Gorgeous Frozen Waterfalls In Tennessee That Must Be Seen To Be Believed

Tennessee is located in the southern region of the United States, which means it doesn’t get TOO crazy chilly during the wintertime. It gets cold, of course – but freezing? That’s a little harder to come by. To find truly cold temperatures you will have to head into the Cumberland Plateau where the crisp mountain air tends to cool things off in under the canopy of trees. There you will find one of Middle Tennessee’s best state parks; Fall Creek Falls. The mighty flow of water won’t completely turn into a frozen waterfall, however, the results are still absolutely stunning. It is well worth the trip to this incredible state park to see these waterfalls any time of the year, but in the colder months, it gets even better. So we’ve dug up a couple of shots of each – we’re pretty proud of ’em.

Tim Lumley/ Flickr

Here you can see Fall Creek Falls + Coon Falls during the winter - a very, very cold winter. In January there was a long stretch of cold weather which led to this incredible scene you can see in this picture.

Tim Lumley/ Flickr

During the cold months, the whole place becomes a winter wonderland. As the highest waterfall in the eastern United States, Fall Creek Falls lives up to its title by staying beautiful and majestic at all times of the year. The colors of the forest burst with color in the fall, and in the summer it is the perfect time to hike down to the base of the waterfall to cool off.

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Michael Hicks/ Flickr

In this beautiful scene, we see snow piled up high but it doesn't stop the mighty flow of water in of these Fall Creek Falls State Park waterfalls. This is a picture at the base of Cane Creek Falls and Rockhouse Creek Falls. Deep in the gorge is an incredible vantage point to see these amazing waterfalls.

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Emwilson_photography/ Flickr

Here you can see the the ice start to form over the still waters. There are lots of pleasant streams and creeks that all lead to these incredible waterfalls. Many hiking trails lead you in and out of these water passages and it is a park filled with wonder and amazement for those who slow down and take in these fine details.

Fall Creek Falls State Park/ Facebook

How does a waterfall freeze over, you may ask? Well, it takes a lot, which is why Tennessee doesn't have a lot of examples. Moving water is much harder to freeze than still water because the physics of standing water and the kind that rushes and gushes and falls are A LOT different.

Tim Lumley/ Flickr

Frozen water forms from the slowing of molecules, sluggish in the cold, and sticking together. Solid particles of "frazil ice" clump together when they come into contact with each other, and will clump onto anything else they touch. Eventually, the frazil ice will build up and form an anchor, one that will grow and, if the weather stays chilly enough, stretch the entire length of the waterfall.

Fall Creek Falls State Park/ Facebook

Crazy stuff, right? It takes a while, but once the waterfall finally freezes, it's absolute beauty. Have you ever seen one of these stunning sights in Tennessee? Although the bigger waterfalls don't tend to completely freeze over it is tough to deny oh magical a winter scene like this truly is. It's not just ice crystals floating around in the air it is also a touch of magic.

Interesting, right? Who knew it took so much to freeze a waterfall? If you find yourself anywhere near Spencer, Tennessee, when the snow starts to fall make your way into this beautiful state park for a feast for your eyes and see frozen waterfalls. If you are looking for a cozy getaway only minutes from Fall Creek Falls check out this fantastic wooded retreat cabin. For more information about the park please visit the Fall Creek Falls State Park website. Take one last look at this wintery waterfall before you go by checking out this video from Edie Gunther:

If you’re looking for some more wonderful things to do in Tennessee, check out the ultimate list of winter activities in Tennessee.