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= Cummins Falls State Park = Cummins Falls State Park is a beautiful, 282-acre park located nine miles north of Cookeville on Blackburn Fork State Scenic River on the Eastern Highland Rim. Located at 390 Cummins Ln, Cookeville, TN 38501, the area has been a scenic spot and swimming hole for local residents of Jackson and Putnam counties for more than 100 years. Cummins Falls is Tennessee’s eighth largest waterfall and is 75 feet high.

What to know
There is a main parking area at the front entrance, as well as a fully operational campground with a convenience store in it as well. Restrooms are to your disposal at the top of the falls before you enter the trails. Trailheads are placed throughout the trails to direct you. The over look of the falls can be accessed by foot as well. Pets are allowed as long as they are contained by a leash. Please be sure to clean up after your pet.

Safety Information
Use good judgment when deciding whether you should hike down to the waterfall or view it from above, at the overlook. If you decide to hike to the bottom of the waterfall please use caution and follow these guidelines.


 * The hike to the gorge is not easy. You should come prepared because it is a quite demanding hike to say the least.
 * Recommend having a life jacket for each hiker.
 * The smaller the backpack the better, it is much easier to hike back up the trails with a lighter/smaller backpack.
 * Always keep hands free
 * Appropriate shoes recommended
 * Rather than try to take a picnic to the gorge area, plan to eat in the designated picnic area and just take snacks and water to the gorge.
 * No Alcohol
 * No Coolers at the gorge


 * Pool floats are not allowed in the park.

The Gorge
The gorge area of the park is all natural. While very beautiful, this is a rugged area and comes with dangers.

The gorge and waterfall are not easily accessed and can only be reached by foot.


 * There are two routes that descend into the gorge.
 * The gorge is approximately 1 mi. from the beginning of the trails.
 * The waterfall about 1.5 mi.
 * Both routes are very steep with uneven terrain.
 * Natural trail surfaces are varied and include water crossings, boulders and other obstacles.

Trails and rocks at the waterfall and gorge area are often slippery, so wear sturdy shoes and remember safety first. Keep in mind the weather when planning your visit. Sudden heavy rainfalls can result in flash floods and streams can become very dangerous.

Water Safety
Wadding in knee deep water is okay, but anything above the knee is not. Please get out of the water the same way you went in. If you get into trouble or cannot make it across a certain part, a park officer will make their way to you. Getting in water where most of body is immersed is dangerous. Swimming in cold water can be fatal.

Camping
There may not be any camping allowed in the park, but there is a family owned campground across the street from the park. It is called "Old Mill Camp " and offers all of your camp ground needs, it even has a convenience store within the campground as well. The nice thing about this is you do not have to be a member of the campground to use the store. It is a great place to grab a bite for you head down the trails.

History
Cummins Falls’ history includes a time when Indians used the area to track the numerous buffalo that grazed in the river’s shallow areas. In the 1790s, Sergeant Blackburn, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, was awarded the land in lieu of a pension. The land was acquired by John Cummins in 1825, and he used the land to build the first of two mills. Because of his growing clientele, a larger second mill was built in 1845. Local residents would visit the mills and the falls for both commerce and recreation.

The mill was washed away during the great flood of 1928, but cars and paved highways had already begun to make the trek to Cummins Falls more accessible. The land was not rebuilt, but stayed with the Cummins family for more than 180 years until efforts by the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation to purchase the land through private and public donations for resale to the state of Tennessee.