Fall Creek Falls State Park
Encyclopedia
Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park is a state park
in Middle Tennessee
, located between Pikeville
and Spencer
. The 20000 acres (80.9 km²) park spans the boundary between Van Buren and Bledsoe counties.
The park is centered on the upper Cane Creek Gorge, an area known for its unique geological formations and scenic waterfalls. The park's namesake is the 256 feet (78 m) Fall Creek Falls
, the highest free-fall waterfall east of the Mississippi River
.
, stretching for some 15 miles (24.1 km) from the Cane Creek Cascades to Cane Creek's mouth along the Caney Fork. Cane Creek rises atop Little Mountain— which lines the plateau's eastern edge above Sequatchie Valley
— and winds northward across the plateau.
Just beyond its source, Cane Creek slowly gains strength as it absorbs Meadow Creek and several smaller streams. As the creek enters the gorge, it drops several hundred feet in less than a mile, including 45 feet (13.7 m) over Cane Creek Cascades and 85 feet (25.9 m) over Cane Creek Falls. A few hundred meters north of Cane Creek Falls, Rockhouse Creek spills 125 feet (38.1 m) over a plunge waterfall into the same plungepool. Over the next half-mile, Cane Creek absorbs Fall Creek and Piney Creek, both of which enter from smaller gorges to the immediate west. During this stretch, part of the creek disappears underground into limestone sinks, and reemerges at a spring known as "Crusher Hole." Cane Creek continues to lose elevation before steadying near its confluence with Dry Fork. Beyond Dry Fork, the creek gradually descends to the Highland Rim
, where it empties into the Caney Fork.
The man-made Fall Creek Falls Lake, controlled by a dam, assures continuing flow of water to Fall Creek Falls
. The lake dominates the park's southern section.
Along with waterfalls and overlooks, Fall Creek Falls State Park is home to a number of caves, the most prominent of which is Rumbling Falls Cave, which has the second largest cave chamber in the United States. The cave is located in the park's Dry Fork section, near Spencer.
Camps Gulf Cave is another large cave located in the park that contains very large chambers. All Park caves are currently closed in an effort to prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome (WNS) in bats.
The few residents who lived in the Cane Creek area were often at the mercy of the creek, which, like most of the Upper Caney Fork watershed, was prone to flash flooding. The Good Friday Flood of 1929, the most devastating of these floods, caused the Caney Fork and its tributaries to swell to record volumes and wiped out dozens of mills, houses, and bridges. Lawson Fisher, who operated a grist mill
at the head of Cane Creek Falls at the time of the flood, recalled being awakened that night by the roar of the creek's rising waters. Racing into the mill to save the mill's account books, Fisher later testified:
Another resident recalled waking up to a cabin floor covered with several inches of water, and spending the night in the cabin loft watching helplessly as the water continued to rise. Several smaller farms in the lower part of the valley were completely destroyed. The Cane Creek Mill, which had stood above the falls since 1831, was never rebuilt.
began the work of restoring the forest and constructing park facilities. The National Park Service
transferred ownership of the park to the State of Tennessee in 1944.
Millikan's Overlook is named after Dr. Glenn Q. Millikan, a scientist who fell to his death on May 25, 1947, while rock climbing on the cliff beneath the overlook.
In 2006, the State of Tennessee purchased 12500 acres (50.6 km²) of land along the White-Van Buren County line, in the vicinity of Bledsoe State Forest. The purchase is part of an effort to create an unbroken corridor of publicly-owned land between Fall Creek Falls State Park and Scott's Gulf
, a few miles to the north in White County.
.
Park facilities include an inn and conference center, restaurant, cabins, and three campgrounds, each with bathhouses, offering a total of 228 camping sites. An 18-hole golf course
, Olympic-sized swimming pool, and several miles of hiking trails and paved biking trails are available in the park.
(1855–1919), who gained national acclaim for his Civil War illustrations, operated from a studio south of Spencer on land currently owned by the park.
Fall Creek Falls State Park was used as one of the primary filming locations for the Disney
live action movie The Jungle Book and the comedy/science fiction film Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam
, starring Jim Varney
. Scenes from the 1986 movie King Kong Lives
, starring Linda Hamilton
, were filmed in the area of Cane Creek Cascades and Cane Creek Falls.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in Middle Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, located between Pikeville
Pikeville, Tennessee
Pikeville is a city in Bledsoe County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,781 at the 2000 census. It is also the county seat of Bledsoe County.-Geography:...
and Spencer
Spencer, Tennessee
Spencer is a town in Van Buren County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,713 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-Geography:...
. The 20000 acres (80.9 km²) park spans the boundary between Van Buren and Bledsoe counties.
The park is centered on the upper Cane Creek Gorge, an area known for its unique geological formations and scenic waterfalls. The park's namesake is the 256 feet (78 m) Fall Creek Falls
Fall Creek Falls
Fall Creek Falls is the highest free-fall waterfall east of the Mississippi River. The falls are located near Spencer, Tennessee in Fall Creek Falls State Park. A short trail leads from the parking lot atop the plateau down to the base of the gorge, giving access to the waterfall's plungepool. ...
, the highest free-fall waterfall east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
Setting
The Cane Creek Gorge presents as a large gash in the western edge of the Cumberland PlateauCumberland Plateau
The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian Plateau. It includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia, part of Tennessee, and a small portion of northern Alabama and northwest Georgia . The terms "Allegheny Plateau" and the "Cumberland Plateau" both refer to the...
, stretching for some 15 miles (24.1 km) from the Cane Creek Cascades to Cane Creek's mouth along the Caney Fork. Cane Creek rises atop Little Mountain— which lines the plateau's eastern edge above Sequatchie Valley
Sequatchie Valley
Sequatchie Valley is a relatively long and narrow valley in the U.S. state of Tennessee and, in some definitions, Alabama. It is generally considered to be part of the Cumberland Plateau region of the Appalachian Mountains; it was probably formed by erosion of a compression anticline, rather than...
— and winds northward across the plateau.
Just beyond its source, Cane Creek slowly gains strength as it absorbs Meadow Creek and several smaller streams. As the creek enters the gorge, it drops several hundred feet in less than a mile, including 45 feet (13.7 m) over Cane Creek Cascades and 85 feet (25.9 m) over Cane Creek Falls. A few hundred meters north of Cane Creek Falls, Rockhouse Creek spills 125 feet (38.1 m) over a plunge waterfall into the same plungepool. Over the next half-mile, Cane Creek absorbs Fall Creek and Piney Creek, both of which enter from smaller gorges to the immediate west. During this stretch, part of the creek disappears underground into limestone sinks, and reemerges at a spring known as "Crusher Hole." Cane Creek continues to lose elevation before steadying near its confluence with Dry Fork. Beyond Dry Fork, the creek gradually descends to the Highland Rim
Highland Rim
The Highland Rim is a geographic term for the area in Tennessee surrounding the Central Basin. Nashville is largely surrounded by higher terrain in all directions....
, where it empties into the Caney Fork.
The man-made Fall Creek Falls Lake, controlled by a dam, assures continuing flow of water to Fall Creek Falls
Fall Creek Falls
Fall Creek Falls is the highest free-fall waterfall east of the Mississippi River. The falls are located near Spencer, Tennessee in Fall Creek Falls State Park. A short trail leads from the parking lot atop the plateau down to the base of the gorge, giving access to the waterfall's plungepool. ...
. The lake dominates the park's southern section.
Waterfalls
- Fall Creek FallsFall Creek FallsFall Creek Falls is the highest free-fall waterfall east of the Mississippi River. The falls are located near Spencer, Tennessee in Fall Creek Falls State Park. A short trail leads from the parking lot atop the plateau down to the base of the gorge, giving access to the waterfall's plungepool. ...
, a 256 feet (78 m) plunge waterfall located just west of the creek's confluence with Cane Creek. A short trail leads from the parking lot atop the plateau down to the base of the gorge, giving access to the waterfall's plungepool.
- Cane Creek FallsCane Creek FallsCane Creek Falls, is a plunge waterfall located along Cane Creek, above the creek's confluence with Rockhouse Creek and Fall Creek. The waterfall is visible from the Gorge Trail and from the base of the Cane Creek Gorge, which can be accessed via the Cable Trail. The falls are located near...
, an 85 feet (25.9 m) plunge waterfall located along Cane Creek, above the creek's confluence with Rockhouse Creek and Fall Creek. The waterfall is visible from the Gorge Trail and from the base of the Cane Creek Gorge, which can be accessed via the Cable Trail.
- Cane Creek CascadesCane Creek CascadesCane Creek Cascades, is a cascade located along Cane Creek, just above Cane Creek Falls. The falls are located near Spencer, Tennessee in Fall Creek Falls State Park....
, a 45 feet (13.7 m) cascade located along Cane Creek, just above Cane Creek Falls.
- Rockhouse FallsRockhouse FallsRockhouse Falls, is a plunge waterfall that marks Rockhouse Creek's confluence with Cane Creek. The waterfall, which shares a plungepool with Cane Creek Falls, is visible from the Gorge Trail and from the base of the Cane Creek Gorge. The falls are located near Spencer, Tennessee in Fall Creek...
, a 125 feet (38.1 m) plunge waterfall that marks Rockhouse Creek's confluence with Cane Creek. The waterfall, which shares a plungepool with Cane Creek Falls, is visible from the Gorge Trail and from the base of the Cane Creek Gorge.
- Piney Creek FallsPiney Creek FallsPiney Creek Falls , is a waterfall located along Piney Creek, a mile or so above its confluence with Cane Creek. Trails lead to the base of the falls and an overlook above the falls. The falls are located near Spencer, Tennessee in Fall Creek Falls State Park....
(or simply Piney Falls), a 95 feet (29 m) waterfall located along Piney Creek, a mile or so above its confluence with Cane Creek. Trails lead to the base of the falls and an overlook above the falls.
- Coon Creek FallsCoon Creek FallsCoon Creek Falls, is a plunge waterfall which shares a plungepool with Fall Creek Falls. The falls are not always present, depending on the amount of precipitation in the area. The falls are located near Spencer, Tennessee in Fall Creek Falls State Park....
, a 250 feet (76.2 m) plunge waterfall that drops into the Fall Creek Gorge, nearly adjacent Fall Creek Falls. Its proximity to Fall Creek Falls renders it less conspicuous.
Overlooks
- Cane Creek Overlook, located just off the Gorge Trail, looks out over Cane Creek Falls and Rockhouse Falls.
- Cane Creek Gorge Overlook, located just off the Gorge Trail, looks northward across the Cane Creek Gorge.
- Rocky Point Overlook, located just off the Gorge Trail on an exposed cliff, looks northward across the Cane Creek Gorge.
- Millikan's Overlook, located just off the road in the Piney Creek section of the park, looks northward across the Cane Creek Gorge, near the confluence of Piney Creek and Cane Creek.
- Buzzard's Roost, a cliff located near Millikan's Overlook.
- An overlook adjacent to the Fall Creek Falls parking lot looks down into the Fall Creek Gorge.
Along with waterfalls and overlooks, Fall Creek Falls State Park is home to a number of caves, the most prominent of which is Rumbling Falls Cave, which has the second largest cave chamber in the United States. The cave is located in the park's Dry Fork section, near Spencer.
Camps Gulf Cave is another large cave located in the park that contains very large chambers. All Park caves are currently closed in an effort to prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome (WNS) in bats.
History
The plateau areas above the Cane Creek Gorge are characterized by poor soil and weak resource potential, both exacerbated by the area's limited accessibility (by the 1920s, no major railroads and one crude highway passed between Pikeville and Spencer). In the early 1900s, this section of Van Buren County still had only a handful of farms and no major coal mining or logging operations. Local historian Arthur Weir Crouch, referring to Fall Creek Falls, wrote, "In the beginning and for many years it was a true wilderness area."The few residents who lived in the Cane Creek area were often at the mercy of the creek, which, like most of the Upper Caney Fork watershed, was prone to flash flooding. The Good Friday Flood of 1929, the most devastating of these floods, caused the Caney Fork and its tributaries to swell to record volumes and wiped out dozens of mills, houses, and bridges. Lawson Fisher, who operated a grist mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
at the head of Cane Creek Falls at the time of the flood, recalled being awakened that night by the roar of the creek's rising waters. Racing into the mill to save the mill's account books, Fisher later testified:
I had taken perhaps four or five steps when I felt that old mill building quiver. I turned and ran for the door and stepped out on solid ground, and then turned around to see what was going to happen, but folks, it had already happened. The mill wasn't there. I could just see pieces of planking and timbers going over the falls and rushing on down into the valley of Cane Creek below.
Another resident recalled waking up to a cabin floor covered with several inches of water, and spending the night in the cabin loft watching helplessly as the water continued to rise. Several smaller farms in the lower part of the valley were completely destroyed. The Cane Creek Mill, which had stood above the falls since 1831, was never rebuilt.
The state park
In 1935, the U.S. government began purchasing the badly eroded land around Fall Creek Falls. The following year, the Works Project Administration and the Civilian Conservation CorpsCivilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
began the work of restoring the forest and constructing park facilities. The National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
transferred ownership of the park to the State of Tennessee in 1944.
Millikan's Overlook is named after Dr. Glenn Q. Millikan, a scientist who fell to his death on May 25, 1947, while rock climbing on the cliff beneath the overlook.
In 2006, the State of Tennessee purchased 12500 acres (50.6 km²) of land along the White-Van Buren County line, in the vicinity of Bledsoe State Forest. The purchase is part of an effort to create an unbroken corridor of publicly-owned land between Fall Creek Falls State Park and Scott's Gulf
Scott's Gulf
Scott's Gulf is a canyon situated along the Caney Fork in White County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The canyon stretches for approximately as the Caney Fork drops from the top of the Cumberland Plateau down to the eastern Highland Rim...
, a few miles to the north in White County.
Park facilities and management
Fall Creek Falls State Park is open year-round and is managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and ConservationTennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is a Cabinet-level agency within the government of the U.S. state of Tennessee, headed by the Tennessee Commissioner of Environment and Conservation....
.
Park facilities include an inn and conference center, restaurant, cabins, and three campgrounds, each with bathhouses, offering a total of 228 camping sites. An 18-hole golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, Olympic-sized swimming pool, and several miles of hiking trails and paved biking trails are available in the park.
In the arts
Artist Gilbert GaulGilbert Gaul
Gilbert William Gaul , military and historical painter and illustrator.-Biography:Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on March 31, 1855 to George W. and Cornelia A. Gaul, he attended school in Newark, and at the Claverack Military Academy. In New York, he began studying art under L. E. Wilmarth at...
(1855–1919), who gained national acclaim for his Civil War illustrations, operated from a studio south of Spencer on land currently owned by the park.
Fall Creek Falls State Park was used as one of the primary filming locations for the Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
live action movie The Jungle Book and the comedy/science fiction film Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam
Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam
Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam is a 1986 comedy/science fiction film starring Jim Varney. It was written and directed by John R. Cherry III. The film includes the Ernest P. Worrell character, but takes a slightly darker tone than his other films. The film was released on video in 1992 by...
, starring Jim Varney
Jim Varney
James Albert "Jim" Varney, Jr. was an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, writer, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Ernest P...
. Scenes from the 1986 movie King Kong Lives
King Kong Lives
King Kong Lives is a 1986 American monster movie produced by DEG Studios. Directed by John Guillermin and featuring special effects by Carlo Rambaldi, the film starred Linda Hamilton and Brian Kerwin. The film was a belated sequel to King Kong...
, starring Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton
Linda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy...
, were filmed in the area of Cane Creek Cascades and Cane Creek Falls.
External links
- Fall Creek Falls State Park official website
- Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and CultureTennessee Encyclopedia of History and CultureThe Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture is a reference book on the U.S. state of Tennessee that was published in book form in 1998 and has also been available online since 2002...
- Rumbling Falls — Into the Void — image gallery of Rumbling Falls Cave