Jackson County: Rivers, Waterfalls, and History

At the entrance to the Boils WMA on Roaring River Road, a spring wells up from the ground into the river and appears to boil. The WMA provides access to the Roaring River for fishing and swimming. This striking natural feature is an introduction to Jackson County, where rivers, waterfalls, and natural areas are part of the travel experience, alongside Granville’s history as a riverboat town.

Natural Areas and Waterfalls

At Boils WMA, river areas, farmland, and upland hardwood forests offer opportunities for wildlife viewing. Cordell Hull WMA also combines landscape and accessibility: more than 200 agricultural fields within the area can be reached by road and by boat.

Washmorgan Hollow is a 73-acre natural area in Jackson County. At its upper end, a year-round stream cascades over a waterfall. Blackburn Fork WMA covers 600 acres along the plateau and slopes of the Eastern Highland Rim, also in Jackson County. Cummins Falls State Park covers 282 acres and lies northwest of Cookeville in the county; the 75-foot-high Cummins Falls is on the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River. The acreage and waterfall figures show how differently natural areas and individual landscape features can be described.

Another way to take in the river landscape is the Spring Creek and Roaring River Scenic Drive. It follows Spring Creek to its confluence with the Roaring River. Where the road enters the Spring Creek and Roaring River gorge, it becomes a gravel road.

Along the Roaring River and Cordell Hull Lake

The Roaring River flows 37.7 miles to its confluence with Cordell Hull Lake. The Roaring River Recreation Area, with picnic areas, a campground, and a boat launch, is located at the confluence. At Roaring River Park on Cordell Hull Lake near Gainesboro, visitors can go boating, fishing, swimming, hunting, and hiking. The park also has a large group shelter, flush toilets, drinking water, a playground, and a boat launch.

From I-40, reach Roaring River Park by taking Highway 53 north through Gainesboro, then Highway 135 east. Salt Lick Creek Campground is on Cordell Hull Lake, just 10 miles from Gainesboro. Its facilities include 150 family campsites, a large group shelter, and electrical hookups at every site. Families and friends gather at Salt Lick Creek in the lakeside setting to boat, fish, swim, hike, hunt, and enjoy the outdoors.

Granville: Riverboat History and Local Culture

From about 1831 to 1920, Granville was a thriving riverboat town. The Granville Museum tells its story through exhibits about local homes, businesses, and schools, as well as objects from the community. The museum’s genealogy center provides public access to family records and an extensive photo collection of families from the Jackson County, Tennessee, area. The Granville Museum’s exhibition space is also used for traveling exhibits.

A Historic Granville ticket includes a guided tour of Sutton Homestead and Pioneer Village from March through December, as well as self-guided visits to the other buildings and museums. During festivals and special events, artists and craftspeople demonstrate traditional crafts at Pioneer Village’s Arts and Crafts Building. Granville Artisans' Gallery features handmade work by local craftspeople, including baskets, pottery, hand-forged ironwork, and woven textiles.

Gainesboro also offers a range of cultural attractions: Gainesboro Modern is a small contemporary art space with exhibitions that change throughout the year. The Fort Blount-Williamsburg Site in Gainesboro was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Gainesboro itself is also listed on the Register. At Roaring River Distillery, visitors can watch the distillation process and learn about it.

The Poke Sallet Festival is an annual May tradition that brings locals and visitors together in Jackson County. The T. B. Sutton General Store serves breakfast from 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Every Saturday evening, the store hosts Sutton Ole Time Music Hour, with dinner and live performances by regional bluegrass bands. Reservations and programming may change; check the details before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Whitleyville, Weakley County, Dickson County, Carter, Warren County, Hamblen, Carroll County, Anderson.

For the broader travel overview: Tennessee.