You need a permit to walk all the way down to the falls and it is a very challenging hike. They…read morelimit the amount sold so it does sell out. The gorge does flood so def watch the safetyvide. we wouldn't have made it without out hiking poles. It was my first time using them but theybare game changer for hills and uneven terrain. We had to cross a river ... not creek. Climbing over rocks and boulders. River rocks are sooo slippery. Shoes should have good tread. This was challenging and truthful doubt I'd do it again. Water was cold. But falls are beautiful.

Cummins Falls State Park is located 10 miles north of the town of Cookeville, in Central Tennessee…read more Can you go swimming at Cummins Falls??? Of course you can! It's a 1 mile hike down to the bottom of a gorge to reach a swimming hole Travel and Leisure Magazine rates...as one of the "10 Best in the United States"! It's $7 to gain access to the gorge. You can purchase passes online ahead of time at tnstateparks.com. Or, you can buy passes inside the Visitor Center the day of, but they allot only 200 tickets per day so depending upon the time of year, passes can sell out quickly especially during peak summers. Now...there is a waterfall overlook to check out but I think it'd be more worthwhile to get to Cummins Falls ASAP before the crowds arrive and you can always visit the lookout on the return trip back up towards the trailhead. Once you reach the river area, it's 6/10th's of a mile remaining until you arrive at the falls. Also, make sure to hang towards the left while hiking beside the river and (imo) it's imperative to be wearing water shoes as the creek is filled with sharp rocks and water levels reaching shin high. While hiking to Cummins Falls, you really get a sense for being in the heart of nature. I enjoyed the setting. Approaching the falls, it's 75 feet of cascading waters flowing down the cliffside and ideal for swimming. Best of all, visitors can climb the rocks and explore at their leisure making for an adventurous experience. Of course, it's a rite of passage to finish the experience in style by going swimming. The park opens at 8am. I'd suggest arriving as early as possible before it gets busy. The park closes at 6pm but there's a clearly stated sign that visitors must exit the gorge area by 5pm. One extra note...lifeguards are on duty at Cummins Falls throughout the day. When returning back up towards the trailhead, now head over to the lookout platform getting to admire Cummins Falls from high above. It makes for a photogenic perspective and is a clear reminder of why the great outdoors can be so special. Right nearby Cummins Falls SP are more local waterfalls to check out including...Fall Creek Falls, Burgess Falls, Ozone Falls, Virgin Falls, Piney Falls and Stinging Fork Falls, just to name a few.

Rustic and no distractions, nice place for a break from all the noise. The perfect place to enjoy…read morehuman interaction, games and dinner with no phones. Give yourself a couple days to get over the awkward silence. Takes that long to wake up from our Technology induced coma

I love this place. Most relaxing place anywhere, if here in the summer, there's a swimming pool…read morevery close to the cabins for the kids. Also a lake at the bottom

This road side attraction was worth the stop. It's a little off the road in a neighborhood. There…read moreis welcome sign so you know in right place.

So beautiful. Amazing rocks. Lots of hard work. Nothing else was there, but nothing else needed to…read morebe there.

Loved this place!! Nice trails, quiet and clean. Very nice bath house and covered picnic area.read more

Great hiking spot, beautiful landscape and lots of options! We will definitely come back.read more

Beautiful campsite. We got a spot right on the lake, so the sunset was soooo nice! Highly…read morerecommend. Quiet and peaceful.

Clean and quiet, lots of trees for privacy and amazing views! Everyone is always super friendly…read more Pets allowed and golf carts allowed.

This was our second time here. I am always impressed by TN State Parks. Clean bathrooms, friendly…read morestaff, it can make a big difference in your day. We did some fishing, but no catching haha. We napped in the sun, and watched boats and birds go by. While we did not go up the tower or in the wildlife area, we thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing day here. It's a little early in the year, so we didnt see too many people. One note, the two bathrooms we used both had stairs. Im sure they have bathrooms that can be accessed without stairs, but I didn't see them. One note, there are picnic tables near the road to one of the boat ramps. As I was driving through a small child ran out in front of me from between to parallel parked cars. No big deal, I was driving like an old lady, but highky recommend keeping an eye out if you drive through there.

To be fully transparent, we didn't get too far in, just the visitor center with the really cool…read moreobservation tower (it just keeps going and going...) and the Highland Rim Trail, but it felt like a lot! The park has access to a river beach across from a neat dam, where kids were having a great time lifting big rocks and heaving them into the water. The trail was rather steep, went down pretty quickly, flattened for a while, then sharply inclined back up. All in all, I get the feeling we need to return and do a little more, but I like what I see so far!!

I love Cane Creek! Great walking trails? Beautiful lake to walk around! Excellent choice for a week…read moreday hike or the paddle boats are fun in the summer! Bring some bread and feed the ducks! Enjoy the weather and the beauty of nature that God gave us!

Great place to walk, bike, canoe or otherwise enjoy the outdoors. Not too far from anywhere in…read morethe city. Leaves are starting to change from the recent cold spell but today it has warmed up nicely!!

Its really nothing special, this is the first time in many years of going down to Cedar Hill that I…read morewas asked to pay to walk to the swinging bridge... so I didn't go, the short hike to the bridge is not worth $5.... Cost aside... its a nice little area, just not going to take long to do the hikes

This recreation area has some great views and some good picnic areas, however the island across the…read morebridge is completely neglected. Facilities are ok. There are lots of picnic tables in a variety of settings, from open field to hilltop shaded, and some have grills nearby. As you cross the bridge to the narrow island, you will find a mostly secluded trail that runs in a loop along the sides of the island. The further you go, the more neglected the trail. Wear closed toed shoes, as there are some small washouts and lots of poison ivy just off and sometimes on the trail. On the north side, there are small caves and cliffs that make a beautiful juxtaposition with the lake and woods. I recommend sticking to the north (left) part of the trail and going to the small caves and then turning around from there. The deeper you go, the more neglected the park, including ruins from a campground. Near the bridge there are rock shelves that make swimming or wading easy for all skill levels and ages, just be aware that the rock shelves create sudden drop-offs into deeper water. The swimming area is roped off on one side to minimize concerns about boat traffic. The lake is refreshing on hot days, so have a picnic and then dip your feet. All in all, this park could five stars if it wasn't so neglected. It's still a nice place for a picnic and a swim or a boat trip from the ramp.

A very nice park for playing, picnicking or taking your dog to the adjacent Dog Park…read more We came upon this almost by accident. Looking for a place to have a picnic lunch after the Corvette Museum and before visiting the Lost River Cave. This is a park along Cave Mill Road. The full name of the park is Bark Park at H.P. Thomas Park. It is off the north side of the road and has a large area to the entire park. There is a small parking lot with spaces for about 20 cars. There is a building overlooking a green that has bathrooms and several tables under the patio away from the parking lot and overlooking the fields. The sign for the park was slightly hidden by the overgrown shrubbery. There are large fields directly in front of the building and a dog park that is off to the left as you face away from the road. The dog park seemed rather busy with many people parking and bringing their furry family for playtime at that part of the park. It was a very pleasant place for a picnic with convenient facilities and good location under cover. A solid place for a pleasant break in the Bowling Green area.

Awesome spacious dog park. My dogs love going there. So many nice people that are there. I love the…read moreagility courses.

This is amazing! This brand new park is beautiful and includes a stage, wide open space, a shelter,…read morerestrooms, a play ground, and a splash zone. Not yet heavily used other than for special events but I think that is because people don't really know about it yet! Nothing else like it for some distance. We came down for the big 2017 Solar Eclipse and loved utilizing this park the day before the event.