Rutledge Falls is a terrific looking waterfall located in Tullahoma, Tennessee, about 80 miles southeast of Nashville. Rutledge Falls sits on private property but the generous owners allow public access daily from sunrise to sunset. There's not even hiking involved to reach the falls. It's basically descending down to the bottom of Crumpton Creek. Before that, you can observe Rutledge Falls from high above. Be aware of a small stone guardian statue known as the "Lady of the Falls" keeping watch of this crowned jewel of the forest. To reach Rutledge Falls, you must maneuver down moderately steep rock steps. It's a 5 - 10 minute trek to the base. Rutledge Falls is a wide, two-level cascading waterfall dropping 30 feet into a shaded pool visitors can go swimming in. I stopped by at the beginning of August and although the waters were inviting, they were unusually cold. Still, getting to swim in such a magical setting was quite rewarding. You can even walk straight up to the falls for undisturbed looks at the powerful flow Rutledge Falls possesses. It's an interactive way to connect with the falls, making for great photo opportunities and lasting memories. By mid summer mornings it starts getting busy with crowds, so if you want the falls to yourself, prepare to come early. When ready, just climb back up the rocks to return to the entrance. And btw...visitors can park along the side of the road across the street from the Rutledge Falls Baptist Church. Finally, just 3 miles down the road is Machine Falls, another worthwhile waterfall to check out here in Tullahoma, Tennessee. read more

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What an amazing place! Beautiful waterfalls, crisp and clear water, and private property that the owners generously let the public use. A bit of a climb in and out of the main falls basin, but worth it! The water is very cold but refreshing on the hot day we were there. Easy walk from the parking area across from the church. Huge THANK YOU to the property owners who so graciously let the public enjoy the Falls. read more

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Beautiful waterfall! A little hike from the parking area, two trails, one is a bit more challenging than the other, but both are doable for most folks. Make sure you have wear insect repellent! We encountered heavy mosquitoes during the hike! Once you reach the falls there are some areas to relax and enjoy your lunch while listening to the falls (no tables or benches, just nice big boulders). The swimming hole is quite beautiful and warm too! read more

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Such a beautiful picturesque place to see! Easy short hike with stunning waterfalls! You can also swim in the cool water beside the falls. Take a picnic lunch and stay awhile. read more

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This fabulous waterfall is located on private property and so far, they have opened it to the public. This is pretty darned awesome and much appreciated. If you're visiting, please be respectful of the rules which are basically, stay on the trail, don't litter and the owners assume no responsibility for injury. There is no charge to access the falls. The trail from the road to the waterfall is not handicapped accessible and the walk down from the path to the falls is steep and has no handrails. You're on your own, so be careful and don't be stupid. Once you do get to the falls, there is a swimming area and several spots to sit and enjoy the roar of the falls. It's beautiful so please don't screw it up. [Review 18793 overall - 329 in Tennessee - 2316 of 2022.] read more

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Private property so be respectful and follow rules! There are signs throughout. Great very small hike only .3 miles about 22 minutes to walk to base and there's a trail to walk to top of the falls. I would say a bit more then an easy trail because of rocks. Plenty of kids and dogs were there. A must see! read more

Rutledge Falls - Little waterfall - Local Flavor Near Me - Tullahoma, Tennessee

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To give RUTLEDGE FALLS anything less than 5 stars would be an unspeakable crime! Why you ask? 1) It may be one of the most picture perfect waterfalls on the face of the earth. Nestled into a section of Crumpton Creek where the sun lights up the falls most of the day and provides cool shaded sitting areas on the surrounding banks gives great reason to sit and stay a while. 2) The swimming hole below the falls and the shelf-like nature of its facade invites exploration and play, which is why so many families bring their young children here for a day of fun. 3) While it is very popular in the summer, I bet it is a perfect place to come and reflect quietly in the winter. This is my third visit since discovering it a few years ago and it seems all seasons have their advantage. Hopefully I will make it back here in the fall when the surrounding trees are showing off their best colors. 4) There is a statue here which seems rather odd and random at first... but check out this tale I found written by a Google reviewer: The Lady of the Falls As the story goes ... back in the day Lyndon B. "Pop" Jennings saw a pile of statues in the area now known as the Ellington Agricultural Center, Nashville, TN. These statues named Morning, Noon and Night were life sized sculptures originally created by Wood & Perot's Ornamental Iron Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The statues were surrounded by four colossal freestanding gas lamp fixtures. These four light fixtures once stood on the North and South ends of the Tennessee State Capital Building. In 1958 during a massive renovation project these statues were removed and said to be buried on the Ellington Agricultural Center grounds, which is now headquarters for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, TWRA, and other various agencies. Anyway, Pop Jennings asked permission for one of the statues and after obtaining it, moved the statue (Night) to its present site above Rutledge Falls around 1958. It is said Pop Jennings always referred to this statue as "The Lady of the FaIls". These statues can be seen in a early photo by George Barnard, on the steps of the Tennessee State Capital building in Nashville, Tennessee. [credit: Brian Brenton] How cool is that? 5) It's an easy hike most anyone could do. A small, but decent parking area can be found just outside the gates to the trailhead entrance and a short walk down a fairly level gravel driveway leads you directly into the woods, where the waterfall is immediately visible and audibly makes its presence known. Here you will proceed to scramble down a boulder embankment and lay claim to a sitting space along its rocky shores. FINAL THOUGHTS And the final reason this gorgeous waterfall deserves 5 stars aside from its beauty and easy access, is the fact that it is privately owned, but the public is graciously allowed access for free! I simply can't imagine letting strangers onto my land... some of which YOU KNOW don't respect the opportunity they've been given. Which is why I was so pleased to see several people on this trip picking up trash that was not of their own making. So if you plan on visiting, PLEASE BE SURE TO TAKE BACK EVERYTHING YOU BRING! It would be a shame if the opportunity for the many to see this place were ruined by the few. ENJOY! 2023 / 27 read more

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H Happy Waterfall Spot! This is a great place about halfway between Chattanooga and Nashville to break up the drive time with a happy less than 1 mile hike! Not super deep water for what we have experience so don't jump! Wear good Keen Sandals or something sturdy and water resistant, flip floors would be a bad idea... Hike down a bit for a flat rock beach area to get some Sun and have a picnic. read more

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The view was incredible!! You can enjoy most of the day there. So worth chillin on a rock enjoying the cooler air from the Falls. And so kind of the owners to let us enjoy it too! read more

Rutledge Falls is truly amazing and so peaceful. Not much of a hike to get here and some slight climbing down to the water but really easy. Parking is easy, no designated lot as this is located on private property. The gate is closed but there is a side gate for pedestrians to the right. There is a huge red barn along the path and I loved the feeling of the country vibes as we walked by. From parking to the falls is about 10-15 minutes depending on your speed. People were swimming when we arrived but not many. Enjoy! read more

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no hike! very easy to get to the waterfall! the water is nice and rocks are a bit slippery. definitely a good place for families to enjoy! read more

Rutledge Falls - waterfall - Local Flavor Near Me - Tullahoma, Tennessee

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Lovely nice little hidden spot! Water is very very cold even on a hot day. But the place is beautiful, you have to walk down stairs to get to the water and is very slippery. read more

Rutledge Falls - Local Flavor Near Me - Tullahoma, Tennessee

Beautiful gem tucked back just a bit from the road. Easy little hike down to the water and the water was really rolling on our visit giving a peaceful feel. read more

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What an amazing waterfall! We drove about an hour outside of Nashville, Tennessee to visit this beauty. Rutledge Falls is a privately owned, and it is free to visit. Parking is also free. If you are planning to visit, you should visit first thing in the morning while there isn't many people around the waterfall. This is especially true if you are a travel photographer and if you are there to gather content. I took some incredible photos while there. I cannot wait for you to see the place for your first. read more

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Beautiful! Easy to hike to. The water is chilly but nice on a hot day, just go early to avoid the crowds. read more

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This place is beautiful. You park by the gate across from the church and follow the gravel path ... a few steps behind someone backyard BOOM! The beautiful waterfall!! This place is awesome!! Please bring a trash bag & clean up your trash. read more

Rutledge Falls - Local Flavor Near Me - Tullahoma, Tennessee

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I used to come to Rutledge Falls as a child, and it had been over 20+ years since I had last been here until today. Located on private property, Rutledge Falls is a local flavor gem that is available to anybody who is willing to make the drive. Nope, it isn't transpassing. The owners are that wonderful to allow you and I to enjoy the lovely falls for a cool dip. - Clean up after yourself. There are no trash bins on-site. Use common sense, and do not litter. - No bathrooms on-site. - No alcohol allowed - No camping - You assume all risks so use common sense. - Bring water shoes. There are a ton of loose rocks and your feet will be in pain if you are only in flip flops. Take it from someone who learned that the hard way. The water can get deep in certain places. I would highly advise to exercise caution when allowing your kids to swim. Generally the water is really cold year-round too. It was very intense when I got into it today, but I eventually got used to it. Final thought - HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME! Regardless if you get in the water or just hang out on the rocks, enjoy the serenity of this beautiful place. read more

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Awesome swimming hole. COLD COLD COLD water but nice and quiet and peaceful. A little bit of a challenge to climb down too but well worth the effort. Be respectful of the owners wishes and don't leave anything behind or deface the property and this will remain open to the public for years to come. read more

What a cool place, very very popular we saw. Being from Florida we have never seen anything like this. Fun hiking down the trails and up the waterfalls. It's about an hour outside Nashville but worth the drive. We had a blast read more

Rutledge Falls - Waterfall - Local Flavor Near Me - Tullahoma, Tennessee

Cute little walk! Just make sure you go at an odd time if you like privacy/quiet. Lots of people bring their youngins!

Nice waterfall with a very short walk from parking spot. It is a short but steep and slippery climb/walk down to the water but worth the effort. The falls and river flowing out are beautiful and a great place for a family picnic. There is a swimming hole just below the falls but the water is pretty cold even in the summer. This is a great way to see rural Tennessee without much effort. read more

Love this outdoor spot. Easy hike down to the falls and water hole. Definitely wear water shoes, bathing suits and bring your towel. We visited on July 4th and there were loads of people swimming and BBQing with full on portable grills. Despite the crowds, we easily found a spot to call ours and enjoyed splashing in the water. Great fun! read more

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Lovely hidden gem right off of Rutledge Road. Diagonal parking is right by the Church facing a red barn. Walk up the road past the sign & bicycle parking. There's a gate in the wooden fence. Go through the gate & follow the gravel path that curves off to the left. As you enter the trees, there's a statue of a woman above the falls. To the left is the easy dirt path down to the stream. The more difficult, steeper path down is just to the left of the statue. Please be respectful of the landowners & don't leave any trash. Just beautiful! read more

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When coming here look for the small signs, we drove past it and got lost. However we found it and parking was easy, just park on the side across from the church. I suggest coming early in the morning like around 8 since there isn't a lot of people. The view is great and if you are a Disney fan this location was used to film Hannah Montana the Movie. read more

Rutledge Falls - Local Flavor Near Me - Tullahoma, Tennessee

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Nice place to get away too quiet and peaceful you can make a fun day out of it and watch the waterfalls they are amazing. You've been there