The Savage Gulf State Natural Area (itself only a portion of the collection of different natural areas falling under the South Cumberland Tennessee State Park umbrella) takes up a massive chunk of land in the southeastern portion of Middle Tennessee. Savage Gulf sprawls across 15,000 acres of river gulf and plateaus.

It contains a wide variety of attractions, terrain and trails—such as Great Store Door and Greeter Falls—and, across the holler, a stunning waterfall called Suter Falls.

The area around Suter Falls is a neat little corner of the world.

It’s somewhat challenging to get down there, no easy stroll in the park, but not outrageously difficult for the prepared.

Find a parking area for the Savage Gulf South Trailhead near the town of Gruetli-Laager, Tennessee, at one time two separate towns, Gruetli and Laager, founded by Swiss immigrants in the mid-1800s. (Gruetli-Laager still displays the Swiss flag on its welcome signage.)

Suter Falls sits less than a mile from this trailhead, but be ready. After the initial flat and easy journey of the trail, the descent begins. This involves walking in the midst of what is almost a creek, the day after a rainfall, downhill, from rock to rock.

Hikers had to duck under a miniature waterfall at one point in the trail entering the final descent to the Suter Falls area.

But the spectacle of Suter Falls is absolutely worth the brief journey. The area is hard to fully describe and do any sort of justice.

This is not the typical trickle of a little Tennessee creek. The cascades move powerfully down a rocky gorge, rushing violently in an elbow shape around a bend. (Again, our visit followed a day of spring rainfall; a clear day just after a rainy period makes the best time for waterfall visiting.)

The trail follows the outer rim of this bend, alongside a rocky cliff face.

This portion is also a little treacherous at points. Mind the slippery surface, some loose rocks, very narrow parts of the trail with nothing but a steep fall to the water and jagged rocks below to one side, the cliff and some low-hanging rocks to the other side, some deep, downward steps necessary at certain points, and the loudness of the crashing water making this area even more disorienting.

But this is a special Tennessee place. An enormous rock cave ceiling hangs overhead for a good section of the bend.

Just before the trail reaches Suter Falls it crosses over the river, via a cable bridge, somewhat bouncy and shaky with a slick metal surface to walk on.

From here, energetic visitors can continue another two miles to Horsepound Falls. But judging by the level of difficulty of reaching the initial waterfall target, allow a good chunk of a day for that 5-mile round trip.

As much of a trek as that would be, the trail leading to Horsepound is only a portion of the full 10-mile Collins Gulf Trail “designed to accommodate extended trips” within the Collins River Gorge, according to information from Tennessee State Parks.

And that beast of a trail makes up only a fraction of the total trail length within the Savage Gulf area as a whole.

This is a place where experienced backpackers and campers could spend a few days in a very secluded and inaccessible Tennessee river basin.

But just the simple trip to Suter and back displays some fine examples of the natural wonder of the area.

In between the Savage Gulf South Trailhead (sometimes referred to as Collins West) and Suter Falls a trail veers off to an overlook.

Take this, whether on the way to the falls or on the way back. Not far off of the main Suter Falls trail, passing by a few of the available rustic campsites, this trail leads to a fantastic overlook of the gulf—just an overwhelmingly stunning view of non-urbanized Tennessee.

At the sprawling Savage Gulf Natural Area and elsewhere, South Cumberland State Park has so many features and trails. Pay it a visit. Outdoorsfolk can make their trip a very difficult and exhausting five days of survival in nature, or a quick walk to a stunning overlook taking a moment in time to gaze upon the thick Tennessee forest and sharp hills

Suter Falls
Savage Gulf South Trailhead at South Cumberland State Park
2689 55th Ave., Gruetli-Laager, Tennessee

___