Day trips from Nashville · Waterfall
Stinging Fork Falls
139 miles from downtown Nashville · about 2 hours 30 minutes
Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area, Rhea County, west of Spring City, TN
Stinging Fork Falls is a thirty-foot waterfall at the end of a one-mile trail that descends into a gorge west of Spring City. It is a short hike with real payoff and very little company.
- Height
- 30 feet
- Trail
- About 1 mile to the base
- Hours
- Sunrise to sunset
Permits, fees and access
Free, open sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs and fishing are allowed. No hunting or camping.
One thing to know first
There are steep cliffs along the gorge descent and no railings. Keep children close on the upper section.
Access rules, fees and closures verified August 15, 2026 against the agency that manages this place. They change, sometimes without notice. Check before you drive.
I keep this list because it is genuinely how people spend weekends here, and because almost every guide to it is out of date. If you are weighing a move to Middle Tennessee and want to know which part of it puts you closest to the things you actually like, ask me. No pitch.