Burgess Falls
- Height
- 136 ft
- Hike
- 1.5 mi round trip
- Road
- Paved
Burgess Falls drops about 136 ft on Falling Water River in Putnam County, Tennessee. Reaching it is a 1.5 mi hike round trip.
Closures and warnings
No access to the base of Burgess Falls from the park; base access is by boat or kayak from Cane Hollow Recreation Area. Top of Burgess Falls has unstable and slick rocks. There is no designated swim area. As of September 28, 2026.
The falls
| Height | 136 ft |
|---|---|
| Flow note | Four falls on Falling Water River: 20 ft cascades, 30 ft upper, 80 ft middle, and 136 ft lower Burgess Falls. |
Access
| Hike | 1.5 mi round trip |
|---|---|
| Road | Paved |
| Parking | Main trailhead at 4000 Burgess Falls Drive, Sparta TN 38583. Upper lot closed during VC construction (4/3/2026 update); no RV/trailer parking. |
| When it fills | High visitation; no roadside parking. If the lot is full, visit another state park. |
| Hours | Trailhead seasonally 8 AM-4 PM (winter) to 8 AM-7 PM (May 1-Aug 15); see park contact hours table. |
| Wheelchair access | ADA-accessible sidewalk leads to the cascades. |
| Managed by | Tennessee State Parks (Burgess Falls State Park) |
| Picnic sites | Yes |
|---|---|
| Note | Gift shop at relocated park office (8487 Burgess Falls Rd, Baxter). Playground closed for rebuild starting September 8, 2026 (anticipated reopen by September 30). |
Rules
| Camping | Not allowed |
|---|
Common questions
Common questions
Is Burgess Falls open?
No access to the base of Burgess Falls from the park; base access is by boat or kayak from Cane Hollow Recreation Area. Top of Burgess Falls has unstable and slick rocks. There is no designated swim area. As of September 28, 2026. Hours: Trailhead seasonally 8 AM-4 PM (winter) to 8 AM-7 PM (May 1-Aug 15); see park contact hours table.
How tall is Burgess Falls?
Burgess Falls drops about 136 ft.
How long is the hike to Burgess Falls?
It's a 1.5 mi hike round trip. The road in is paved. Parking: Main trailhead at 4000 Burgess Falls Drive, Sparta TN 38583. Upper lot closed during VC construction (4/3/2026 update); no RV/trailer parking. High visitation; no roadside parking. If the lot is full, visit another state park.
When is Burgess Falls flowing?
Four falls on Falling Water River: 20 ft cascades, 30 ft upper, 80 ft middle, and 136 ft lower Burgess Falls.
What facilities are at Burgess Falls?
Picnic sites. Gift shop at relocated park office (8487 Burgess Falls Rd, Baxter). Playground closed for rebuild starting September 8, 2026 (anticipated reopen by September 30).
What are the rules at Burgess Falls?
Camping is not allowed.
Nearby
Camping nearby
Public land
Burgess Falls is inside Burgess Falls State Natural Area and Burgess Falls State Park .
Sources
2
- https://tnstateparks.com/parks/burgess-falls (accessed September 28, 2026; backs manager, waterbodyName, access.hours, access.parking, access.parkingPattern, access.wheelchairAccess, access.amenities, hazardNote)
- https://tnstateparks.com/parks/burgess-falls/hiking (accessed September 28, 2026; backs waterfall.heightFt, waterfall.flowNote, access.hikeDistanceMi, access.hikeDistanceBasis, rules.camping)
More: Tennessee waterfalls · waterfalls near Nashville · waterfalls near Chattanooga · waterfalls near Pigeon Forge