For those who appreciate a good Tennessee waterfall, a cool breeze and spray awaits those who venture behind Upper Piney Falls. This shady mist from the falls can cool off and refresh park visitors hiking on a hot day.

The trek to both Upper and Lower Piney Falls, located at Piney Falls State Natural Area (just outside of Grandview, Tennessee, in Rhea County, not far from Crossville), is not too difficult of a journey through the thick Tennessee woods, with a few moderately steep inclines.

It’s a bit of a drive east up the plateau from Murfreesboro, but a unique waterfall and a great little swimming hole await those who make the trip to Upper Piney.

The falls offers a very rewarding spot to spend a little time sunning on the rocks, cooling off in the shade, really cooling off under the falling water or swimming in the pool, having a picnic or just watching the fish and birds and the gorgeous waterfall as it plunges 80 feet onto the rocks below.

To get there, starting from a very small parking area on Firetower Road off of Highway 68, a trail leads through the forest approximately a half mile. At this point, hikers can turn right—which leads to the top of Upper Piney Falls—or left, which takes them downhill to the pool below the falls, where hikers emerge from a massive rocky overhang to the base of the falls. They can walk directly under the falling water if they wish, or take the path, which is plenty wide enough at this point to avoid getting wet.

Studying a map of the area before, or during, a hike may be a good idea. The trails are not marked incredibly well out in the woods.

“There are several side trails that aren’t part of the hike and I found myself about a half mile off the trail at one point,” hiker Becky Coretti said.

Still, she called it a “beautiful hike.”

“It was really a beautiful experience walking within the rocks behind the falls,” she said. “Will definitely be back.”

Crossing under or over the falls, the trail continues as a continuous loop on the other side of the creek.

I heard of a cable on this other side of the falls, but our party did not venture to this portion of the natural area. The trail gets so steep at this point, the park service installed a heavy wire for hikers to hold while they navigate this very steep area. Many visitors do an out-and-back approach to the falls and avoid the other, more difficult, side of the loop. Many of those who do the full loop suggest doing the loop clockwise, visiting the base of the falls first and completing the cable portion going uphill. Looping in the other direction would make the cabled cliff portion a downhill descent.

“If you do not want to do the possible water crossing [through the creek on top of the falls] or deal with the cable, just go left at the split in the beginning and then backtrack out,” Jennifer Rigney advised. “High flow or low flow, it’s still pretty with something different to discover. . . . When the water is flowing though, Upper Piney is magnificent.”

Many say the cable portion of the trail is really not ideal for youngsters or pets.

“The cable section is a little sketchy,” hiker Jessica Bishop posted on alltrails.com after a visit.

But for more experienced hikers with proper footwear, this part of the Piney Falls experience can make a fun challenge. Even avoiding the cable, some call the hike an intermediate-level one.

A trail spur will give a view of Lower Piney Falls from above, but there is no access to the pool of this waterfall.

The U.S. Geological Survey recognizes the natural area as a national landmark because of its old-growth trees and remarkable landscape, according to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

And traveling out that way from the Nashville area via I-40 offers access to many other state parks and natural points of interest, if a group wanted to hit multiple hikes in one day. Heading out I-40, signs promote Cummins Falls, Burgess Falls, Edgar Evins, Standing Stone, Fall Creek Falls and Cumberland Mountain state parks. Ozone Falls is also nearby.

For a much longer hike, visit the Cumberland Trail State Park, bordering the Piney Falls State Natural Area.

Find more on the Piney Falls State Natural Area at tn.gov/environment (click “Natural Areas”).