Johnny Molloy - Hiking Waterfalls in Tennessee: A Guide to the States Best Waterfall Hikes

Trail Finder

To get our readers started on the hikes that best suit their interests and abilities, we include this simple trail finder that categorizes each of the hikes in the book into a helpful list. Your hikes can fall under more than one category.

Best Hikes to Tall Waterfalls

Waterfalls of Rock Island State Park

Slave Falls

Northrup Falls

DeBord Falls and Emory Gap Falls

Ozone Falls

Burgess Falls

Virgin Falls

Piney Creek Falls

Cane Creek Falls and Cane Creek Cascades

Fall Creek Falls

Upper Piney Falls and Lower Piney Falls

Laurel Falls and Snow Falls

Greeter Falls and Boardtree Falls

Falling Water Falls

Foster Falls

Benton Falls

Bald River Falls and Middle Bald River Falls

Falls Branch Falls

Rainbow Falls

Fern Branch Falls

Hen Wallow Falls

Margarette Falls

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Buckeye Falls

Chigger Branch Cascades

Longarm Branch Cascades

Sill Branch Falls

Coon Den Falls

Backbone Rock Falls

Best Hikes to Secluded Waterfalls

Fall Hollow Falls

Stillhouse Hollow Falls

Waterfalls of Short Springs

Crystal Falls and Double Falls

Slave Falls

Fall Branch Falls of the Big South Fork

Northrup Falls

DeBord Falls and Emory Gap Falls

Waterfalls of Polly Branch

Virgin Falls

Stinging Fork Falls

Upper Piney Falls and Lower Piney Falls

Waterfalls of Duskin Creek

Laurel Falls and Snow Falls

Ranger Creek Falls

Suter Falls and Horsepound Falls

Savage Falls

Imodium Falls

Waterfalls of Grundy Forest

Falls of the Walls of Jericho

Falls of the Scenic Spur

Twin Falls of Gee Creek

Turtletown Falls

Upper Bald River Falls

Falls Branch Falls

Lower Falls

Whiteoak Sink Falls

Meigs Creek Falls

Baskins Falls

Fern Branch Falls

Ramsey Cascades

Hen Wallow Falls

Marys Falls

Petes Branch Falls

Squibb Creek Falls

Buckeye Falls

Chigger Branch Cascades

Longarm Branch Cascades

Rock Creek Falls

Coon Den Falls

Dennis Cove Falls and Upper Laurel Fork Falls

Jones Falls

Gentry Creek Falls

Best Waterfall Hikes for Swimming

Crockett Falls

Waterfalls of the Old Stone Fort

Cummins Falls

Ozone Falls

Cane Creek Falls and Cane Creek Cascades

Stinging Fork Falls

Waterfalls of Duskin Creek

Greeter Falls and Boardtree Falls

Savage Falls

Waterfalls of Grundy Forest

Foster Falls

Twin Falls of Gee Creek

Lower Falls

Abrams Falls

Laurel Fork Falls

Dennis Cove Falls and Upper Laurel Fork Falls

Best Waterfall Hikes for Children

Jackson Falls

Crockett Falls

Waterfalls of the Old Stone Fort

DeBord Falls and Emory Gap Falls

Ozone Falls

Piney Creek Falls

Cane Creek Falls and Cane Creek Cascades

Fall Creek Falls

Stinging Fork Falls

Laurel Falls of Savage Gulf

Greeter Falls and Boardtree Falls

Waterfalls of Grundy Forest

Foster Falls

Lowry Falls

Turtletown Falls

Coker Creek Falls

Conasauga Falls

Bald River Falls and Middle Bald River Falls

Abrams Falls

Lynn Camp Prong Cascades

Huskey Branch Cascades

Laurel Falls

Grotto Falls

Baskins Falls

Margarette Falls

Squibb Creek Falls

Sill Branch Falls

Backbone Rock Falls

Laurel Run Falls

Best Waterfall Hikes for Nature Lovers

Jackson Falls

Fall Hollow Falls

Stillhouse Hollow Falls

Waterfalls of Short Springs

Waterfalls of the Old Stone Fort

Waterfalls of Rock Island State Park

Cummins Falls

Crystal Falls and Double Falls

Slave Falls

Fall Branch Falls of the Big South Fork

Northrup Falls

Burgess Falls

Waterfalls of Polly Branch

Virgin Falls

Cane Creek Falls and Cane Creek Cascades

Stinging Fork Falls

Upper Piney Falls and Lower Piney Falls

Waterfalls of Duskin Creek

Ranger Creek Falls

Laurel Falls of Savage Gulf

Greeter Falls and Boardtree Falls

Suter Falls and Horsepound Falls

Savage Falls

Imodium Falls

Strip Mine Falls

Waterfalls of Grundy Forest

Falls of the Walls of Jericho

Falls of the Scenic Spur

Lowry Falls

Twin Falls of Gee Creek

Turtletown Falls

Coker Creek Falls

Conasauga Falls

Upper Bald River Falls

Bald River Falls and Middle Bald River Falls

Falls Branch Falls

Lower Falls

Whiteoak Sink Falls

Lynn Camp Prong Cascades

Meigs Creek Falls

Rainbow Falls

Grotto Falls

Baskins Falls

Fern Branch Falls

Ramsey Cascades

Margarette Falls

Marys Falls

Squibb Creek Falls

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

Buckeye Falls

Chigger Branch Cascades

Longarm Branch Cascades

Rock Creek Falls

Laurel Fork Falls

Dennis Cove Falls and Upper Laurel Fork Falls

Jones Falls

Gentry Creek Falls

Laurel Run Falls

Best Waterfall Hikes for Backpackers

Crystal Falls and Double Falls

Slave Falls

Fall Branch Falls of the Big South Fork

DeBord Falls and Emory Gap Falls

Waterfalls of Polly Branch

Virgin Falls

Waterfalls of Duskin Creek

Laurel Falls and Snow Falls

Ranger Creek Falls

Suter Falls and Horsepound Falls

Savage Falls

Imodium Falls

Strip Mine Falls

Waterfalls of Grundy Forest

Foster Falls

Falls of the Walls of Jericho

Twin Falls of Gee Creek

Turtletown Falls

Upper Bald River Falls

Bald River Falls and Middle Bald River Falls

Lower Falls

Meigs Creek Falls

Huskey Branch Cascades

Fern Branch Falls

Hen Wallow Falls

Marys Falls

Petes Branch Falls

Buckeye Falls

Chigger Branch Cascades

Longarm Branch Cascades

Laurel Fork Falls

Dennis Cove Falls and Upper Laurel Fork Falls

Jones Falls

Gentry Creek Falls

Jackson Falls

Jackson Falls is a scenic jewel of the Natchez Trace Parkway, the parkway linking Nashville to Natchez, Mississippi. The falls is formed when Jackson Branch reaches a bluff above the Duck River, then tumbles off the bluff in two distinct stages. Although Jackson Branch is a low-volume stream, the watercourse still puts on a show and is one of the most southwesterly waterfalls in the state of Tennessee.

Waterfall height: 40 feet over two stages

Waterfall beauty: 3

Distance: 0.4 mile out-and-back

Difficulty: Easy

Hiking time: 0.51.0 hour

Trail surface: Concrete, asphalt

Other trail users: None

Canine compatibility: Dogs allowed on leash

Land status: National park

Fees and permits: No fees or permits required

Maps: Natchez Trace Parkway; USGS Greenfield Bend

Trail contacts: Natchez Trace Parkway, 2680 Natchez Trace Pkwy., Tupelo, MS 38804, (800) 305-7417, www.nps.gov/natr

Finding the trailhead: Jackson Falls is located at milepost 404.7 on the Natchez Trace Parkway, west of Columbia. Trailhead GPS: N35 41.80 6' , W87 17.73 4'

Late summer finds Jackson Falls trickling through a green cathedral.

The Hike

Andrew Jackson, for whom Jackson Falls is named, used the Natchez Trace en route to defeat the British at the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.