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Middle TennesseeVirgin Falls State Natural Area

Virgin Falls

A strenuous Cumberland Plateau trek to a 110-foot waterfall that pours from a cave mouth and vanishes back into the ground.

Virgin Falls cascading over a mossy cliff into the gorge
Photo by Joshua Ness, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Length
8.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,610 ft
Difficulty
strenuous
Route
out-and-back

Find the trailhead

Weather at the trailhead

73°FMainly clear now

Sunrise 5:28 AM · Sunset 7:48 PM

  • TodayThunderstorm80° / 70°F30% precip
  • ThuRain83° / 69°F15% precip
  • FriDrizzle81° / 65°F49% precip

Forecast from Open-Meteo. Mountain conditions change fast; check again before you go.

A Cumberland Plateau classic. The trail descends through hardwood forest past several falls before reaching Virgin Falls itself, where an underground stream bursts from a cave, drops 110 feet, and disappears into a sinkhole at the base. The full loop is long, rugged, and often muddy; wear sturdy boots and carry water. Backcountry camping is allowed at designated sites.

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