Right now
Right now as of Oct 18, 2026
- Permit Gorge Access Permit.
Status note (Oct 18, 2026): The gorge is open by permit, subject to daily hazard ratings (it was 'open at high hazard' on March 28, 2026). Swimming was suspended on May 25, 2026 over rain risk. We found no closure after May 2026, but this is not confirmed with the park as of Oct 2026. Check Tennessee State Parks before you go. What the status labels mean
Cummins Falls is a 75-foot cascade on the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River in Cummins Falls State Park, near Cookeville. The overlook and the trails above the gorge are free and need no permit. To enter the gorge or reach the base and its swimming hole, you need a Gorge Access Permit. The gorge can close without warning when water rises, and we found no closure after May 2026.
About Cummins Falls
Cummins Falls drops about 75 feet in tiers into a swimming hole on the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River, according to Wikipedia, which cites Tennessee State Parks. The park sits in Jackson County near Cookeville. The park page gives its size as 457 acres; other sources give smaller figures.
TennGreen Land Conservancy (then called the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation) bought the land in 2011, and the state dedicated the park in 2012.
The gorge has a history of flash floods. On July 5, 2017, a flash flood swept through the gorge and two women died, WPLN reported. On June 9, 2019, a flash flood swept away and killed a 2-year-old boy from Kentucky while his family was crossing the river.
WPLN reported that rangers had about two minutes of warning in 2019 to move dozens of people to higher ground. Tennessee State Parks introduced the Gorge Access Permit in 2020, when the gorge reopened.
After 2019 the state added upstream river gauges, marked refuge areas near the falls, bilingual flood-warning signs and a life-jacket rule for children, NewsChannel 5 reported.
Getting there and parking
Cummins Falls State Park is in Jackson County, at 390 Cummins Falls Lane, Cookeville. Entry to the park is free, but the gorge needs a Gorge Access Permit.
Address and directions
Cummins Falls State Park is at 390 Cummins Falls Lane, Cookeville, TN 38501, in Jackson County, according to the park page. The park phone is (931) 268-7223. Entry to the park is free.
Parking details, such as lot size, are not confirmed as of Oct 2026. Check Tennessee State Parks before you go.
Gorge Access Permit
You need a permit to enter the gorge or reach the base of the falls. Buy it on the Tennessee State Parks reservation site; the park recommends buying online in advance. Some park pages say you can also buy at the visitor center, while older ones say online only.
Tennessee State Parks set the price at $7.00 per permit when the system launched in 2020, to cover admin and technical costs. Later park material lists $6. We could not confirm the 2026 price. Permits are non-refundable, with no exchanges, date transfers or rain checks.
Sales end at 4 p.m. or when the daily cap is reached. The cap was up to 200 permits a day at the 2020 launch, and a park page lists 100. Check the Tennessee State Parks permit page, and buy ahead if you're set on the gorge.
Camping near Cummins Falls
Cummins Falls State Park has no campground. The state's 2012 dedication release said it would be a day-use park.
Old Mill Camp, across the road from the park entrance, is a private RV park and is not run by Tennessee State Parks. Its website lists RV sites and cottages and says it has no tent sites.
Map and nearby falls
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OpenPartly open / seasonalUnconfirmedClosedLarger map
The overlook and the gorge route
The overlook and the trails above the gorge need no permit and are the easy way to see the falls. The park page lists the Falls Overlook Trail at 0.45 miles. The park page doesn't say whether the 0.45 miles is one way.
Two routes lead down into the gorge. Park materials give about 1 mile for one and about 1.5 miles for the other and call them rugged. Park materials don't say whether the two gorge distances are one way or round trip.
The gorge route crosses the river and is wet and rocky, so expect to wade and scramble, and wear shoes that grip when wet. The park rates gorge access hard.
At the bottom, the falls cascade into a swimming hole. You can swim there when the gorge is open and conditions allow.
Two other Tennessee State Parks waterfalls in this guide need no permit. At Burgess Falls, the main falls overlook is open, but its gorge is closed. At Fall Creek Falls, the main overlook is next to its parking lot.
When to visit
The park is open year-round, but gorge access depends on the weather and is allowed only in fair conditions.
Weather, high water and hazard ratings
Tennessee State Parks posts a daily hazard rating for the gorge. On March 28, 2026, for example, the gorge was listed as open at high hazard.
Closures happen on short notice. The gorge closed for flooding on June 18, 2025. On Memorial Day, May 25, 2026, the park suspended swimming over rain risk while the gorge stayed open, WSMV reported.
We found no closure after May 2026, but check the park page the day you go.
Hours
In season, the park page lists hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and WSMV reported the 6 p.m. close. The gorge closes at 5 p.m., and permit sales end at 4 p.m. Off-season, the park closes at 4:30 p.m. We could not confirm the dates of the two seasons.
| Height | 75 ftNote: per Wikipedia, citing Tennessee State Parks |
|---|---|
| Trail | Overlook trails above the gorge (no permit); two rugged gorge routes of about 1 and 1.5 mi (park figures) |
| Difficulty | Easy to the overlook; rugged into the gorge |
| Entry fee | Park entry free; Gorge Access Permit required for the gorge and base ($7 at 2020 launch, $6 in later park material) |
| Permit / reservation | Gorge Access Permit required to enter the gorge or reach the base of the falls |
| Hours / season | In season: park 8 a.m.-6 p.m., gorge closes 5 p.m., permit sales end 4 p.m.; off-season the park closes at 4:30 p.m. |
| Dogs | Leashed pets allowed in the park; gorge rule not confirmed |
| Swimming | Allowed in the pool at the base when the gorge is open and conditions allow; the park can suspend it in high water |
| Wheelchair / stroller | No for the gorge; overlook access not confirmed |
| Walk behind the falls | No |
| Crowds | Not confirmed; gorge permits have a daily cap, and sales end when it is reached |
| Managed by | Tennessee State Parks (TDEC) |
Safety and swimming
The gorge is prone to flash floods. The park warns that rain upstream can raise the water in minutes, even when it isn't raining at the park. If the water starts to rise, leave the river and get to high ground at once.
Children 12 and under must be with an adult and wear a life jacket at the falls and in the water, according to Tennessee State Parks. The park recommends that children 5 and under stay out of the gorge.
Bring your own U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket, because loaners are limited. The park can suspend swimming in high water. Follow ranger instructions and posted hazard ratings, and do not enter the gorge when it is closed.
Leashed pets are allowed in the park, according to Tennessee State Parks. We could not confirm whether dogs may go into the gorge.
For general tips, see our waterfall safety page.
Where to stay near Cummins Falls
Compare hotels, cabins and rentals close to the falls around Cookeville.
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Photos
Cummins Falls FAQ
Do you need a permit for Cummins Falls?
Only to enter the gorge or reach the base of the falls. The overlook and trails above the gorge are free and need no permit.
How hard is the hike to Cummins Falls?
The Falls Overlook Trail is short, about 0.45 miles per the park page, and needs no permit. The gorge route is rugged, with river wading and slick rock, and the park rates it hard.
How much is the Cummins Falls gorge permit?
We could not confirm the 2026 price. Tennessee State Parks set it at $7 when permits began in 2020, and later park material lists $6. Check the Tennessee State Parks permit page; permits are non-refundable.
Can kids go into the Cummins Falls gorge?
Children 12 and under must be with an adult and wear a life jacket at the falls and in the water. The park recommends children 5 and under stay out of the gorge.
What time does the Cummins Falls gorge close?
In season, the gorge closes at 5 p.m. and the park at 6 p.m.; off-season, the park closes at 4:30 p.m. The gorge can also close early when the river rises, since rain upstream can flood it in minutes.
Can you swim at Cummins Falls?
Yes, in the pool at the base when the gorge is open, but the park can suspend swimming in high water. Bring your own life jacket; loaners are limited.
What town is Cummins Falls in?
The park is in Jackson County, with a Cookeville mailing address: 390 Cummins Falls Lane, Cookeville, TN 38501 (park page).
Can you camp at Cummins Falls State Park?
No. Cummins Falls State Park is a day-use park with no campground. Old Mill Camp, across the road, is a private RV park with RV sites and cottages and no tent sites.
Nearby waterfalls
Burgess Falls15 mi straight-linePartly open136FT
Fall Creek Falls42 mi straight-lineOpen256FT
Rutledge Falls66 mi straight-lineOpen
Machine Falls68 mi straight-lineOpen60FT PLUS
Yahoo Falls69 mi straight-lineOpen113FT
On these lists: Dog-friendly waterfalls · Waterfalls you can swim in
Sources
Some facts credited to the Tennessee State Parks and Tennessee state news office come from search-result excerpts of their official pages. Confirm fees and rules on the official site.
- Tennessee State Parks: Cummins Falls
- Tennessee State Parks: Cummins Falls reopening with new Gorge Access Permit (2020)
- Tennessee State Parks reservations: Gorge Access Permits
- WSMV: Cummins Falls closed for swimming on Memorial Day (May 25, 2026)
- WSMV: 'Severe Hazard' closures at Cummins Falls (June 18, 2025)
- WPLN: Investigation delays and confusion after Cummins Falls flood death
- NewsChannel 5: Cummins Falls to reopen with new policies, monitoring gauges (2019)
- Wikipedia: Cummins Falls State Park
- Tennessee state news: Tennessee dedicates 54th state park at Cummins Falls (2012)
- Old Mill Camp (private RV park)
Last verified Oct 18, 2026 by The Waterfall Guide editorial team. Conditions change: confirm with Tennessee State Parks (TDEC) before you go. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.