Great Falls is a 30-foot horseshoe-shaped waterfall on the Caney Fork in Rock Island State Park, Warren County, Tennessee, directly below the Tennessee Valley Authority's Great Falls Dam. It spans up to about 900 feet across, but its flow is set by the dam.
The falls
The river crosses broad limestone ledges in two steps: 7 to 10 feet of rapids and small cascades, then a sheer 23-foot drop. Earlier surveys listed 20 feet. Most of the Caney Fork's flow is diverted to a TVA powerhouse downstream, so much of the brink is dry for much of the year; when the dam spills, the full width runs. Below the falls, the river enters the Caney Fork River Gorge, the stretch between the dam and the powerhouse about half a mile downstream.
Getting there
Rock Island State Park covers over 2,000 acres at the head of Center Hill Lake. The main overlook is a few steps from the Old Mill Picnic Area off TN 287; parking there is very limited on weekends. A steep gorge-floor trail with stairs descends 0.5 mile from the same area, and the Upstream Trail from the end of Powerhouse Road on the White County side covers 0.5 mile with easier parking. The gorge trails close at sundown from November to March and at 6 PM from March to November. The park reports very high visitation and asks visitors not to park on roadsides.
When to go
Flow depends on TVA releases, so check TVA's Great Falls Dam schedule and the park's Facebook page before going. The overlooks are recommended at sunrise and sunset.
On site
All of the gorge below the dam closes whenever the dam is spilling or a release is likely that day, sometimes without notice. The powerhouse releases water at irregular times on most days, and the gorge can flood fast. If sirens sound or the water rises or turns muddy, get out of the gorge and onto high ground at once. Swimming and wading anywhere downstream of the powerhouse, including at Twin Falls and the Blue Hole, are banned because of hidden and deadly currents. Cliff jumping and diving are prohibited, and children 12 and under must be with an adult. Life jackets and sturdy shoes are advised on the slick limestone. When the gorge is open, the Cold Hole is a popular summer swimming spot.
History and name
The Falls City Cotton Mill, which ran from 1892 to 1902, stands on the Caney Fork bluffs just above the falls. The falls are also listed as Caney Fork Falls.
Nearby
Lower Great Falls is about 0.2 mile away. Twin Falls, about 0.5 mile away, is where the Collins River pours out of limestone bluffs into the Caney Fork. Badger Falls is about 1.1 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.