They weren't too bossy/pushy to be around, and it was good to know that someone responsible was there to take care of some of the touristy types if they fell and injured themselves on the slippery rocks. If you're going on a busy weekend, I would expect to see the rangers there. Bring a coozie if you want a beer.

Getting There 

Google Maps Link

• From Nashville, take 40E to exit 286 (State Route 135N/S - Willow Ave)
• Turn left on to W 12th Street
• Continue onto TN-290 W - Gainesboro Grade
• Turn right onto Cummins Mill Road (the last gas station before you get to Cummins Falls will be on the corner)
• Turn left in to the Cummins Falls parking lot. 
• Park and follow the dirt road to get to the trail head and waterfall viewing area.

Suggested Equipment

• Sun hat - There isn't a whole lot of shade, so you might want a sun hat to keep the sun off of your face. 
• Sunscreen - Seriously! Don't get sunburned!!!
• Good water shoes - The rocks can be slippery, and it is a bit of a hike to get down to the water. I have these water shoes, and would recommend something like them for a trip like this. 
• Coozies - If you want a beer, cover it up! Also if you don't bring a coozie, your beverage will get warm. No one wants a warm beer! Gross!
• Floats - There is an awesome pool at the bottom of this waterfall that seems like it was made for floating. Bring your float and chill out for a bit. 
• Backpack Cooler - Bring your lunch! 

Best Time To Get There

Since this place can get pretty crowded, I'd suggest getting there early, so you can get the best spot (in the shade!). It's about an hour and a half(ish) away from Nashville and will take almost an hour to get to via trails, so keep that in mind. Leave Nashville before 11 and get the most out of your day. 

Side Trips/Additional Destinations

From the waterfall viewing area at the beginning of the trail, there is a short hike to the upper falls, (to the left of the viewing area), however both times I have gone to Cummins Falls, I was too preoccupied with getting to the main falls (and into the water!) to go the short hike to the upper falls area. I've heard it is nice, though.

If you continue down the river (downstream), you will eventually get to an awesome little swimming spot, that usually isn't very crowded. Pretty cool if you're looking for a secret swimming hole side trip.

Additional Photos

Cummins Falls, Memorial Day 2012

Cummins Falls, Memorial Day 2012

Cummins Falls, Memorial Day 2012

Introducing...

I have added a contributing writer to this blog, Christy. You may know her as the only other person who reads this blog. She is my weekend adventure buddy and will be helping me write this.

Welcome Christy!

Narrows of the Harpeth: Montgomery Bell's Tunnel

This spot is a little swimming hole at the Narrows of the Harpeth. The Narrows is a high, narrow bluff surrounded by a loop of the Harpeth River. When you climb to the top of the bluff you can see the river on both your left and right hand sides. I'll do a post on the bluff hike another time.

However, back in 1818, Mongomery Bell had a tunnel cut through the bluff down near the base from one side of the river to the next as a function of his iron-manufacturing operation known as Pattison Forge. Water pours through this tunnel out of the bluff and into the swimming hole. The tunnel, at almost 200 years old, is falling down in parts. It is not recommended that you walk into it, but you can climb up and get into the entrance of it easily enough. You can also shimmy across underneath the entrance and sit in the falls that it creates. Very nice on a hot day.

The hole itself is okay as far as swimming goes. It's rather medium sized and when we were there in late summer the water was heavily stained. It can feel a little crowded when other people are there and it's a state park property so it's well known. At its deepest there it was probably over my head but I didn't want to give it a try because of the lack of visibility. I would highly recommend water shoes as there was trash, including glass, in places.

Please, always take your trash out!

Alcohol is prohibited but it's far enough back where rangers don't visit often. However, you have to park where they come by frequently, so be discreet.

To access the hole:

From Nashville:

Travel on I-40 W/Memphis
Exit 196 for US-70S toward Bellevue/Newsom Station
Turn right onto US-70S
Turn left onto TN-1 W/US-70 W/Charlotte Pike

Continue to follow TN-1 W/US-70W

Turn right onto Cedar Hill Rd

Slight left onto Narrows of the Harpeth Rd.

This will put you in the parking lot of the park. Once you've parked walk back down the road the way you came. You'll see the trail-head on your left. Shortly before you come to it, there's a little tiny cave in the cliff wall, fyi.


Follow the trail downward, more to your right. You'll begin to see the river on your right. The hike is easy and takes between 5-10 minutes to reach the hole. It's not always cut through cleanly and has a muddy spot or two, so watch your step.


Below are some additional resources on the spot.
 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpeth_River_State_Park

http://www.cloudhiking.com/trails/narrowsHarpeth.php

http://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/places/harpeth_river

http://tn.gov/environment/parks/HarpethRiver/

		TIPS: Watch out for - snakes (always), glass, stinging nettles, poison ivy and oak Water shoes recommended Distance from Nashville: 26 mi/ @40 min Overall rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Website Resource

Most of what I've used in the past to find swimming holes has either been from word of mouth or from this website:

http://www.swimmingholes.org/tn.html

I figured it's as good a place as any to start.

I'll reference this page anytime I am talking about a place included here.

Why?

Why am I writing this blog?

Every summer my friends and I try to find new swimming holes. We have a few favorites that we go to regularly, but it's always nice to find somewhere new. Problem is, there aren't a lot of resources for finding good swimming spots and more importantly for finding information regarding legality, accessibility, how busy, flora/fauna and all the other things you want to know before driving a couple hours to find a place.

So, I thought I would start by sharing what I've found, both in real life and on the internet, and hopefully starting a dialog where you can let me know what you've found.

I'm also interested in good hiking spots where there's a nice view to picnic.

I live in Nashville, and I am primarily interested in places that can be reached within 2 hours drive. However, if there's a particular gem farther away, I'd love to hear about it as well.