Ozone Falls: trail, hours and access
Ozone Falls is free and open sunrise to sunset, no permit or fee involved, but the short trail from the roadside pulloff leads to the top of the falls, not the base. A 110-foot plunge into a deep, rock-strewn pool sits inside a small natural area managed for its geology as much as its waterfall. You'll find it in our waterfalls in Tennessee guide among the Cumberland Plateau stops; sitting nearly on Interstate 40, it's one of the more heavily visited natural areas the state manages.
Fact box
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35.880°N, 84.810°W, Cumberland County, per USGS topographic data |
| Height | 110 ft, a single drop over a sandstone cap rock, per the Tennessee Division of Natural Areas |
| Flow | Runoff-dependent on Fall Creek; fuller after rain, thinner in dry stretches |
| Access | 0.3-mile trail from a roadside pulloff on U.S. 70, leads to the top of the falls |
| Fee | Free, open sunrise to sunset, no permit |
| Legal status | Public land, Ozone Falls State Natural Area, Tennessee Division of Natural Areas |
| Season | Open year-round; no facilities on site |
Trail and access
A pulloff directly on U.S. 70 near the community of Ozone gives quick access to the falls: a 0.3-mile trail leads from the road to the top of the drop, where Fall Creek pours 110 feet into a deep, rock-strewn pool below. The trail is short but not flat, dropping toward the creek before the falls with some uneven, sometimes muddy footing depending on recent rain. There's no fee, no permit and no set hours beyond the natural area's general sunrise-to-sunset guideline, and no restrooms or other facilities at the small pulloff.
Because it sits so close to Interstate 40, Ozone Falls is one of the more heavily visited of Tennessee's state natural areas relative to its 43 acres, and the small parking pulloff fills quickly on weekends.
The falls
Fall Creek pours over a sandstone cap rock into a circular, rock-walled amphitheater carved by wind, water and centuries of freeze-thaw erosion, a distinctive setting compared to most waterfalls on this list. The pool below sits well below the trail's main viewpoint at the top of the falls; a maintained route to the base doesn't exist, and reaching the bottom means an unmarked, genuinely risky scramble that the land manager doesn't encourage.
That scramble has ended in rescue operations more than once. Local crews have used rope systems to carry injured hikers out of the canyon after falls from the rocks near the pool, including a visitor who broke bones after slipping off a rocky bluff (Crossville Chronicle) and a man hurt in a fall at the falls in July 2020 (BBBTV12). The incidents happened on the loose, sloped rock around the amphitheater rather than on the marked trail itself.
How this guide was researched
This page was compiled from the Tennessee Division of Natural Areas' official park information, USGS geographic data and local news coverage of injury incidents at the site (Crossville Chronicle, BBBTV12). We haven't visited this site ourselves. Trail conditions change with weather; verify current conditions before you go. Last checked August 2026.
FAQ
Is Ozone Falls free to visit?
Yes. There's no entrance fee or permit, and the natural area is open sunrise to sunset.
Can you swim at Ozone Falls?
There's a pool at the base, but no maintained trail reaches it, and getting there means an unmarked, risky scramble on loose rock that has caused injuries. The safe, official experience is the top-of-falls viewpoint.
How long is the trail to Ozone Falls?
About 0.3 miles one way from the roadside pulloff on U.S. 70 to the top of the falls.
How tall is Ozone Falls?
110 feet, a single drop over a sandstone cap rock into a rock-walled pool.
Is Ozone Falls dangerous?
The marked trail to the top overlook is straightforward, but the terrain around the pool below has caused documented falls and injuries. Stay on the trail rather than scrambling toward the water.
We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked August 2026. Read our full methodology.