Top waterfalls
WaterfallCane Creek Falls
WaterfallRockhouse Falls
WaterfallBurgess Falls
WaterfallFall Creek Falls
WaterfallPiney Creek Falls
WaterfallCummins Falls
WaterfallOzone Falls State Natural Area
WaterfallRuby Falls
WaterfallCane Creek Cascades
WaterfallCoon Creek Falls
WaterfallThe Sinks
WaterfallRock Island State Park
Waterfalls by county
- Bledsoe County4
- Carter County4
- Coffee County11
- Cumberland County3
- Grundy County16
- Hamilton County24
- Marion County12
- Monroe County3
- Morgan County3
- Polk County3
- Rhea County14
- Sevier County8
- Van Buren County5
- Warren County3
All waterfalls (138)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cane Creek Falls | Van Buren County | 458 m | Spencer | 3 |
| Rockhouse Falls | Van Buren County | 475 m | Spencer | 3 |
| Burgess Falls | Putnam County | 235 m | Baxter | 3 |
| Fall Creek Falls | Van Buren County | 430 m | Spencer | 3 |
| Piney Creek Falls | Van Buren County | 456 m | Spencer | 3 |
| Cummins Falls | Jackson County | 234 m | Dodson Branch | 4 |
| Ozone Falls State Natural Area | Cumberland County | 454 m | Rockwood | 3 |
| Ruby Falls | Hamilton County | — | Lookout Mountain | 7 |
| Cane Creek Cascades | Bledsoe County | — | Spencer | 3 |
| Coon Creek Falls | Bledsoe County | — | Spencer | 3 |
| The SinksGreat Smoky Mountains | Sevier County | — | Gatlinburg | 3 |
| Rock Island State Park | Warren County | — | Spencer | 3 |
| Scott's Gulf | White County | — | Spencer | 3 |
| Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area | Maury County | — | Mount Pleasant | 3 |
| Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area | Rhea County | 421 m | Spring City | 3 |
| Cataract FallsGreat Smoky Mountains | Sevier County | — | Gatlinburg | 4 |
| Bald River Falls | Monroe County | 441 m | Madisonville | 3 |
| Abrams FallsGreat Smoky Mountains | Blount County | 454 m | Maryville | 3 |
| Greater Falls | Warren County | — | Spencer | 3 |
| Meigs FallsGreat Smoky Mountains | Blount County | 470 m | Gatlinburg | 3 |
| Falling Water Falls 110 | Hamilton County | 435 m | Falling Water | 5 |
| Foster Falls 60 | Marion County | 484 m | Tracy City | 3 |
| Jumpoff Falls 90 | Marion County | 515 m | Sewanee | 3 |
| Laurel Falls 80 | Rhea County | 475 m | Dayton | 4 |
| Morphy Falls 12 | Rhea County | 531 m | Dayton | 4 |
| Snow Falls 12 | Rhea County | 512 m | Dayton | 4 |
| Stripmine Falls | Hamilton County | — | Mowbray Mountain | 5 |
| Wildcat Hollow Falls | Rhea County | — | Graysville | 4 |
| Lower Cascades Glen Falls 65 | Hamilton County | — | Lookout Mountain | 6 |
| Glen Falls 15 | Hamilton County | — | Lookout Mountain | 6 |
| Bridge Creek Falls | Marion County | — | Whitwell | 4 |
| Brush Creek Falls 20 | Rhea County | — | Graysville | 4 |
| Clear Branch Falls 40 | Hamilton County | — | Falling Water | 5 |
| Cooper Creek Falls | Hamilton County | — | Mowbray Mountain | 4 |
| Horsehair Falls 80 | Marion County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| Julia Falls 95 | Hamilton County | — | Signal Mountain | 6 |
| Legget Branch Falls 30 | Hamilton County | — | Sale Creek | 4 |
| Little Possum Falls 25 | Hamilton County | — | Sale Creek | 4 |
| Mystery Falls 8 | Hamilton County | — | Falling Water | 5 |
| North Pole Falls 17 | Rhea County | — | Dayton | 4 |
| Paine Creek Falls 10 | Rhea County | — | Dayton | 4 |
| Chain Falls | Grundy County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| Pocket Creek Falls | Marion County | — | Whitwell | 4 |
| Power Line Falls 140 | Hamilton County | — | Falling Water | 5 |
| Rainbow Falls 40 | Hamilton County | — | Signal Mountain | 6 |
| Richey Ridge Falls 18 | Hamilton County | — | Sale Creek | 4 |
| Sale Creek Falls 40 | Rhea County | — | Dayton | 4 |
| Small Falls 10 | Marion County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| Hogskin Branch | Hamilton County | — | Mowbray Mountain | 5 |
| Upper Glen Falls 12 | Hamilton County | — | Lookout Mountain | 6 |
| Ranger Falls | Grundy County | — | Altamont | 3 |
| Horsepound Falls | Grundy County | — | Gruetli-Laager | 3 |
| Savage Falls | Grundy County | — | Gruetli-Laager | 3 |
| Sycamore Falls | Grundy County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| Small Waterfall | Grundy County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| Blue Hole Falls | Grundy County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| Hanes Hole Falls | Grundy County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| Blowing Wind Falls | Marion County | — | Signal Mountain | 5 |
| Falls Branch Falls 15 | Marion County | — | Sewanee | 3 |
| Hemlock Falls | Marion County | — | Jasper | 4 |
| Denny Cove Falls | Marion County | — | Jasper | 4 |
| Suter Falls | Grundy County | — | Gruetli-Laager | 3 |
| Greeter Falls | Grundy County | — | Altamont | 3 |
| Ester Falls | Marion County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| McGill Creek Falls | Rhea County | — | Graysville | 4 |
| Stevenson Branch Falls | Hamilton County | — | Mowbray Mountain | 5 |
| Imodium Falls | Hamilton County | — | Sale Creek | 4 |
| Vortex Falls | Hamilton County | — | Mowbray Mountain | 4 |
| Black Canyon Falls | Grundy County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| Anderson Falls | Grundy County | — | Tracy City | 3 |
| Basin Falls | Cumberland County | 480 m | Rockwood | 3 |
| Spivey Falls | Unicoi County | 784 m | Banner Hill | 3 |
| Baker Falls | Coffee County | 304 m | Manchester | 4 |
| Benton Falls | Polk County | 493 m | Benton | 3 |
| Big Falls | Coffee County | 275 m | Manchester | 5 |
| Bluehole Falls | Coffee County | 293 m | Manchester | 5 |
| Boone Falls | Lincoln County | 282 m | Park City | 4 |
| Bosworth Falls | Coffee County | 302 m | Manchester | 4 |
| Bridal Veil Falls | Grundy County | 546 m | Monteagle | 3 |
| Buckeye Falls | Unicoi County | 913 m | Banner Hill | 3 |
| Bullet Creek Falls | Monroe County | 375 m | Etowah | 3 |
| Cascade Falls | Grundy County | 524 m | Monteagle | 3 |
| Cascade Falls | Coffee County | 301 m | Tullahoma | 4 |
| Coon Den Falls | Carter County | 929 m | Roan Mountain | 3 |
| Copperas Falls | Coffee County | 294 m | Tullahoma | 4 |
| Copperas Falls | Lawrence County | 228 m | Lawrenceburg | 3 |
| Crystal Falls | Bledsoe County | 537 m | Pikeville | 3 |
| Cul-car-mac Falls | DeKalb County | 267 m | Smithville | 4 |
| Deer Lick Falls | Grundy County | 555 m | Tracy City | 3 |
| Double Drop Falls | Morgan County | 363 m | Fairfield Glade | 3 |
| Double Falls | Scott County | 303 m | Huntsville | 3 |
| Dry Creek Falls | Jackson County | 262 m | Dodson Branch | 4 |
| Eagle Falls | Lewis County | 239 m | Mount Pleasant | 3 |
| The Falls | Scott County | 259 m | Oneida | 3 |
| Gentry Creek Falls | Johnson County | 1,053 m | Mountain City | 3 |
| Great Falls | Warren County | 207 m | Spencer | 3 |
| Grotto FallsGreat Smoky Mountains | Sevier County | 1,128 m | Gatlinburg | 3 |
| Hilliard Falls | Bledsoe County | 592 m | Pikeville | 3 |
| Jacks Rock Falls | Morgan County | 318 m | Fairfield Glade | 3 |
| Jackson Falls | Hickman County | 178 m | Centerville | 3 |
| Jenkins Falls | Hickman County | 188 m | Hohenwald | 3 |
| Jones Falls | Carter County | 981 m | Roan Mountain | 3 |
| Laurel Falls | Carter County | 651 m | Roan Mountain | 4 |
| Laurel Falls | Marion County | 429 m | Lookout Mountain | 6 |
| Laurel Falls | Rhea County | 345 m | Rockwood | 3 |
| Laurel FallsGreat Smoky Mountains | Sevier County | 791 m | Gatlinburg | 3 |
| Little Falls | Coffee County | 289 m | Manchester | 5 |
| Lower Falls | Monroe County | 390 m | Vonore | 3 |
| Lower Piney Falls | Rhea County | 367 m | Spring City | 3 |
| Machine Falls | Coffee County | 285 m | Tullahoma | 4 |
| Magendanz Falls | Fentress County | 454 m | Jamestown | 2 |
| Marcella Falls | Lawrence County | 260 m | Lawrenceburg | 3 |
| Monteagle Falls | Grundy County | 553 m | Monteagle | 3 |
| Northrup Falls | Fentress County | 466 m | Jamestown | 2 |
| Ovoca Falls | Coffee County | 278 m | Tullahoma | 5 |
| Pilot Falls | Cumberland County | 465 m | Lake Tansi | 3 |
| Rainbow Falls | Coffee County | 309 m | Manchester | 4 |
| Rainbow Falls | Hardin County | 158 m | Olivet | 3 |
| Rainbow FallsGreat Smoky Mountains | Sevier County | 1,280 m | Gatlinburg | 3 |
| Rainbow Falls | Cannon County | 347 m | Woodbury | 3 |
| Ramsey CascadesGreat Smoky Mountains | Sevier County | 1,301 m | Gatlinburg | 3 |
| Rattlesnake Falls | Maury County | 275 m | Mount Pleasant | 3 |
| Ray Falls | Rhea County | 385 m | Spring City | 3 |
| Rutledge Falls | Coffee County | 280 m | Manchester | 4 |
| Twisting Falls | Carter County | 727 m | Roan Mountain | 3 |
| Upper Piney Falls | Rhea County | 396 m | Spring City | 3 |
| Virgin Falls | White County | 331 m | Sparta | 3 |
| Wilson FallsGreat Smoky Mountains | Sevier County | 1,578 m | Gatlinburg | 3 |
| Hemlock Falls | Van Buren County | 375 m | Spencer | 3 |
| Rockstack Falls | Hamilton County | 449 m | Fairmount | 5 |
| Flatrock Falls | Morgan County | 505 m | Coalfield | 3 |
| Flatrock Falls | Hamilton County | 345 m | Falling Water | 5 |
| Freudenberg Falls | Hamilton County | 385 m | Falling Water | 5 |
| Three Creeks Falls | Hamilton County | 224 m | Signal Mountain | 6 |
| Middle Creek Falls | Hamilton County | 224 m | Signal Mountain | 6 |
| Trickling FallsGreat Smoky Mountains | Sevier County | 1,258 m | Gatlinburg | 3 |
| Thornburg Mountain Falls | Polk County | 412 m | Benton | 3 |
| Chestnut Mountain Falls | Polk County | 407 m | Benton | 3 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph waterfalls
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.