Cookeville is roughly the same driving distance from Nashville and from Chattanooga. State parks are in the area around the city. Seven day trips are listed below.
7. Red Boiling Springs
About 55 miles north of Cookeville. 1 hour.
Red Boiling Springs is a small town in Macon County. In the early 1900s it was a resort built around sulfur-rich mineral springs. People came to drink the water and bathe in it. A few of the old hotels still stand. The Thomas House Hotel, built in 1890, operates as a bed and breakfast. The grounds are open to tour. The Donoho Hotel is another historic building. The town is small enough to walk in an afternoon. The drive north goes through the Upper Cumberland hills. Fall is the season noted for that drive.
6. Crossville and Cumberland Mountain State Park
About 30 miles east of Cookeville on I-40. 35 minutes.
Crossville is about 30 miles east on I-40. Cumberland Mountain State Park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The park has a stone bridge, a pavilion, and cabins in the forest. Byrd Lake is at the center. Trails include a lakeside walk and longer ridge walks. Ozone Falls is a 110-foot waterfall just off I-40 near Crossville and can be added the same day. The hike is three-quarters of a mile down into the gorge and back out. The falls drop over a sandstone cap into a blue-green pool. Crossville also has Highland Manor Winery and the Cumberland County Playhouse.
5. Dale Hollow Lake and Celina
About 60 miles north of Cookeville. 1 hour 15 minutes.
Dale Hollow Lake straddles the Tennessee-Kentucky border. The lake is among the cleanest in the country. On a calm day the water is clear to about 30 feet. Smallmouth bass are a main fishery. The world-record smallmouth was caught in Dale Hollow in 1955, and that record still stands. Celina is the county seat of Clay County at the southern end of the lake. Boat rentals, kayaking in the coves, swimming off a dock, and driving the lake road are the day-trip options. The lake road has bluffs. Swimming is a summer plan. January is the off season for the water. Pack lunch for a day on the lake. The return drive can go through Livingston.
4. Pickett CCC State Park
About 75 miles north of Cookeville. 1 hour 30 minutes.
The Civilian Conservation Corps developed Pickett CCC State Park in the 1930s. The park has sandstone bluffs, natural arches, and caves. Trails connect to the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The Hazard Cave trail is a moderate loop through a large rock shelter. The Thompson Creek trail leads to waterfalls on the Falling Water River. The tallest drops 136 feet. The drive goes through Livingston and Jamestown on Highway 127. Food options inside the park are limited. Pack food. Seeing several of the main trails takes at least four to five hours of hiking.
3. Fall Creek Falls State Park
About 65 miles southwest of Cookeville. 1 hour 15 minutes.
The main waterfall at Fall Creek Falls drops 256 feet. That height puts it among the highest cascades east of the Rocky Mountains. The park covers nearly 30,000 acres on the Cumberland Plateau and has cascades, gorges, virgin hardwood timber, and trails. The Cane Creek Cascades trail is in the park. The gorge overlook trail continues down into the gorge. The park has a restaurant, a golf course, cabins, and a lake. Parking at the main overlooks fills on summer weekends. Weekdays have more open parking.
2. Chattanooga
About 100 miles south of Cookeville on I-40 and I-24. 1 hour 45 minutes.
Chattanooga is about 100 miles south on I-40 and I-24. The drive takes about 1 hour 45 minutes. The Tennessee Aquarium is on the riverfront. Lookout Mountain has Civil War sites, Ruby Falls, and the Incline Railway. The Walnut Street Bridge is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world and connects to the North Shore, which has restaurants and a brewpub. Parking near the riverfront puts the downtown core in walking distance.
1. Nashville
About 80 miles west of Cookeville on I-40. 1 hour.
Nashville is about 80 miles west on I-40. The drive takes about 1 hour. Nashville has museums, live music, professional sports, James Beard-recognized restaurants, and food halls. The Frist Art Museum is on Broadway. The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman Auditorium are in the city. 12South and East Nashville have a high number of restaurants. Merchants Restaurant is on Broadway. Lower Broadway has honky-tonks, and weekend nights are crowded. The Nations, on the west side, and Germantown, on the north side, both have restaurants. Repeat trips can cover museums, hiking at Radnor Lake State Park, or a specific restaurant.
Cookeville is on the Cumberland Plateau. The drives on this list run from about 35 minutes to about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good day trips from Cookeville TN?
Nashville is about 80 miles west of Cookeville on I-40. The drive takes about one hour. Fall Creek Falls State Park is about 65 miles southwest and has a 256-foot waterfall and nearly 30,000 acres on the Cumberland Plateau. Chattanooga is 100 miles south. The drive takes about 1 hour 45 minutes. Chattanooga has the Tennessee Aquarium, Lookout Mountain, and a walkable riverfront district.
What is near Cookeville Tennessee to visit?
Cummins Falls State Park is 9 miles from downtown. Crossville and Cumberland Mountain State Park are 30 minutes east. Dale Hollow Lake is north of Cookeville. The water is among the clearest in the country and is used for swimming and kayaking. Red Boiling Springs is an hour north. Mineral springs resort hotels from the 1890s are still standing there.
How far is Nashville from Cookeville?
Nashville is approximately 80 miles west of Cookeville via I-40. The drive takes about one hour under normal conditions.
Best places to visit near Cookeville TN
Fall Creek Falls State Park is about 65 miles southwest and is Tennessee's most visited state park. Pickett CCC State Park is 75 miles north and has sandstone arches and caves that connect to the Big South Fork area. Edgar Evins State Park on Center Hill Lake is 20 miles west and has ridge hiking with lake views.
What can I do within an hour of Cookeville?
Within one hour, the drives include Nashville (80 miles west), Crossville and Cumberland Mountain State Park (30 miles east), Cummins Falls State Park (9 miles), Burgess Falls State Park (near Sparta), Edgar Evins State Park on Center Hill Lake, Window Cliffs State Natural Area, and Dale Hollow Lake.