Between Chattanooga And Nashville Is Tennessee's Spectacular Waterfall Surrounded By Campsites And Trails

Waterfalls are known the world over for their beauty, but they also cause a rather unique natural phenomenon. Through what's known as the Lenard effect, waterfalls create negative ions in the air that have positive effects on living organisms. According to a 2018 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, negative air ions can increase "psychological health, productivity, and overall well-being." Those health benefits are just some of many reasons why you should venture into the Tennessee countryside to visit Foster Falls, a 60-foot cascade in South Cumberland State Park that's about 100 miles from Nashville and 35 miles from Chattanooga.

South Cumberland State Park is a dreamscape of gorges, waterfalls, and trails, but Foster Falls is one of its most popular natural attractions. Rated 4.5 stars on Tripadvisor, it's listed as one of the top two things to do in Monteagle, a mountaintop town rich with Appalachian heritage — and if you want to visit the town itself, it's just a 20-minute drive away from the falls. "Foster Falls is pure magic. The waterfall and crystal-clear pool feel straight out of a fantasy world, surrounded by dramatic cliffs and wild beauty," one visitor said in a Tripadvisor review. And they're not wrong. The picturesque cascade is nestled among rocky cliffs where green and brown mountain foliage pepper the grey rocks with life.

Regardless of whether you take in Foster Falls from the clifftops or down by the edge of its plunge pool, the setting is spectacular. Sunlight glistens in the pool to create an inviting natural oasis that's difficult to not want to dive into — many people enjoy swimming at the base of the falls or relaxing by the shoreline, with some setting up hammocks between the trees to drift off to the soundtrack of the flowing Foster Falls. Crowded days may detract from the serenity, however, especially when it's sunny. Some people have also complained of boisterous teenagers occupying the site, so if you're concerned about noise levels, you may want to visit during the daytime on a weekday.

As part of South Cumberland State Park, Foster Falls has decent campgrounds nearby, particularly around the Fiery Gizzard area. Small Wilds Campground, for instance, is a 2.1-mile trek from the cascade. This backcountry campground is home to six rustic campsites that include fire rings and an outhouse. Campers also have access to a nearby seasonal creek to obtain fresh water. Foster Falls Campground is the better option for casual campers, though. It's an easy 0.3-mile walk from the waterfall and offers more structured, gravel-lined campsites with ample amenities, including hot showers, restrooms, fire rings, and picnic tables. It's also the only car-accessible campground in the area (the others require walking). You can pitch a tent or park a small camper trailer here, but it doesn't have power or water hookups, so be sure to pack accordingly.

The area around Foster Falls is known for its walking trails, which offer different viewpoints of the cascade. For top-down views, you can walk the Foster Falls Base Trail, which takes you along a wheelchair-accessible 0.2-mile boardwalk to a lookout over the waterfall. To access the cascade's pool, continue along the trail down from the lookout and descend the stone stairs to a wire suspension bridge over a creek. Simply cross that bridge to reach the pool. Alternatively, if you enjoy rock climbing, you can tackle the 1.8-mile Climbers Loop for access to several bluff walls. You do need a permit to climb here, but it's among the most popular rock climbing spots in the South.

For a longer and more challenging excursion, you can hike the Fiery Gizzard Trail from Foster Falls to the Raven Trailhead. It's 16.7 miles out and back, and it includes steep climbs up rocky canyons overlooking hemlock gorges, but it's worth it. Notable rewards for taking this path include pristine waterfall views and valley overlooks. Scenic hikes like these reveal exactly why Fiery Gizzard is such a wildly underrated state park in Tennessee.