Before all this craziness we have been experiencing with the COVID-19 spread I decided to go for a hike to a wonderful and amazing Tennessee State Park.
Note: Tennessee State Parks are currently closed as of April 16th, 2020.
Picture from the base view of Foster Falls
Before I began my journey I decided to do some research and look for information on hours of operation, trails, overlooks, and the best spots to view the waterfalls at South Cumberland State Park. I packed my gear and began the 2 hour and 24 minute drive from Clarksville TN to see Foster Falls.
As I reach my destination there’s a pretty large parking for multiple vehicles. There are restrooms facilities including a water fountain to fill up your bottles.
From the parking lot to the waterfall overlook is less than 4-minute walk. The waterfall lookout is pretty spacious for people to view the waterfalls and all its beautiful surroundings without bumping into each other.
A light dusting of snow fell on the trail overnight.
There are two trails: if you go towards the right it will take you over the waterfalls and if you go left it will take you to the bottom of the waterfalls. Both trails are pretty easy to hike. Just make sure you have some good hiking boots or sneakers. Never go hiking with sandals, slippers or crocs (not good for your feet, believe me you will feel it later).
The first time I went to Foster Falls I took the top view of the waterfalls and have to tell you it was amazing.
View from the trail to the top of the falls.
No trip to the park is complete without a visits to the lower trail and get a good view of the waterfall. There’s also a suspended bridge that provides spectacular views. On most days you can feel the coolness and the fresh breeze from the falls cover your soul. It’s one of the most magical experiences in Tennessee.
Foster Falls
If you are like me you will spend several hours here. It’s a perfect spot to work on your photography skills and capture shots from different angles. I brought all of my equipment and used my Canon 60D, GoPro Hero7 Black and Sony a6000. This is an ideal spot for performing long exposures and low shots.
Sunset at Foster Falls
You will definitely love this place when the State Parks reopen (Parks are currently closed due to Covid-19). From it’s awesome trails to the breathtaking views it’s truly one of a kind. In summer they also allow people to go swimming and enjoy the park. It also has more than 20 campgrounds, a pavilion, bbq pits and other amazing trails to enjoy.
Please remember to pick up after yourself and keep it cleaner than how you found it.
I would like to thank the Tennessee State Parks for keeping it clean and in good shape for hikers, tourists, photographers, and adventurers. Also to TriStar Adventures and Instagram Tennessee for sponsoring my epic adventures and capturing amazing shots. Use their hashtags on your photos #InstagramTennessee and #TristarAdventures
Here are some other shots taken at Foster Falls. I hope you enjoy and remember to “Create memories one shot at a time.”
Written by Rafael Rios - Tristar Adventures Brand Ambassador.
