The Queen of Waterfalls - Burgess Falls

To properly start this blog off with a bang, we have to explore the most important waterfall around! Burgess Falls! This is just a brief blog post about some important things to know about Burgess. To start, we call her The Queen of all waterfalls, and for good reason! She is a 136-foot waterfall that plunges into a beautiful gorge here in Sparta, TN. 

Burgess is only viewable from the bottom via waterway. Keep in mind water levels are not always high enough to paddle or boat the whole way to the bottom. In fact, there is only a 3-4 month window starting in the spring where you can get all the way to the bottom. However, you can view Burgess Falls from the top via the Burgess Falls State Park loop trail, year-round. Within the State Park there is also Falling Water Cascade, Little Falls, and Middle Falls in addition to Burgess Falls.

For the general public, we already have a full guide on going to the bottom of Burgess Falls for the first time on our business website: Visiting the Queen

Here is a video of a beautiful fall day at the bottom of Burgess Falls! There is nothing like sitting at the bottom on a beautiful sunny day just enjoying the falls! This video is from October 15, 2022.

Remember just a minute ago when I told you that the water levels change and you can't always paddle the whole way to the bottom?! Burgess Falls is fed by Falling Water River and pours into Center Hill Lake. Center Hill Lake has regulated water levels (Summer/Winter Pool Levels). We always get that springtime flood (and even a few unexpected ones at random times of the year) and that's when all that water is utilized to fill the lake back up to a summer pool. Those first few days/weeks after those major rains it gets pretty amazing to see! The waterfall is full from the rain, the lake levels are high due to spilling into the lake from Great Falls Dam and Burgess is just....incredible.

The same thing can be said for when the water levels go down. The change on the lake is fantastic to watch as it slowly goes back down to winter pool. The same places near the waterfall that we kayaked through the month before is nearly bare of all water during winter pool! You'll have paddle as far as you can and then park your kayak in order to walk up the right side bank to get to the bottom after the month of July. 

The most important thing when going to Burgess Falls at the bottom is to be prepared, know where you are going (directions, what to expect, distance from the launch, the correct launch to go from, etc.) and just enjoy your day. No need to rush, take your time and look around!! The area is full of wildlife, beautiful trees and lots of little places to explore. So make a no-rush day of it!

Whether you view Burgess from the top or paddle it to the bottom, you won't be disappointed. It is well worth the drive/flight from any location across the US to see it in person.  Burgess Falls will never disappoint!

Remember, wherever you are hiking or paddling to Leave No Trace. Help us keep Tennessee beautiful and free from trash on our trails and waterways! Thank you for following my blog and for being excited to be outside enjoying beautiful Middle Tennessee!

Do you want a Guided Kayak Experience to the bottom of Burgess with the most knowledgeable guides in the area?! Check out our website or social media for more information! Our trips are like no other! Anyone can rent a kayak and see Burgess Falls, but with us you get to Experience the WHOLE area in a fun and exciting way! We hope to see you on the water!

Kayaking Adventures of Tennessee

**This is not an all-inclusive list of everything you need to know before you go. Just some highlights on some important things to know. Be sure to know the difficulty of your hike/kayak vs. your skill level, have proper directions and know the rules before you go for your best experience here in middle Tennessee. Research, Prepare, Adventure!***