Crossville has Ozone Falls, Cumberland Mountain State Park, and more to explore in this small, Tennessee town.
Did you know Crossville, TN has all this? It’s a small town in northeast Tennessee, that’s just shy of a 2hr drive from Chattanooga. But the true outdoor gems of this city are Ozone Falls and the Cumberland Mountain State Park. Keep reading to learn more about both places and what to expect when you visit them for a day.
Ozone Falls
This is a popular spot so arrive early and on a weekday if you can. We got there around 10:30 AM on Memorial Day and there were no parking spots left. However, after we parked on the pull-off just down the road, more people left, making room in the parking area. So if it’s full, drive around and come back because a spot just might open up. But if you have to park in this pull-off like we did, note that you’ll be cutting out the connector trail. This trail connects the main part of the trail to the parking area as well as another trailhead here. The trail down to Ozone Falls is actually right beside the road at the end of the guardrail.
Hiking down may appear daunting as it’s all rock, but if you pay attention, you’ll notice they are carefully placed rocks that form a trail of rock steps, making it more mindful than a careless rock climb. Still use caution though as there’s no handrails. About halfway down the trail is a slick area that tends to stay muddy as water drips from the rock bluffs on the left.
Continue to make your way down and you’ll soon see Ozone Falls. Here the trail makes a sharp right, away from the falls to take you further down to the bottom. But there’s additional little trails you can also take. Most people just continue straight down to the bottom from here. This is what I did and I found that there’s an easy access trail from here to go behind the waterfall too.
This is a popular swimming hole so it gets busy real quick on warmer days. The water has deep areas but is also shallow enough along the edges to get in and out easily. And, you can even sit underneath the waterfall. I’ll have to come back another time to try this!
Use caution when visiting Ozone Falls in the summer. The area is covered in poison oak and ivy so watch your step. Also, it’s snake season so be mindful of your surroundings in case you encounter one. And as I said earlier, be careful. This entire trail is just a downhill, rock step mountain and some areas are slicker than others. But the trail is less than half a mile long and not too difficult.
Cumberland Mountain State Park
After enjoying Ozone Falls, head over to Cumberland Mountain State Park. This would be a great place to camp so you can really enjoy the amenities, but if you’re just here for a day trip like we were, there’s still plenty to see. One option is to do what we did and park by the CCC Museum and walk down to the lake. There’s a lot of Canadian Geese here so watch your step (lots of droppings). Geese can be mean and attack if they feel threatened so keep your distance and you’ll be fine. Walk around the lake path and see the bridge that goes over the Byrd Creek Dam, which is really picturesque against the water.
Continue your walk towards the bridge where there’s a trail to the backside. The view is completely different here because the bridge is also a dam. When we went, the water wasn’t flowing too much, but from photos I’ve seen, you can see bigger waterfalls from here in the winter and early spring.
In retro-spect, we should have just done the Byrd Lake Loop Hike. But we didn’t know to do this. Instead, after checking out the bridge, we walked back and past the parking lot to Byrd Lake. Here you can rent paddle boats, kayaks, or stand-up paddleboards. If you don’t wanna paddle, but want to walk more, walk across the bridge and around the Byrd Lake trail. It’s a loop trail but we didn’t realize this and turned around a little ways in because we were running short on time. Let this be a reminder to always plan your trips (that’s why you’re here afterall, right?) because sometimes I get too busy and find myself missing out on some things in the moment that could have been better enjoyed if I had planned a little better.
Before you leave the park though, you’ve gotta check out the Old Mail Road Bridge on the other end of the park. There’s a small parking area where you can get out and check out the bridge in-person, just watch out for traffic. The Pioneer Trail loops down here so you can hop on the trail here by the bridge and even walk underneath it. I highly recommend this because you’ll be able to fully see and enjoy this place this way.
And you never know what you’ll find in nature. We had the whole place to ourselves and it didn’t take long for us to see a mink! At first I thought it was an otter but later realized it was a mink. I’ve never seen either animal before but it’s possible you might come across one in your Tennessee adventures.
Another landmark to check out, if you have time, is the Coon Hollow Cabin. Unfortunately we didn’t have time and will have to check this one out at a later date.
Crossville, TN
We ended our day at a local pub in downtown Crossville which has delicious food. Sorry, I failed to get photos for you, so you’ll just have to watch the YouTube video to see what we got at Christy’s Pub Grub. I also grabbed coffee at a local Crossville coffee trailer that has a couple different locations. Again, not pictured so you’ll have to watch the video to see what the Bloom Coffee trailer looks like.
I must also add that the drive to Crossville may be long, but it’s worth it. It’s a scenic drive on some of Tennessee’s prettiest highways. Yes, highways, no need for interstates where you’re going. And this makes the travel feel a little less long.
In Closing
Crossville, Tennessee has plenty to explore from good, local food to outdoor fun such as Ozone Falls and The Cumberland Mountain State Park. For a video visualization of our day, be sure to watch the YouTube video. Let me know in the comments below if you’ve ever been to Crossville and what places YOU recommend we explore there next. Until then, enjoy exploring Chatt!
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