Rock Island State Park Is The Single Best State Park In Tennessee And It's Just Waiting To Be Explored

Tennessee has 56 state parks in total, each of them operated and protected by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. With another 12 parks considered national parks, it’s almost surprising that any chunk of the state is private! With such a large number of options, it can be hard to narrow down your day trip to just one, but we have quite the recommendation: Rock Island State Park. It may not be the “go-to” park (we see you, Fall Creek Falls!) but it’s one of the best-kept secrets in the state. Don’t believe us? Find out for yourself!

Michael Hicks - Flickr

Rock Island State Park is located just 85 miles from Nashville, Tennessee, which makes it an easy day trip from the largest metropolis in the state. It's the perfect place to spend a sunny day if you live in the mid-state!

Michael Hicks - Flickr

The park is 883 acres in its totality, and you'll find it where the Caney Fork, Rocky, and Collins Rivers meet. The park is known for its rugged beauty, as well as Great Falls, a 30-foot waterfall found just below a historic cotton textile mill.

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Nicholas Raymond - Flickr

The park was welcomed into the Tennessee State Park system in 1969 and remains one of the best hidden gems in the state. Since there is quite a bit of water throughout the park, you'll want to keep an eye on water levels and areas with an unknown depth. There are designated swimming areas, so make sure you don't jump in the water where it is unclear or it could be unsafe. Water tends to rise rapidly in the gorge.

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Michael Hicks - Flickr

Most folks visit Rock Island State Park for camping, hiking, and picnicking opportunities. Since the hiking tends to be a bit more strenuous due to the wet, slick rocks, you'll find that the park may be best for older hikers.

Michael Hicks - Flickr

Both the Great Falls Gorge and Twin Falls are famed water features in the park and tend to be the most popular place to visit. With 10 cabins and 60 campsites in the park, you can even choose to spend the night and visit during the early hours of the morning. The "Blue Hole" is one of the most popular spots for fishing in the park, and you can even visit a natural sand beach on the park's Center Hill Lake.

Solamen Silva - AllTrails

The park has 9 hiking trails in total, ranging from an easy 1.4 miles on the moderately difficult Eagle Trail to the 3-mile Collins River Nature Loop.

Scott Cavanaugh - AllTrails

If you're visiting Rock Island State Park, make sure you show up early! Parking is limited and it tends to get fairly popular come the summer season.

If you’re looking for the best hiking trails in Rock Island State Park you can find them here, or you can find more information on the actual park here.

If you’re looking for more fun in Tennessee, you can find it on the Harpeth River!