Burgess Falls State Park and Playground
8400 Old Cane Creek Rd Baxter, TN 38544
8am-until 30 minutes before sunset when gates are closed. (Park is closed when the river is high or when there is snow on the roads and/or trails.)
$
water-activities, playground, road-trips, hikes
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An impressive Waterfall just a Daytrip from Nashville.
If you're up for chasing waterfalls, Burgess Falls is worth the hour and 15 minutes drive east of Nashville, fairly close to Cookesville. It's an easy drive, largely along the interstate with only 10-15 minutes of country roads. The River Trail/Service Road Loop is 1.5 miles and takes about 15 minutes to reach the main overlook.
Directions: Immediately upon parking, take the marked trail that leads to the sound of rushing water, then take a quick left through a short, paved section that turns into a well-worn path. There are a couple of observation areas along the way and the main falls themselves are very impressive, after less than a mile walk in. The path is very easy and fairly flat the entire way (it was a breeze for my 4.5-year-old).
Due to significant flooding, the staircase that you used to be able to take down to the waterfall is inaccessible and closed indefinitely. Seeing the falls from afar, however, is still worth your while!
Tips: Go early in the day to avoid crowds.
Note: Dogs are welcome on leashes.
One really nice thing about this short hike is that there's a nicely-maintained playground right next to the car park complete with a few shaded benches. Also, very clean bathrooms are found there as well. Summer weekend, however, can be crowded.