Tennessee Bucket List Waterfalls: Stunning Hikes & Scenic Falls

This guide highlights five bucket-list waterfalls in Tennessee, from the stunning Twin Falls waterfall at Rock Island State Park, Tennessee to the 110-foot Ozone Falls, the tallest on the list. The best months to visit these falls for peak water flow and lush scenery are March through June.  See below for a quick overview of the best waterfall hikes in Tennessee:
 

Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park is not only filled with an extensive history and artifacts from the Native Americans 1,500-2,000 years ago, but it's also home to these waterfalls. The abundance of hiking trails wind through unparalleled scenery and even the original Old Stone Fort entrance where you can see the sunrise during the summer. The Enclosure Trail, rated easy to moderate, is accessed behind the stone museum building. There are 12 interpretive signs to help explain the enclosure site along the way. The loop trail provides views of Steps Falls, Blue Hole Falls and Big Falls as well as remnants of an old paper mill foundation. Be especially careful by the cliff area.

• Waterfall Height: 30 ft. (Big Falls)
• Trail Length: 1.4-mile loop (Enclosure Trail)
• Trail Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Hours: 8:00 a.m. – Sundown
• Parking: Large paved lot at the museum/visitor center
• Accessibility: Museum and visitor center are accessible; trails are natural surface and may be uneven.
• Best Season: Spring for wildflowers; Summer for early morning sunrises at the fort entrance.
• Access Rules: Stay on marked trails to protect the prehistoric earthworks. No drones allowed without a permit.
• Trail Conditions: Well-maintained but can be muddy in low-lying areas near the river after rain.
• Seasonal Closures: Open year-round; the museum is closed on certain state holidays.

Piney Falls is an 818-acre natural area in Rhea County with beautiful views of the deep gorges, forests, creeks and waterfalls of the Cumberland Plateau. Piney Falls is also recognized as a National Natural Landmark, one of 13 National Natural Landmarks in Tennessee. Little Piney Creek plunges 80 feet over Upper Piney Falls into a pool below and then drops another 40 feet over Lower Piney Falls. At Upper Piney Falls, a concave ledge circles behind and around the falls where you can follow a trail for views of the gorge below.

• Waterfall Height: 80 ft. (Upper); 40 ft. (Lower)
• Trail Length: 2.3 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Hours: Daylight hours
• Parking: Small gravel lot at the trailhead
• Accessibility: Upper Piney Falls is not wheelchair accessible; steep sections and rocky terrain.
• Best Season: Late Spring or after heavy rainfall for maximum flow.
• Access Rules: State Natural Area rules apply: no camping, motorized vehicles, or off-trail travel.
• Trail Conditions: Upper Piney Falls trails can be narrow and rocky; the descent between the upper and lower falls is steep.
• Seasonal Closures: open year-round, but access roads (like Firetower Rd.) may be difficult to navigate after heavy winter snow.

The 43-acre natural area is home to bluffs, dense forests and the 110 ft. Ozone Falls which plunge deep into a rocky pool then reemerges several feet downstream. Located in Ozone Falls State Natural Area, this waterfall near Crossville, TN is the tallest waterfall in Tennessee. Did you know? This breathtaking 110-foot plunge was selected as a filming location for scenes in Disney’s 1994 live-action The Jungle Book. The massive rock house behind The Jungle Book waterfall in Tennessee creates a natural amphitheater that provided a stunning, cinematic backdrop for the film.

• Waterfall Height: 110 ft. (tallest waterfall in Tennessee)
• Trail Length: Ozone Falls hike is 0.3 miles (very short but rugged)
• Difficulty: Moderate (rugged rock scrambling to reach the base)
• Hours: Daylight hours Parking: Paved roadside parking area off Hwy 70
• Accessibility: The overlook near the parking area offers a view; the trail to the base of Ozone Falls is not accessible.
• Best Season: Spring (peak flow) or Autumn for vibrant Cumberland Plateau foliage.
• Access Rules: No camping; dogs must be on a leash.
• Trail Conditions: Steep and precarious descent into the gorge; rocky surfaces can be very slippery when wet or icy.
• Seasonal Closures: Ozone Falls is open year-round; exercise caution during winter months due to ice on the cliffs and path.

Hike along the Downstream Trail or the Upstream Trail to get a look at Twin Falls at Rock Island State Park Tennessee. The trail departs from the Twin Falls Overlook and continues along a very steep bluff bordering the river. You can see various steeps as well as Blue Hole, Twin Falls, Little Falls and many rock formations. If you want to swim at Rock Island State Park, be sure to check out Tennessee State Parks' swimming areas, including a natural sand beach located on the headwaters of beautiful Center Hill Lake.

• Waterfall Height: 80 ft. (Twin Falls)
• Trail Length: 1.7 miles (Downstream Trail)
• Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous (steep bluffs and rocky paths)
• Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• Parking: Multiple lots; best parking for falls is at the Twin Falls Overlook.
• Accessibility: Excellent views are available from the overlook parking lot without hiking.
• Best Season: Year-round (this is a power-house waterfall created by the Caney Fork River).
• Access Rules: No camping; dogs allowed on leashes. Access via the old logging road is permitted but crosses private land—stay on the trail.
• Trail Conditions: Portions of the trail follow an old logging road that can be boggy; the final descent to the falls uses stone steps that may be slippery.
• Seasonal Closures: Rock Island State Park is open year-round; expect high water levels that can inundate low trail sections during spring rains.

The 30-foot waterfall in the Stinging Fork gorge cascades dramatically as a creek flows over the falls, slips and tumbles over the cascades below the falls. A view of the gorge is accessible for ample photo ops.

• Waterfall Height: 30 ft.
• Trail Length: 1.9 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Hours: Daylight hours
• Parking: Small gravel lot at the trailhead
• Accessibility: the trail to Stinging Fork Falls is natural surface with significant elevation changes; not accessible.
• Best Season: Spring for the lush green gorge and rushing water.