Headed East: Chasing Waterfalls: Part 1

6/25

As I slowly approached the Smokey Mountains, some tantalizing research led me to postpone my arrival for a few more days. Turns out there are several state parks in Tennessee known for their must see waterfalls southeast of Nashville. Based on the visual dessert tray of cascading waterfalls online, I picked four of them, mapped myself out, and chose a hotel right in the middle of it all in Cookeville, Tennessee. The song may say, "don't go chasing waterfalls", but I was excited and ready! Let the chase begin!

Day 1:

I will always be thankful to the park ranger who allowed this Texas teacher a green light to hike down to Cummins Falls without a permit. He decided my profession and my journey east was well worth his approval and walky talkied me in. Ohhhhh! Yeeeees! After watching the mandatory video before hitting the trail, I understood why they only wanted so many people on route to the falls at a time, as it wasn't your typical dirt trail. Covid-19 obviously also had her part in it all, as they only wanted 90 people down there at a time.

On route, just the overlook of the falls below was magical, and when I passed the next park ranger who had my name hand written in at the bottom of the list, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. "Yes, you may pass", she said with her masked smile.

After a descent down a normal wooded trail, you arrived at the face of Blackburn Fork State Scenic River. Your agenda? Go left, and maneuver the rocks and water along the river bank as you see fit, until you finally arrive to the majestic beauty herself, Cummins Falls.

Let me just say, the adventure was well worth the scramble to get there. Words cannot describe how I felt as I turned that last fork in the rocky river bed and saw the prize that await. The gorge she poured into, eroded by years of gushing water, all beautifully flowing over the rhythm of the stair case of rock and into the pool below. The visitors happily swimming, the beautiful blue skies, and just the shear size of her! It was all just breathtaking. I found a rock in the shade and just sat there for a while, breathing it in.

I chose to end my adventures for the day at Burgess Falls State Park. As I walked down River Trail right off the parking lot, I was immediately welcomed with the first of what would be four waterfalls along the trail line. I have to say, it would end up being my favorite of the whole park. It's cascading flow along the whole of the river, the lush trees just blending beautifully with blue skies above, just made it

a site to see!

As I continued down the trail, fall after fall was there to greet me and let me know just how smart I was for choosing this park today.

The last celebrity on the list was Burgess Falls herself. After a steep climb of steps, you got a first glance with a perfectly positioned overlook that allowed for you to see the whole of the gorge below. Burgess Falls, resembling that of a bell, with beautiful cascades of water flowing over her, rung loudly for all to see.

Boats, obviously allowed to come into the falls area, seemed to be in a line to get to approach the falls below. The boat they were waiting on? Well, just so happened to be a lovely gentlemen, sprawled out full monty in the back of his boat. He just lay there like no one was around, not a care in the world, basking in the sun. Did he know the overlook was above him? Oh, you know he did! Did a mom and dad and their mischievous boys approach the overlook and immediately see the peeping Tom? Oh, of course they did! It was quiet comical. The parents, an awesome couple I met from Hungary, and myself couldn't help but to chuckle. Sorry, no pictures taken my friends. I know you are distraught. But, the Hungarians had binoculars, and peeped down to see the Tom, noting it wasn't much to see.

My new Hungarian friends and I, now gabbing away about our travels, continued down more stairs to the top of Burgess Falls, and gazed down into the pool of water below. It was a beautiful scene!

Sadly, the walk bridge to the base of the falls was washed out by storm, but spectators still got to strike a pose along the top of her majestic flow gushing over the gorge below.

What a wonderful surprise, when we turned around to start heading back up, and we see yet another beautiful waterfall silently just singing right behind us the whole time.

As we ventured our way back up and down the stairs of River Trail, I said my goodbyes to Julianna, my new Facebook friend, and her photographer husband.

Before heading to my hotel, I decided to stay a while and frolic among the rocks and water of that gorgeous waterfall that had first said hello at the entrance of the park.

What a fantastic day! Oh, you beautiful waterfalls of Tennessee! Who would of thought? But, the awesome of it? I didn't even realize, I was just getting started.