I live in Trenton, Ontario. I had the pleasure of driving to Sparta, Tennessee back in January, 2008. I crossed the border in Buffalo, New York and the drive took me a little over 18 hours one way. New York, Ohio, and Kentucky had a relatively flat landscape but, as I started to enter Tennessee, the landscape changed to a huge mountainous wave. The scenery was beautiful and the rolling hills were endless! A special census was conducted by the City of Sparta in 2001 making the official population 5,030. Sparta was established in 1809 as a county seat for White County, which had been created in 1806. The city was named after the ancient Greek city-state. Sparta grew quickly due to its location along the stage road between Knoxville and Nashville. In the 1830s, brothers Barlow and Madison Fisk built the Sparta Rock House, which served as an inn along the stage road. The Rock House, strategically situated in an area where the Cumberland Plateau gives way to the Calfkiller valley, was a common stopover for figures important to the early history of the state, including Andrew Jackson and Sam Houston. The building is now a state historic site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Cave was one of the coolest things I saw there. This cave is not a tourist attraction but one of many caves that can be found in the area. We found this one just east of Sparta. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. You could have driven two Greyhound coaches side by side through this cave! Talking to the local folks in Sparta, I came to find out that there are hidden caves everywhere and some of them can be found through word of mouth. However, there are many caverns that are available to the public.
This tourist attraction was spectacular! What a view! It used to be a Hydro Electric Generating Station until it was washed away by the erosion. The station was never rebuilt and remains a tourist site to this day. Burgess Falls State Natural Area, located in Middle Tennessee, lies on the eastern edge of Tennessee's Highland Rim adjacent to the Cumberland Plateau and is noted for its natural beauty. Sheer bluffs, narrow ridges, rolling water and abundant mixed forest, characterize this area. The Falling Water River drops approximately 250 feet, providing numerous waterfalls, breathtaking scenery and overlooks. The park is home to over 300 species trees and plants and an abundance of wildlife. Park visitors can visit the large Native Butterfly Garden located adjacent to the upper parking lot. The history of Burgess Falls can be traced back over three centuries. Before European settlement, Indians of the Cherokee, Creek and Chickasaw tribes shared this region as a hunting ground. One of the first white settlers, Thomas Burgess, received a land grant here in 1793 as payment for his service in the Revolutionary War. By the late 19th century, a gristmill and sawmill were in operation on the river here. For the growing logging and farming communities, the Falling Water River played a key role by providing energy and recreational opportunities. Under protection as a State Natural Area since 1973, visitors today may enjoy the same scenic splendor of Burgess Falls, easily seen from the River Trail.
Fall Creek Falls is a beautiful area with camping facilities, trails and spectacular waterfalls. I had the pleasure of hiking some of the trails that led to other cascades within the park. There were footbridges throughout the trail system that displayed some of the most beautiful rivers and sites I have ever seen. A paradise of more than 20,000 acres sprawled across the eastern top of the rugged Cumberland Plateau, Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of the most scenic and spectacular outdoor recreation areas in America. Laced with cascades, gorges, waterfalls, streams, and lush stands of virgin hardwood timber, the park beckons those who enjoy nature at her finest. While Fall Creek Falls, at 256 feet, is the highest waterfall in the eastern United States, other waterfalls in the park are Piney and Cane Creek Falls and Cane Creek Cascades. The oak and hickory forest that covers most of the park gives way to tulip poplar and hemlock forests in the gorges. The plants and animals of the moist, protected gorges are not unlike the species found in southern Canada. Mountain laurel and rhododendron are abundant throughout the park, as are other plants and animals.
Middle Burgess Falls is located in Burgess Falls State Park. This is one of three smaller drops above the big falls. The middle falls is a good size waterfall and in other areas would be an attraction all by itself. However it is definitely outclassed by its neighbor downstream. The middle falls are easily seen from the trail that leads to Burgess Falls. There is an overlook that gives you a perfect head on view of the falls. From the brink of the lower falls you can walk upstream towards the base of the middle falls. However the view is obstructed, and you would have to cross the river to get a good view of the falls. Crossing the river would not be trivial, and probably impossible when the water is high. I am not sure how high this waterfall is. The park website lists it at 80', but that is much too high. Upstream of the middle falls there is a smaller upper falls, and a smaller cascade. You will see both of these on your walk from the parking lot to the big falls. The falls are about 13 miles southwest of Cookeville and are easy to find. There are signs for it on Interstate 40. Turn South off the 286 ramp onto State Highway 135. Proceed on Hwy 135 for 7 miles following the signs to the park. The final turn into the park is very sharp. The trailhead is right next to the parking lot.
I am a Nascar fan and just had to stop in Bristol to check out the track. It was closed that day to the public but due to track maintenance, I was able to enter the track to have a look around. This track looks bigger on television but it is really a very compact race track.
If you have questions or comments send email to: lleroux6@cogeco.ca
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