Machine Falls is located in Short Springs State Natural Area in Tullahoma, Tennessee. It's a 1.6…read moremile round trip loop to and from the falls. You start out by hiking through the forest on a defined dirt pathway with barely any elevation until the final descent into a narrow valley bottom. Along the way, just follow the stamped white markings posted on the trees as all trails are conveniently color coordinated. There is an overlook platform but it offers minimal visibility from the side of the falls. The last part of the hike is down a set of staircases. Once reaching the base, there'll be a sign for Machine Falls 100 yards straight ahead. You can reach the falls by walking through the creek which will probably require water shoes, or...you can follow the last little section of the trail along the cliffside as a quicker, alternative entrance. Either way... Machine Falls is a 60-foot waterfall cascading over a jagged rock wall into a secluded gorge below. Visitors can stand right in front of the falls for impressive views. It's a totally immersive natural experience set among peaceful surroundings. Taking a few steps back offers a panoramic backdrop and captures the symmetrical precision of Machine Falls. No wonder this waterfall has a reputation for being one of the best in Tennessee. Unfortunately, the pool the falls splashes down into isn't deep enough for full on swimming, but at the very least you can bring water shoes and get your feet wet. When finished, the trail continues over a footbridge to then climb your way out of the gorge. Overall, the easy 1.6 mile roundtrip loop can be completed within an hour or two. In the end, coming to Machine Falls makes for a worthwhile way to spend time in nature. I am always fascinated by dramatic waterfall appearances, and Machine Falls lives up to its billing. And...Tennessee has a host of them all over the state, making it widely recognized as a place for adventurers to go waterfall chasing.

One of the few places distance wise that is kid friendly. Hiking 1 mile Approximate walk to the…read morefalls. For sure bring your water shoes. You would want to get up close to the falls for the beautiful picture capture. Trail is pretty easy to navigate. Parking lot is limited parking. No restroom on the trail or along the way. So make sure you do stop by a gas station before coming.

The Short Springs Natural Area wasn't exactly what I pictured in my mind, but satisfying…read morenonetheless. First, for some reason I pictures a state park with large parking areas, a visitor center, road signage and restroom facilities. NOPE!!! Google Maps navigated us to the general area, but figuring out where the trailhead and parking were located was up to our own savvy. But as God would have it, we found parking near a water tower off Powell Road and someone just happened to be leaving as we arrived, giving us a great parking space. This was extremely fortuitous because spaces are limited and several people who arrivaled just minutes after us waited a good while for spaces to become available. WARNING: Find restroom facilities BEFORE you make it here! Otherwise you will find yourself searching for privacy in the nearby forest to relieve yourself. The trailhead is directly across Short Springs Road from the parking area. I would highly recommend using ALLTRAILS to navigate your way around the Natural Area. My wife has developed Morton Noroma in recent years which severely limits the types of hikes she can join me on, so our intention here was to only visit MACHINE FALLS and BUSBY FALLS, bypassing more than half of the entire Short Springs loop. Still, this was not as easy a trail as I thought and my wife wound up viewing Machine Falls only from the overlook deck. The descent to the base of the falls is steep, so she opted to stay on the trail above as I climbed down for pictures. MACHINE FALLS is a beautiful multi-tiered waterfall surrounded by high shale rock cliffs adorned with moss. The climb down to the falls is a combination of manmade wooden steps, boulders and tree roots. Once you reach the creek, you will need to hug the right side stones all the way to the falls (if you don't want to get your feet wet). The volume of water was fairly light the day we visited, so on heavy volume days it's probably impossible not to get your feet wet. After Machine Falls we followed the loop to Bobo Creek Trail which leads towards BUSBY FALLS. We then took the split to Laurel Bluff Trail via Collier Horn Bridge. After crossing the bridge you can choose to go left or right around this 1.4 mile loop. We chose to go right, which is the quickest way to Busby Falls. The trail follows Bobo Creek, but one small section of it requires the use of a rope due to a severe elevation change. It's not difficult, but something older hikers and those with really young children should be aware of the challenge. To my surprise there was a secondary waterfall coming off the cliffs near Busby Falls as well as a third 14 foot waterfall along Bobo Creek closer to the bridge. Not sure if these two additional waterfalls have names like the others within the Natural Area, but they were very nice surprises! My wife did not do the rope climb down to Busby and instead just enjoyed the scenic views of the river while I went off exploring the waterfall just a short distance away. We retraced our steps back to the Bobo Creek Trail and took the right leading us back to the parking area. While I didn't think the trail leading directly to Machine Falls was very attractive (it honestly was one of the ugliest trails I've ever seen), the remainder of the hike was nice and the Laurel Bluff Trail near Busby Falls was easily the most scenic portion of any trail we hiked today. I can't speak for the rest of the Machine Falls Loop or the Adams Falls Trail, but I've read reviews saying it's a nice looking trail. FINAL THOUGHTS Overall not what I expected when looking for easy waterfall hikes my wife could enjoy, but it IS manageable and customizable to fit different hiking needs. There are multiple waterfalls throughout the Natural Area. Our hike took 1:37 hours and was approx. 2.4 miles long with an elevation gain of about 335 feet according to my ALLTRAILS log. Machine Falls was the largest, but I personally thought Busby Falls was prettier. Also nearby (within a 5 minute drive) is Rutledge Falls. I highly recommend paying it a visit if you are planning to be in the area. 2023 / 28

Did the hike to machine falls and it was worth it! It is breathtaking! I've heard that in the…read morespring the waterfalls are heavier and there are a bunch of wildflowers... but the moss against the rocks and water was a sight on to itself. The trails are marked well and the description of the trails are accurate. The trail to machine falls does note it is steep in some parts and that is very accurate. There are places where you are on narrow paths with a drop off. I personally wished I had brought my walking poles but that is personal preference. Parking is on the other side of the road from where the trails start and is limited. Highly recommend this hike and this park!

nice clean spot. very friendly folks, loads of pull through spots gravel spots, we took a shuttle…read morefrom the campground over to the caverns for great evening of music recommended highly. this would be a great place for airstream rally

This is a getaway if you really want one. There is nothing but nature surrounding you. They have…read moreseveral lakes and you can fish there too. There is a big cabin in the back of the property and lots of trails. Nice shade trees and flowing fields of green. The place has a bath house the is kept neat and tidy. Everything everywhere was neat and clean. Sunshine at the front reception had a very bubbly and helpful personality. There are several different things to do while you are here. I liked exploring the woods that led to a small waterfall . It smelled so fresh and new because of all the greenery. I felt so far from civilization but wasn't. It was only about $40 a day with water and power hook up. You can get a sewer hookup for $10 more but the dump station is free down the path not too far from the campsites. I am looking forward to returning here. I love the peacefulness and tranquility of the place. I just wish I could of jumped in the lake for a swim but I don't think that is allowed. The stream in the woods was very cool and refreshing though. I love this place!

We loved our time here. Staying during the week meant the campground and lake weren't too crowded…read more Our grandsons 4 and 8 years enjoyed working on their fishing casting skills, riding bikes, renting canoes and hiking around the nearby island with us. We stayed in site 53 but changed to 52, as 53 was less shaded. We highly recommend Tim's Ford Lake park and Fairview Campground.

We love this campground. I do wish there were more spots with sewer hookups but that's not a big…read moredeal if you bring your pull-behind. They could do a better job of enforcing their nuisance dog policy. I love dogs.. and a dog that will bark is one thing. But a yapping dog that will not stop is a nuisance especially when the owners won't do anything about it. This particular trip it was the dang campground host! Hard to relax with a yapping dog that just will not be quiet.

Stayed: June 15, 2025…read more We booked Short Creek RV Park in Winchester, TN, last minute under some very disappointing circumstances. We were headed to the Bonnaroo Music Festival when it was suddenly canceled the day before due to severe weather. Our trip was literally falling apart before it started. In a moment of desperation, we called Short Creek RV Park. Owner Mike was incredibly kind and understanding, working with us to secure a spot on incredibly short notice. This act of flexibility and hospitality was our first indication we'd found somewhere special. And special it was! The park itself is awesome - beautifully maintained, peaceful, and set in a lovely location. The amenities were amazing; everything was clean, functional, and added to the comfort of our stay. It was exactly the relaxing environment we needed after the festival chaos. But what truly set Short Creek apart was the genuine kindness of Mike and his team. Their welcoming attitude and willingness to help turned what could have been a complete disaster into a genuinely fun and memorable camping trip with friends. We ended up having an extremely good time exploring the area and just enjoying the excellent facilities at the park. It absolutely saved our trip! We cannot recommend Short Creek RV Park highly enough, especially for RVers looking for a friendly, well-equipped, and beautifully kept place to stay with family or friends. Thanks to Mike and team for your outstanding hospitality - you turned our disappointment into joy!

Haven't stayed in the RV park, yet, but I liked the General Store. I can't wait to come back to…read morethe area and stay in the park. It's a beautiful area and the owner, and his wife, seem like great people.

I've been to the much larger Natural Bridge in Virginia…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/natural-bridge-national-historic-landmark-natural-bridge-2?hrid=BW-LOgIsnvp2zGahAQ0Lxg but that one is just so touristy! They have a massive gift shop and you have to buy tickets and all sorts. This Natural Bridge in Tennessee is much more mild. Sure, it's a little smaller but there's no tour guide, there aren't many signs and there definitely isn't a gift shop for buying tshirts. A couple of miles off the interstate, at the end of Natural Bridge Road, there's a small turnaround for parking. Follow the sign down the steps and you can't miss the stone arch. You do have to walk over it to get underneath. This natural area is not handicapped accessible and is not step free. The stone bridge itself is uneven walking and only about three feet wide with no railing. Hold children carefully because it's a 20-30 foot drop. If you're able, the structure of this natural arch is amazing. Please don't litter. There are no trash cans here so if you bring it in, take it out! And yes, that includes you with the tea lights in little aluminum cups! [Review 18142 overall - 294 in Tennessee - 1664 of 2022.]

Why are you here? To see the natural bridge. What is it? A 25-foot-high natural sandstone arch with…read morea span of 50 feet that provides a scenic overlook. You can find the natural area using Google Maps, and then it's right off of the parking lot. Not heavily trafficked, but you might see another person or two walking around. Just a few minutes from the Sewanee campus, it's well worth a look on a pretty day!

What a great deal, and super fun! This was our second family outing, we rented 8 kayaks. April…read moregeared us up for a great day on the water. She gave us directions and off we went. We love to swim in fresh water, so we were able to park and swim with the whole family. We did parking and swimming all day. The family loved the food, drinks and snacks, we brang enough for lunch and dinner. A few of us even took naps--RELAXING. Thanks April, see you next time.

A very nice rest area on a lake.Great place to stop and stretch your legs ,go to the restroom,walk…read moreyour dog,etc.Cooper needed out.

While driving down from Nashville to Chattanooga we stopped at the Ladds Rest Area to use the…read morefacilities, stretch out out legs and surprising take in the views. This location is opposite side of the Tennessee Welcome Center that you get to see when heading towards Nashville. The bathroom facilities were very clean which is always a guess when you stop at a rest area but these were very well kept. Out back is a wonderful view of the Tennessee River that you can take in and walk around to enjoy and get some pictures. Honestly, looking at the map between the two rest stops on this little island, it looks like the Ladds side is much pretty but I bet both are great. The Welcome Center on the opposite side of the highway has the typical "Welcome To" books and pamphlets that you come to expect when on a road trip and entering into a new state. I do have to say this is one of best views from a rest stop that I've never seen. If traveling through this area during a different season I would be sure to stop again and see what the view was like each season.