Between Nashville And Knoxville Is A Lesser-Known Park With Hiking, A Scenic Waterfall, And A Lake To Fish In

If you find yourself around central Tennessee's backcountry, you don't have to venture too far to find a lake and a waterfall tucked away in a pocket of forest. In this region, one of the state's lesser-known nature escapes is a place called City Lake Natural Area. The park encompasses a 35-acre lake — a welcome feature for fishers and paddlers — and an arboretum that was first certified by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council in 2018, per the City of Cookeville. Park visitors can also stretch their legs on a short trail that starts at the lake and ends at a pretty waterfall.

City Lake Natural Area came into existence after its namesake lake was created by the damming of Falling Water River in the 1940s, as Tennessee columnist Jennie Ivey tells it. Historically, the lake served as a water supply for the area, though that function was retired in the '70s. Today, the former utility reservoir has become a low-key outdoor destination.

Among the parks in Cookeville, City Lake Natural Area isn't the most well known. It ranks behind other local parks in traveler popularity on Tripadvisor, and it doesn't get the same degree of attention as other marquee Tennessee parks with waterfalls do, such as Cummins Falls State Park. That, however, gives City Lake an advantage — past visitors have highlighted how uncrowded and relaxed the park is. On Google, one Cookeville local wrote that "there's usually not a lot of people" at the park, calling it "so peaceful" and a "hidden gem." If you're not staying in Cookeville, City Lake is a doable day trip destination from the cities that bookend it. The park is just under 100 miles from Knoxville, and the drive there takes about an hour and a half. The drive from Nashville is roughly 15 minutes shorter.

The quiet landscape of City Lake Natural Area begins just outside downtown Cookeville, a charming college town and haven for the outdoors. At the lake here, visitors can come to fish or paddle at no cost, so that's just one reason why Cookeville makes for an affordable Tennessee vacation destination. The lake is a no-wake zone, meaning you can glide across the water without having to contend with speedy motorboats. A simple boat launch and a fishing pier give you a couple of options for casting lines. Reviewers on Fishbrain have given the lake an average rating of four stars; per the City of Cookeville, potential catches include catfish, bream, and bass. Visitors will need a fishing license to cash in on the lake's fish stock, but single- or multi-day permits are conveniently available for purchase online.

An easy hiking trail stretches for 0.6 miles from City Lake into the woods. Part of the trail is paved, and it's mostly flat. Its woodland scenery has received significant praise from past visitors. The certified arboretum surrounding the trail is home to 30 different species of trees, which are labeled along the trail for botany enthusiasts to identify. Among these varying kinds of trees are hickories, magnolias, sycamores, and many different kinds of oaks and maples.

At the end of the trail, you'll reach the park's waterfall. Professor and waterfall chaser Jonathan Gittins, owner of Waterfall Record, places the falls here at about 6 feet high — they're small but photogenic, forming a veil-like curtain of water spilling over a broad, rocky ledge. There's a viewing deck by the waterfall for you to pause and get some photos. After hiking through City Lake's woods, you could see some more falls in the area by driving around 20 minutes to the underrated Burgess Falls State Park for some stunning waterfall views.