Three Outdoor Adventures within 2 Hours of Nashville

With its country music history and focus, its plethora of food and dining options, unique and famous museums such as the Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville is a fantastic place to visit.

But many people don’t know that not far outside the city lies some of the most beautiful countryside in the eastern region of the US, with hundreds of waterfalls and excellent hiking. Here are three adventures worth enjoying that are within 2 hours of Nashville.

Cumberland State Park and Ozone Falls

Cumberland Mountain State Park in Crossville, Tennessee, is a park on the Cumberland Plateau, known for Byrd Lake and the rustic stone and timber structures that enhance its outdoor beauty. There are many activities available including hiking, camping, golfing at Bear Trace Golf Course, and swimming in the summer. The park offers rustic cabins, a restaurant, and a museum focused on the park’s origins as a New Deal homestead project.

Just a short drive away you’ll find Ozone Falls, a stunning 110-foot waterfall in the Ozone Falls State Natural Area. Much of the 1994 live action version of The Jungle Book was filmed in this area and the waterfall is seen in the film.

The falls can be seen at the lip very close to the parking area, or from a short, steep, and rocky trail to the base. The geology is also quite interesting as you can see hollows within the layers of rock along the sides of the gorge.

Visitors are allowed to swim and even walk behind the falls in the summer – the water is very deep at the base. You can also follow this trail along the river for a longer hike. The falls are quite close to the road, and can be accessed from a small pull-off on route 70 with room for just a few cars.

Both of these areas can be entered for free and are located about 1.75 hours east of Nashville.

Burgess Falls State Park

Burgess Falls State Park in Tennessee is known for its series of four lovely waterfalls, culminating in the dramatic 130-foot Burgess Falls in a forested gorge. All four can be viewed on a short hike (about .75 miles) directly from the parking lot. If you do not want to hike the full trail due to some rockiness and steepness, there is a genle, half mile gravel trail that reaches the overlook of the main falls. The only way to access the base of the falls is by paddling in via boat or kayak from Cane Hollow Recreation Area. 

This free park is located about 1.25 hours from Nashville.

Falls Creek Falls State Park

Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee is a popular park with many exciting and beautiful features. The 256-foot Fall Creek Falls are the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi, and there are a variety of other waterfalls at the park as well, including Piney Falls and Cane Creek Falls, all within a beautiful setting full of gorges, forests, and caves. The park offers many activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, golfing, biking, swimming in the summer, and a lodge.

For a fun adventure, you can park at the small Nature Center and enjoy several gorgeous falls right behind it, including a cable hike to swim at the base of one of the falls. Or, cross a suspension bridge over the river, and hike some steep terrain for about a mile to the Falls Creek Falls Overlook. Alternatively, you can park at the overlook itself and simply walk up to view the falls. You can also hike in the other direction from the overlook for less than half a mile (but an extremely steep half a mile!) to get to the base of the falls for a different perspective.

This year-round destination is located about 2 hours from Nashville.