Waterfalls near Nashville? Two waterfalls I barely have to leave the car for?
Yes please.
I enjoy a good hike but sometimes its nice to see natures beauty without all the effort. Considering TN is swimming in waterfalls, a few are bound to be super easy to see.
The first one we heard about from our Airbandb host. There were also directions. Very Bad directions but the GPS worked much better.
Lost Creek Cave and Falls is a magnificent area.
Lost Creek Falls is a little less than 2 hours from Nashville.
There is a noticeable temperature difference that makes a summers day much more bearable. The parking lot is only .2 miles from the waterfall and cave. The rocks can be slippery so be cautious. The waterfall is stunning. I am not a spelunker so I did not attempt to enter the cave though it was tempting due to the heat.
I find all waterfalls wonderful but the cool and peacefulness make Lost Creek true pleasure. Definitely one of my favorites thus far. It is a rather well known area but we only saw two other couples while there.
We also got a picture of a ring necked snake. I have never seen one so had to look up what kind it was. The colors were spectacular. The photo does not do justice to the colors. It’s also a little fuzzy. Boo!
Another waterfall, Rylander Cascades, is also found in the same area. The trailhead for it is a bit back up the road. The trail is only one mile. Since we haven’t had a great deal of rain lately, this one turned out to be rather disappointing. I saw photos of it during winter and it was awesome.
But if you’re up for more, this trail does connect to a trail to Virgin Falls. It is 6.7 miles to Virgin Falls from Rylander Cascades. From reviews on Alltrails, it seems that the Virgin Falls trail is the better way to Virgin falls than via Rylander cascades.
Rock Island State Park is a stunning Tennessee state park!
Rock Island State Park is 1 hour 45 minutes from Nashville.
I’ve been wanting to go for a couple of years but just never got around to it. Boy, I’ve been missing so much goodness! The park itself is beautiful and peaceful. It has Rv campgrounds, tent campgrounds, a beach along the Collins River and an amazing waterfall and pool area from the Caney Fork river.
You do not have to get out of your car to see these falls! The view is a better if you do but is not necessary. The falls are to the right of the parking area. There are several steps to go down to get to the trailhead (and better vantage point). Once there, you can truly see the massiveness of these manmade falls.
Yes, manmade waterfall.
They were made from the back up of the Caney Fork River into the Collins River when they built the dam. The water spilled over the rocks back to the other side.
The downstream trail is 1.6 miles but the loop at the end doesn’t offer a great vantage point. So, unless you’re looking for the exercise I would only go about .5 miles along the trail and just enjoy the falls.
If you do the trail, be forewarned that it is teeming with poison ivy. Always be vigilant for the ever present spiderwebs too.
BEWARE POISON IVY YUCK!
Upstream there are large rocks and calm waters that many were swimming in. This is where Great Falls actually flows. But there wasn’t a lot in the way of water flow while there but still beautiful. The water is cool and refreshing on a hot humid summers day. But be warned since it is below the dam, water can rise rapidly.
I’ve had a blast exploring Tennessee’s waterfalls. Nashville is a great town but if you’re ever looking to get away on a hot summers day, Lost Creek Falls and Rock Island State Park is a great option.
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