A fantastic trip to visit Cummins Falls and Rock Island. Both are near Cookeville, TN. We stayed at Old Mill Campground which is just across the street from Cummins Falls State Park. The campground is nice with clean bathrooms. It makes a great base camp for visiting the area.
Now, the falls are what makes this trip fantastic.
Rock Island is about an hour away, but well worth it. There are many falls where you can just float around and explore these deep, cold swimming holes. The hike to the water is easy, but, to see the falls, you must hike through the river. The hike is slippery and somewhat treacherous. Wear good water shoes, preferably with closed toes. We wore life vests which made floating in the deep pools easy.
Cummins Falls require passes to visit. Please buy them ahead of time. However, they do let folks in as people leave. Come prepared for a hike up the river and over rocks to visit the falls. Proper footwear is a must. However, the hike is definitely worth it. The river isn’t deep, but there are slippery rocks as you hike toward the falls.
