The last couple of years I have worked with international students and one of my favorite things to do is to take them hiking at one of the many state parks here in Tennessee. I love sharing these parts of the state that they wouldn’t see otherwise and I love that they find there is more to the state than Nashville. So of course, I had to take them to my favorite state park in my favorite season.
Fall Creek Falls State Park was the first designated state park in Tennessee. Because of this it is the most popular for visitors. The park is large and offers a wide variety of activities and services so anyone can enjoy it.
We began at the overlook where we could see the top of the waterfall as it rushed down the rocks to the pool below. This fall has been far too dry and many of the trees had skipped the colors and just went to brown. But here and there were the beautiful pops of yellow and orange in the trees.
After seeing the falls from above, we then hiked down the trail to see it from below. The trail is less than a mile, but it can be rocky and steep at some parts. These rocky trails are very typical to this area. Even with the little fall colors, it was a lovely hike down.
We reached the bottom of the trail and looked up at the waterfall amazed at the completely different perspective of the falls that it gave us. The students were in awe at the sight of the waterfall and kept talking about how they never would have expected this. With that, I knew the day was a success.
We spent awhile down at the bottom enjoying the rocks and the cold water. Some of the students climbed up and around the pool so they could sit behind the waterfall. Others were content to sit on the rocks and watch the people and the water. No one decided to swim in the pool since it is so cold. When everyone had had their fill, we made the trek back up the trail to the overlook.
We were not quite ready to be done at the park though. We drove down one of the many roads of the park towards Piney Falls. This waterfall is much smaller and can’t really be seen through the trees, but if you listen you can hear the water falling over the rocks. We walked down the short path and across the suspension bridge over the river below. The student all said that the suspension bridge was far more wild then the rocky trail had been.
We stopped at the snack shop to get some lunch before making the drive back. I love sharing the park with students, but I also love that going hiking together brings the students together as friends. The drive to the park was pretty quiet, but by the time we were going back they were all talking together and making plans to do things together.
There is just nothing better than spending a beautiful fall day out enjoying one of the state parks.
Here are some other Tennessee state parks to enjoy in the fall:
Thank you for coming along on this visit to Fall Creek Falls State Park. May the colors of fall always remind you that change is beautiful.
30 responses to “Waterfall & Colored Leaves at Fall Creek Falls State Park {Tennessee}”
What fun to take students there and let them experience this with you. Falls Creek is breathtaking. Especially the waterfall! So much beauty. 🖤
It is always a fun day to share with the students. It is such a beautiful corner of the state 🙂 I hope you have a great weekend!
You have honestly opened my eyes to just how beautiful Tennessee is with your blog but also all our state parks as a whole. We truly have a beautiful country!
Thank you! We really do, so diverse and interesting and beautiful. We have really loved seeing all the state parks 🙂
Thank you for sharing all this beauty!
Oh my, what an amazingly beautiful place, and what a special experience for the students. Your photos are stunning and have captured the beauty of the area spectacularly. It seems like autumn is the perfect time to visit Tennessee. Thanks Meg, for sharing this beautiful post.
Thank you for your kind words 🙂 Autumn in Tennessee is so beautiful because there is such a variety of those hard wood trees everywhere. I love sharing the parks with the international students because then they see places that they wouldn’t otherwise.
That’s a stunning and beautiful autumn walk, isn’t it. The colours of the leaves in the forests above the waterfall is a fabulous shot
Thank you, I always think Tennessee is at its finest in the autumn with all the colors against the rocks and water. I hope you have a great weekend 🙂
I wish going on hikes in to beautiful waterfalls was part of my job description! You are so lucky, and so is your daughter. You are exposing her to so many cultures, not just be traveling with her, but by taking her on experiences with these students from around the globe. You’ll soon have a very worldly young woman!
Thank you, that is so kind of you to say. 🙂 Thats my hope to give her those experiences that will help shape her view of the larger world we live in. Its always fun to watch the students interact with her.
I wonder which foreign language she’ll choose (if she hasn’t already gone down that path)…
Right now shes thinking shed like to learn either French (because of the Fancy Nancy books) or Japanese because some of the girls we took hiking were from Japan. But it seems to change daily 🙂
Haha. I suppose that’s to be expected. French has a wider application, but knowing Japanese in Japan would be a huge boon in a country where few speak English. Maybe she should learn both. 🙂
Best of both!
Wow, that waterfall is so beautiful and especially so with the different colours on the trees! No wonder your group of students loved their day out 😀
Every time we.go there Im just struck with the beauty of it. In every season, the waterfall is just incredible. I love sharing it with the students and watching them love it as much as I do.
That is such a cool waterfall!
It is a great park to enjoy. Waterfalls over rocks and suspension bridges are very Tennessee 🙂
I love that idea of taking your international students on a field trip to explore some of the state parks in Tennessee. Fall Creek Falls State Park looks stunning, especially in the fall when the leaves are changing colour. Sounds like it was a successful outing.
Its been my favorite thing to do with the students to share the parks with them. Especially this park because it is my favorite. And because fall in Tennessee is such a gradual thing, we can enjoy the colors for a lot longer. 🙂
Aw this is so lovely, and great to see another side to the state. I remember visiting here in autumn 2019 and the colours were just gorgeous!
Thank you! Fall suits Tennessee with all the hard wood trees everywhere, the colors are just beautiful. 🙂
A waterfall and fall colors!! That’s my kind of hike. And so great that you took kids!!
Me too, my favorite season at my favorite park with great company just ticks all the boxes 🙂
Thanks for sharing this amazing Autumn Walk in Tennessee. Anita
Thanks Anita, fall really suits Tennessee with the beautiful colors against the rocky waterfalls 🙂
Thats such a wonderful thing to do with your students Meg. Something completely different and so nice they appreciated it. The colours are amazing.
Thanks Ali, they really loved it and after hiking together they all became this fun tight group of friends which made it all the better 🙂
It’s the kind of thing that will bring a smile to your face whenever you think about it