This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

This project is funded by Putnam County with support from a grant provided by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

Greetings, fellow explorers.

I'm Shan Stout.

Your guide on an unforgettable journey called Wish You Were Here Adventures in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

Today's journey is going to take us to not just one, not just two, but five magnificent waterfalls in a special episode called Waterfalls For All.

Now, these five waterfalls are not just beautiful, but they are extraordinary in the fact that they are five of the most accessibility friendly waterfalls in the state of Tennessee.

Now our field correspondents are ready for this adventure, and they're waiting for us.

But I have a secret.

For the first time in Wish You Were Here history, All of the field correspondents are onsite in this same location at the same time.

We start our journey today at Burgess Falls State Park, where we're going to introduce you to the Queen.

Her Majesty herself.

Featuring a 130ft waterfall cascading to the beautiful gorge below.

So let's meet up with our field correspondents and start this wonderful adventure.

[dramatic music] In the heart of Tennessee, there's a little slice of heaven.

You've just got to see!

[♪♪] Oh, man.

Wish you were here.

Hey, friends.

Welcome to a special waterfalls edition of Wish You Were Here.

As you can tell, this is going to be a really, really fun episode, and we're ready to really dive into it.

But before we meet up with the field correspondents on their individual journeys across these amazing waterfalls, we want to talk about the place where we are right now.

[♪♪] Burgess Falls State Park is a beautiful state park that was designated a natural area in 1973, and has grown to be the beautiful state park that you see here now.

Now, Burgess Falls is known for multiple things.

There is kayaking to the base of Burgess Falls.

You can ride by pontoon boat to the base.

But where we are in this state park, which we call the top, you have beautiful hiking trails.

You have scenic paved trails, and that makes a wonderful accessibility element.

So if you're bringing someone that has any sort of mobility issues, that is a nice, smooth path where you can say your first waterfall literally 100ft from the parking lot.

So Burgess Falls is a nice, relaxing journey destination for your entire family.

Now you'll see around the whole area that everyone is bringing their furry friends.

So if that is something that you like to do and that's travel with your wonderful little pet, this is the best place for you.

They have wonderful accessibility options for your family.

They have pet friendly locations and parks, and your furry friend who must be on a leash can walk the paths right along beside you.

Now you'll see behind me the smaller falls, but as you navigate the path, you can either take the hiking trail that goes along an uneven pathway in a natural destination to the main falls at the end, or we have these wonderful handicap accessible trails that are a gravel road.

You can literally drive down the destination to go to your first overlook, or you can walk that level path to be able to see your first range of falls.

This is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together.

Now, we've heard from visitors today that they have traveled from all across the United States to be here, and they have brought their extended family along.

This is a great place for small children.

There are beautiful parks and play areas for the children to sit with the family and enjoy playing on the playgrounds.

Have a picnic with your loved ones along the park.

[♪♪] One of my favorite things is the view from the top overlook as you look at the Queen, one of our largest waterfalls in the region, you are going to see a 130ft waterfall.

It is breathtaking and it is cascading to the beautiful gorge below.

When you look along the bottom, oftentimes you will see families that have kayaked to the base or families that have pontooned to the base, and they are enjoying the scenic view from below while you are enjoying it from above.

Now, for those that are coming along with your family and you want to experience a very low key vacation, you might enjoy the Burgess Falls Butterfly Garden.

This is a natural wildflower garden that is designed to be able to attract butterflies and bees, and help pollinators come and make our area healthy and beautiful, and it is just an extraordinary place to visit.

You can also, if you are not the low key destination, vacationer, hike some of the challenging trails at Burgess Falls, including the Grand Staircase, which is a natural staircase that will really give you a workout to be able to earn your right to see the waterfalls.

Now don't forget when you bring your whole family, everyone can look for the way they want to experience the waterfalls and whatever mobility issues they have.

Whatever pets you've brought with this, you need to do your research and figure out what is best for everyone.

But the nice thing about Burgess Falls It literally has an experience that will suit anyone that you bring with you.

Thus, the Waterfalls For All initiative is all about inclusivity, including your entire family and no one ever gets left behind.

And these five waterfalls that we are about to explore are scenic and drivable to each other.

So this is a very fun destination to promote a waterfall vacation for your entire family and see them all, all in one week.

[♪♪] Now Jason, you are up first, And you have chosen a really fantastic waterfall.

And apparently the bigger the better, because you've chosen one of the largest waterfalls in the Upper Cumberland.

Fall Creek Falls State Park.

What a beautiful park.

It is.

I mean, and being raised here, that's where you went for like, church outings or to or camp outs or anything like that.

So I've been going to Fall Creek Falls since I was a kid and it just keeps getting better and better and better.

Fall Creek Falls is now one of our top five most accessible waterfalls, and we know.

But our viewers may not know that you can drive up to the parking lot of the falls.

And within a few steps, see a waterfall.

Yeah.

There's overlooks all over.

There's a driving loop you can take and there's different areas where you can pull off and, and see the waterfalls and they're all, accessible to everybody.

So it's not like you have to walk all the way down to the falls.

You can drive around the loop and see the falls from different locations.

So if you have any problems with that walk, no problems.

You still get all the beauty that it offers.

Okay, now there's a lot of things going on at Fall Creek Falls.

Oh, gosh.

Tons of hiking, every type of hiking.

So if you feel like it's not going to be a challenge, you would be wrong.

So there are there are the accessibility pieces which we're grateful for, right.

But there are also multiple playgrounds for children, picnic areas.

Well, that lodge, oh my gosh.

I mean, why would you go travel all these miles to go someplace and you can stay at a lodge that's top notch.

You got a top notch swimming pool there.

That's nice.

One of the best golf courses in the Upper Cumberland there.

And the restaurant and a restaurant.

I mean, it's it's like a resort right here in our backyard.

Then on top of that, then you have all that natural beauty, too.

It's a win win for everybody.

Okay.

Now pro tip from the locals to you.

You want to make sure to check the Fall Creek Falls State Park website during the summer months, especially like August when it's really, really hot.

Because, believe it or not, the falls are not, run by any sort of water source except for Mother Nature.

That's right.

So Mother Nature can turn off that spigot sometimes when it's really, really hot.

So I would think the only thing that visitors ever complain about in the very, very heat of the season, the epic hot month, is the fact that sometimes the waterfalls are not just towering at Fall Creek falls with a lot of water.

They're trickling.

So you want to check that water flow, right?

And they do list that on this site.

But there's so many other things to see too.

So if you get out there and it's and it's not been a big rainy season or whatever, there's still plenty of stuff to do.

There's still plenty of nature to see the waterfalls, the main attraction, but there's so many other things you can do at Fall Creek Falls that, the falls aren't going.

You still got plenty of stuff to adventure with.

Well, and you can always if you're coming for waterfalls, you can come to one of our other waterfalls.

That's right.

Burgess Falls never has the issue of running out of water ever.

Also, I also want to say, if it's been many, many years since you've been to Fall Creek Falls, the the swinging bridge isn't, it isn't woven wire and duct tape anymore, which we are very grateful for.

They they've made it to where it's safe and nice, and you're not even afraid to walk over it anymore.

So, get out there and walk over that swinging bridge.

It'll make your heart beat just a little bit faster.

I'll let you do that.

Okay.

I'm a little afraid of heights.

No, it's fine.

You'll like it.

Now, Jason, we've talked about accessibility.

Yes.

We've talked about the strenuous hikes.

That's right.

We talked about food, which is honestly, when you hike hard, it is really nice to rest.

You don't even need to hike to go eat the food.

No, no absolutely not.

You're a non hiker like myself.

Just go for the food.

Go for the golf.

You don't have to hike, you know.

Hey, there's some people that just want to go play some golf.

There you go.

And that's fine too.

But you were talking about all the accessibility.

One thing that we were talking about earlier, we were talking about that loop, there's one piece.

Like, I didn't even think about this, that if if you're colorblind, they have that chroma key is able to call chroma key.

Yes.

That you can look through and you can see all the vibrant colors, just as they're supposed to be.

Even if, you have some color blindness, it makes that all better for you.

And who would have ever thought about that?

That's just awesome at the state parks.

Think about that kind of stuff.

Well, and and Tennessee is striving to be the most accessible, friendly state in the nation.

That's their goal.

And so they have a special task force where all they do is focus on accessibility.

And so...They're doing it, aren't they?

That in chroma viewfinder was an important piece.

Everything that is happening in these state parks are geared toward making sure everyone can participate together.

And that's what we love about it.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Featuring, Fall Creek Fall.

It's my favorite.

And we're going to enjoy the rest of the afternoon together.

But it is time to find myself another field correspondent.

[♪♪] Up next, we are featuring Rock Island State Park and the beautiful falls there.

And I have Shaun Scantland with me.

Welcome, Shaun.

Thank you for having me, Shan.

It's such a beautiful day out.

Okay, now your adventure takes us to Rock Island State Park, Great falls, twin falls.

Yep.

Two of them.

I mean, that's what twins usually means.

That is gorgeous out there.

Okay, so let's talk about first off, the accessibility because this is a special Waterfalls For All episode.

So we want to talk about how you can bring the whole family to Rock Island State Park.

Now they have camping and multiple types.

Oh yeah.

You can, camp with an RV.

So, depending on how glamorous your RV is, you can glamp, right?

I am more of a glamper.

Yeah, yeah.

Pinky out.

And then, they got cabins,some are which are handicap accessible.

Great trails for everyone.

Your kids can go and and even if you don't want to drag the kids out of the car, you can, like, put them in the car and drive by and still see it, like, you can be like National Lampoon's, like, hey, look, kids, Big Ben.

Hey, look, kids, there's the falls.

So it's it's great because sometimes you want to drag your kid out of the car to see the the fall.

Right?

Well, let's talk about that piece for a moment.

Yeah.

Rock Island has drivable overlooks.

You can literally.

And, you know, this has been useful to our visitors who bring, say, their elderly parents.

So the grandparents are coming on vacation with the parents and the kids, and they don't want to miss out.

And now you can literally drive up to these waterfalls and see the waterfalls out your car window here.

The waterfalls and these overlooks are very, very accessible in themselves.

Yeah, it's we've really, like Prometheus.

We've taken fire from the gods and brought it down to man, and now we can all enjoy it, which is wonderful.

It's accessible for all.

I would like to say it is like magic, but there's a lot of hard work behind our Tennessee State Parks to make all of these accessibility options available to our visitors, and there are thousands and thousands of visitors a year and all ages, so your entire family can be there and enjoy this nice, relaxing vacation.

And there's also some challenging hiking trails to Rock Island.

So, Shaun, the last thing I want to touch on is the fact that Rock Island, it is not rain dependent, so these falls are running full force all year long, and that's really a nice thing for a visitor, so that if you're going to go see it in August or you're going to go see it in February, it's always going to be running full throttle.

Yeah.

You don't have to worry about a dam generating or the rain going.

And, you know, there's a little thing there at Spring Castle so you can go and see the water's always coming out of it, rain or shine.

What a beautiful tourist attraction that is.

It makes gorgeous photos.

And it is like this magical little thing right in the middle of the forest.

You can't find that anywhere else.

I can't find another castle in the Upper Cumberland, so that's wonderful to see.

Shaun, let's talk about the fact that there are fun activities for kids during the summer.

So when they come to camp with their families, there are park ranger led tours and different hands on things they can do.

Oh, yeah, I would say one of the more popular ones is where they get to interact with wildlife critters such as owls and snakes.

I mean, show me a kid that doesn't want to hang out with an owl.

and I'll say, WHO?

right?

And then you got snakes.

I mean, who doesn't want to, like, hang out with a snake?

It's a good time.

Kids get to see these creatures.

And that kid.

I don't want to hang out with a snake.

And learn not to be afraid of them.

And see they're a valuable part of nature.

Let's talk about nature.

Nature is a wonderful resource, not only to be able to decompress and recharge and really put away your technology and get in touch with with all the land around you.

But you have a special personal story of how waterfalls and hiking changed your life for the better.

Yeah, yeah.

So picture in 2008, the Great Recession.

You know, they say the difference between a recession and a depression is, in a recession, your neighbor loses his job in a depression, you lose yours, right?

Well, it was the Great Depression for me because I lost my job.

Sorry.

And I didn't realize how much of my self-worth I tied up in my earning and contributing.

And so I found myself depressed and and not in, like, the traditional way, I thought where I was sitting around being sad.

It was just I was losing interest in things I was doing.

And luckily I had a brother in law who's who drug me out.

So one of these beautiful falls and had me hike with him.

And it really helped me reconnect and get out of a funk.

And you know, I would say if you're, struggling with any kind of mental health, please get out and try these things, but also talk to a doctor, too.

But, for me, nature was enough to get me fired up and motivated and get my head right back into space for me to go tackle that job market again.

And so this is a special thank you edition for you.

It is.

All these waterfalls.

And especially with the water.

Like you don't have to get wet for the water to wash your troubles away.

It can just the sound of it the, the the peacefulness that comes from it.

It's I can't describe what it's done for me.

And I'm very thankful that in Tennessee, all our state parks are free, because that was in my price range when I lost my job.

Absolutely.

And I think our viewers can relate to that mental health piece of being able to center yourself and bring yourself back to a place of peace and happiness.

So thank you for sharing your story.

Of course, of course.

[♪♪] [♪♪] [♪♪] Okay, wrapping up this waterfall adventure, I have Mirlie Larose.

And Mirlie, you have been tasked the wonderful journey of Cummins Falls State Park.

I have, and I do want to be the one to tell you guys.

It is not just an easy path.

It's not an easy walk.

It is a serious journey.

If you are taking it to go see the waterfall.

But I do want you to know that it is worth it.

That journey is absolutely worth it.

You will be crossing a lot of rocks, a lot of paths, water paths, but just know it will be worth it.

That is the trek to the base of Cummins Falls.

Yeah, and you do need a permit to be able to hike that journey.

So that is not the journey we're talking about an accessibility that is the real challenge.

You are crossing multiple bodies of water.

Wear appropriate shoes.

Go to the Cummins Falls State Park website because they'll tell you all the things you need to bring, all the types of garments you need to wear or not need to wear, and you can literally swim at the base of the falls.

Yeah.

So make sure you dress comfy, but you know, you have a cute bikini or some swimming shorts just so you can get there and swim and have a good time.

And it is a really spectacular view from the bottom or from the overlook.

It's a gorgeous view, and I do want everyone to understand that everyone deserves a chance to be able to see that view, which is why accessibility really does matter.

And I'm happy that we're talking about it, because everyone deserves to see that.

Well, and that's the point of of especially what Cummins Falls has done now for any of our viewers that maybe have visited Cummins Falls in the past, there was an original overlook that was very, very limited.

It was obstructed view of the falls.

It just was not spectacular.

But let me tell you what they've done now with this brand new overlook.

It only can hold so many people at one time, but everyone's view is outstanding.

That beautiful, photogenic postcard view of the falls.

And then right there next to the overlook are gorgeous, paved trails with fence rails.

And that way, people at the overlook experiencing that journey.

They're having just as much fun as those, maybe more fun than those trekking to the bottom of the falls.

Yes, but it's a great reset too.

I feel like that's something that we should mention.

Like if you are having a busy week or just a busy month, make sure you get out there and just take a deep breath and just stop for a second.

That's what every waterfall I feel like shows you.

And I do want to mention waterfalls each have their own personality and that waterfall, by chance I want to tell you, is very dramatic.

It's very dramatic.

Cummins has an attitude going on.

It does.

[♪♪] Now let's talk about the visitor center there.

They have a gift shop.

The park rangers are very, very friendly.

And of course it is pet friendly there as well.

Yes, you can bring your friends, your family, your pets and if you have any questions of the park rangers are right there to help you out.

Now we've saved the best for last and that is the free rentable ATV wheelchairs.

Let me tell you the experience behind what this has done to empower those with mobility issues.

It is just ten out of ten.

We love to hear stories of, you know, after someone has gone there and, you know, before they were struggling along their journey in a traditional wheelchair, these ATV wheelchairs are no joke.

You literally have trouble keeping up with them.

I mean, they are just they are flying down the path and having the time of their lives.

And to me, talking earlier about mental health, I think that that helps someone with a mobility barrier on so many levels.

You can bring your whole family, you can bring every age.

Don't forget your furry friends and rent those ATV wheelchairs ahead of time to make sure that you have one waiting and ready for you.

You can drive to the overlook.

There are no barriers here.

Everyone is included.

We appreciate you feature in your experience with Cummins Falls, Mirlie, and we're going to enjoy the rest of our day in this beautiful waterfall destination.

Thanks, Shan.

Let's go on this tight adventure.

[♪♪] Five amazing waterfalls for great friends and more fun than we can pack into one episode.

We hope you enjoyed this special accessibility friendly episode of Wish You Were Here and until our next adventure, wish you were here.

[♪♪] Five magical waterfalls, four great friends, and to wonderful [inaudible] Blah.

Jason, you're killing me.

[laughter] It's like I'm standing next to a mime.

A really dumb Shan mime.

I'm in a glass case of emotion.

[laughter] You all are killing me.

You're killing me.

Harvey, you got it.

I heard Arby's.

At first, I was like, let's go.

Let's get a beef and cheddar.

Yep, yep, that's how I'm gonna sign up.

Prometheus!

That's that's the first time I think Prometheus has been mentioned in waterfalls, er, Wish You Were Here.

[laughter] This project is funded by Putnam County with support from a grant provided by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.