cummins falls state park

This is really fun and gorgeous to see! But everything I read before I went told me you just cross through ankle high water once on your way to the actual falls, but we crossed through mid-thigh high waters that were fairly strong at points, so keep in mind the time of year you go. Really great place to hangout though.

The trails are clean and the waterfalls are always nice. The Fall is the best time to visit these falls the leaves are amazing.

Great place to rest now refresh your mind from The city greatwalking trails easy to have a good day with nature

A nice hike with an amazing reward! Cummins is one of the few falls you can actually get in and swim! As with any waterfall, it can be dangerous so if you have kids keep your eyes on them or if you're not a strong swimmer please be careful! The park doesn't allow floats and the rangers present will tell you that. The hike can be pretty easy just stick to the path! And wear watershoes!!!!! Flip flops are NOT a good idea. The drive there is filled with gorgeous scenery but honestly nothing compares to when you bend that corner and see how truly magnificent these falls are. There is also no fee to visit but there is a donation box which I recommend anyone who visits to make a contribution. After all, the falls are a beautiful gift from mother nature and it is our responsibility to keep the park in pristine and safe conditions.

Really nice hike to go all the way to the bottom of falls, or just a short hike if you just want to see the waterfall. Really gorgeous place. Whole family loves it.

Dad is 89 and his "baby brothers" are 88 and 86 so their mobility is somewhat limited. I had told dad about this beautiful natural attraction and when his brothers came from Arizona and Texas to visit he wanted them to see it. When we arrived at the entrance to the drive that takes you down to the falls overlook there was an "Authorized Vehicles Only" sign so we parked in the lot and the baby brothers and I started down the drive. One of my uncles saw the downslope and upslope on the drive and commented that he can walk pretty well but has trouble with hills. A ranger was sitting at a bench nearby keeping an eye on things and when he overheard that comment he suggested that we drive down. When I asked about the sign, he responded with "You may may consider yourselves an 'Authorized Vehicle.'" Bottom line - they got to see one of the beautiful waterfalls in central Tennessee is spite of the otherwise challenging terrain.

Take your time and enjoy this amazing place! Where sturdy water shoes & swimming attire. Please leave NO TRACE, we packed out 4 bags of trash!

We decided to hike to these falls after reading various write ups about them. Arrived fairly early Monday morning and the parking lot was empty. Opted to first hike the overlook trail which the literature claimed was 1/2 mile long. It was the shortest 1/2 mile we had ever walked. So we decided to try the downstream trail to the edge of the river/creek. On the way, probably because no one else was there, we scared up a total of 5 large deer, something I doubt one would see in the summer due to the large number of people supposedly visiting the falls in the warmer times. It was a fairly easy walk to the edge of the river and we decided to trek upstream as far as we could without getting wet to see if we could reach the falls. Probably got halfway before deciding if we continued we would have to wade and being that it was quite chilly, being December, we turned around. The view from the overlook is very nice though. Might have to try again in warmer days to get there from the bottom. One nice thing was no one else was there so our photos were of the falls with no people on them.

This is the newest state park. Nice parking area. Swimming hole after a hike. Be careful the hike is steep and you can easily slip. Not for the out of shape ! Hiking shoes needed.

We love Cummins falls! Absolutely stunning when you get to the bottom. Be sure to allow plenty of time to get to the bottom of the falls and back up before it gets dark. Since becoming a state park they have removed the rope that allowed a short cut to the bottom and I definitely wouldn't recommend trying to do it without the rope... If you are in the area at least stop to check out the falls from the top! Beautiful Tennessee!

We were on our way to Standing Stone State Park when we saw a sign for Cummins Falls State Park. Glad we took the side trip to visit. It was an easy hike, and the falls were beautiful. It was a beautiful day, and the people we met on the trail were very nice. You don't need a lot of time. You can do the trail at a leisurely pace, stop to take pictures and admire the falls, and get back to your car in less than two hours. The trail did get busy, though, so get there early if you want more nature than people.

The falls at Cummins are incredibly beautiful and worth the trip by themselves. The park is not highly developed yet, I assume due to the fact that the land was not turned into a State Park until 2011. The overlook path was an easy walk through beautiful fall foliage. We did not go to the bottom of the falls as it looked much to strenuous for people in their sixties. Hopefully the park will continue to develop more trails, handicapped trails, picnic areas etc. Restroom was available (which was great) for use as this park is very isolated.

This park is relatively new, and everything is still in great condition. The trails were well done, and the view of the falls was great. Unfortunately, there is not necessarily a "trail" to the bottom of the falls, so much as you end up hiking upstream through the river. Also, it's a good distance away from the interstate, so prepare for some driving.

I used to live in Cookeville and visited most of the nearby parks and trails; however, I had never made it Cummins Falls. My family made the drive from the interstate, hoping to get some fresh air and do some good exploring. We were not disappointed. The drive to the park is typical - fairly secluded but still easy to get to from the main roads by following the brown park signs. Once there, you'll see a large parking lot, a bathroom building, and some information boards. Everyone should read the information boards - they're extremely helpful in figuring out which trails are suitable for your crew. The bathrooms were a big surprise, as they were quite clean and well-maintained. We chose to walk the overlook trail, which took us along an approx. 1-mile round-trip hike. Once we got to the overlook, the view was stunning. My son was skeptical of the railings, so he stayed back away from the fence. We then walked further to the right of the overlook sign (it's a bit hidden) to another fenced area for viewing the water and rocks below. FYI - The information signs say that the overlook path is stroller friendly, but I wouldn't want to drag a stroller along there. It would be perfect, however, for toting a child in a carrier, since the hike isn't strenuous at all.There are trails that take you down to water and the falls, but we weren't prepared to make that trip just yet. We plan to return when the weather is warmer, so we can make the most of the swimming area below.

The hike to the falls was strenuous but worth the challenge. I just wish the weather had been warmer so we could have gone swimming when we got to the falls. Wear good shoes or better yet, sandals such as Chaco's, to get through the strenuous sections of the trail and stream-crossing necessary to get to the falls. The downstream trail is NOT appropriate for small children.