Tennessee State

Parks and waterfalls in Tennessee

Natural Wonders

Tennessee’s natural landscapes are defined by the ancient Appalachian Mountains and the diverse ecosystems of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This collection features prominent geological landmarks, including the 256-foot Fall Creek Falls and the 6,643-foot Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the state. From the river-carved gorges of Rock Island State Park to the misty hardwood forests housing the Ramsey Cascades, these sites showcase the region's rich biodiversity and expansive vistas across the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

Natural Wonders — Map

Nick gates / CC-BY-SA

A

Laurel Falls

An 80-foot waterfall featuring a stone bridge that crosses between the upper and lower cascades. The surrounding trail is known for mountain laurel and rhododendron blooms during the spring.

Nick gates / CC-BY-SA

B

Abrams Falls

A powerful 20-foot waterfall located along Abrams Creek in Cades Cove. Despite its short height, it is characterized by a high volume of water and a large, deep pool at its base.

Nick gates / CC-BY-SA

C

Rainbow Falls

An 80-foot waterfall, the highest single-drop cascade in the national park. On sunny afternoons, the mist creates a rainbow visible from the viewing area at the end of the trail.

D

Fall Creek Falls

Fall Creek Falls is a 256-foot tall sheer-drop waterfall located in Fall Creek Falls State Park near Spencer, Tennessee.

John Phelan / CC BY-SA 3.0

E

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park in the southeastern United States, with parts in North Carolina and…

Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

F

Rock Island State Park

Rock Island State Park is a state park in Warren County and White County, Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States.

G

Grotto Falls

A 25-foot waterfall along the Trillium Gap Trail. It is the only cascade in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that allows visitors to walk directly behind the curtain of water.

H

Ramsey Cascades

The tallest waterfall in the national park, dropping 100 feet over multiple rock tiers. It is surrounded by old-growth hardwood forest and flows into a pool containing native brook trout.

I

Cummins Falls

A 75-foot waterfall located on the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River. The wide, tiered cascade is the centerpiece of this state park and features a large swimming hole at its base.

J

Clingmans Dome Observation Tower

A circular concrete observation tower situated at the 6,643-foot summit of Clingmans Dome. It provides 360-degree views of the Great Smoky Mountains, extending over seven states on clear days.

K

Newfound Gap Overlook

A 5,046-foot mountain pass on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. It features the Rockefeller Memorial, the site where President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the national park in 1940.

Thomas R Machnitzki (thomas@machnitzki.c… / CC BY 3.0

L

Mud Island Park

Mud Island is a small peninsula in Memphis, Tennessee. It is bordered by the Mississippi River to the west and the Wolf River and Harbor…

Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

M

Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park

Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park is a state park in Pall Mall, in the U.S. state of Tennessee.

Kelly Buck / CC-BY-SA

N

Burgess Falls State Park

A state park on the Falling Water River featuring four waterfalls. The most prominent is the 136-foot Burgess Falls, which drops over a sheer limestone cliff into a large gorge.

O

Fall Creek Falls State Park

Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park is a state park in Van Buren and Bledsoe counties, in the U.S. state of Tennessee.

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