Sometimes, even if you live in an area chock-full of awesome waterfalls, you have to hit the road and drive five hours away to check out even MORE. Waterfall chasing is an itch that demands to be scratched and, in this case, it was a road trip from Athens, Georgia, to Rock Island State Park in Tennessee. Middle Tennessee, it turns out, is a veritable waterfall wonderland with Burgess Falls, Cummins Falls, and Fall Creek Falls – just to name a few. I’d wanted to visit Rock Island for years after seeing a photo of its beautiful horseshoe waterfall. Visitors can admire the park’s two main waterfalls Great Falls and Twin Falls from comfortable overlooks and/or from the more adventurous trail down to the rugged gorge floor!
Great Falls: between 20-30 feet in height, but it forms an impressive and picturesque horseshoe at the bottom of the Caney Fork gorge
Location
Rock Island State Park sits at the confluence of the Caney Fork, Collins and Rocky Rivers. It’s less than two hours from major cities Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, making it an ideal road trip. My route went through Chattanooga.
The Visitor Center is located at: 82 Beach Rd, Rock Island, TN 38581
Twin Falls: the twins stand tall at 80 feet. They’re technically manmade as a power plant diversion, yet downright spectacular to see.
The Waterfalls
The park is named for a small island in the middle of the Caney Fork River where a textile mill operated in the 1890s. The area had flooded around the time of the Civil War and flooded again in 1902, causing owners and workers to abandon the mill. There’s a parking lot by Rock Island’s main entrance, right past the historic mill ruins, across from the “Spring Castle.” Enjoy the view of the two main waterfalls here: the Great Falls overlook is on the right end of lot and Twin Falls can be seen on the overlook at the left end.
Get A Closer Look
• From the overlook parking lot, take the Old Mill Gorge Trail via some steep, slick stairs. This is a short but no-joke 0.5 mile out-and-back. Take your time – water is constantly pouring onto these steps! At the base of the stairs, you’ll be in a wooded area with Little Falls off to the left side. Past that, you’ll enter an open vista of shallow pools and rugged rocks. Welcome to the gorge floor! I loved being here in the early morning with no one else around except the turkey vultures. This part of the park is only open 8a.m.-6p.m. All other trails are accessible later.
• Downstream Trail to Twin Falls: for a closer view of Twin Falls and a more traditional hike, this 1.6 mile lollipop trail will get you nice ’n’ close. Note: There is no swimming by Twin Falls.
Risks
If you’ve hiked the Sliding Rock Trail at Tallulah Gorge in Georgia, Rock Island will seem much easier, and this is by no means a scary recreational area. Just make sure to exercise mindfulness and common sense. The rocks can be slippery, the terrain is uneven, and the currents can be unexpectedly strong. There’s a sign on the stairway reporting over 100 drownings. Finally, listen for sirens signaling a dam release and get out of the water if you hear them.
Other Trails
- Cunningham Cemetery Trail – a narrow but easy, 0.4 mile out and back trail to a family plot. From what I could make out, they date 1840s to 1920s. White spider lilies were blooming throughout during our visit (August 2024)
- Blue Hole Trail – a short ’n’ steep 0.2 mile out and back trail. Closed off during my visit, but connects to the Eagle Trail which looked like a nice spot to picnic.
- Moonshine Trail – an easy 0.6 mile out and back trail that takes you past the base of a moonshine still
Birdwatching
For bird enthusiasts, be on the lookout for herons during the summer; warblers and other migratory songbirds in the spring; osprey, bald eagles, vultures and hawks can be seen year-round.
Camp Review
I don’t want to discourage anyone from camping at Rock Island; it simply wasn’t ideal for us. We stayed at one of the tent-only sites which is in a clean, well-maintained area. However, the campsites are suuuper close together and we ended up next to a very lively group who kept the party going until 1a.m. LOL, just something to keep in mind depending what you’re looking for.
Other Activities!
Beyond the waterfalls, visitors to the park can also:
- Swim at the beach
- Kayak the river
- Fish for crappie, catfish, and walleye. The occasional muskie is been spotted at Blue Hole too.
- Bike
- Play tennis at the courts near the RV camping site
Cost
Tennessee is a dream for budget travelers – entrance to all of their state parks is free! This quick road trip cost about $122, or $61 per person. Here’s the cost breakdown for my boyfriend and I (August 2024):
- Entrance Fee: $0! (Thank you, Tennessee!)
- Camping Reservation: $37 (includes taxes and a reservation fee)
- Gas: $45 (filled up 1.5x for a 500-mile round trip)
- Food/Drink: $40-ish (We stopped for lunch at Sluggo’s in Chattanooga, then had snax for camp)
Waterfalls Nearby
Rock Island State Park was well-worth the drive to see its impressive beauty and the Caney Fork Gorge. I would love to re-visit after some rain. “When we have a lot of rainfall, you can see as many as twenty waterfalls,” says the park’s manager, Damon Graham.