Christmas came and went quickly this time, and 2017 quietly wound down with time spent at home. January, however, has found us off and going and we’ve already experienced a variety of activities.

To kick off the New Year, the boys and I participated in a guided hike at Burgess Falls State Park, where we got to see the three falls in all their normal glory, with the addition of some beautiful ice formations. The rangers shared the local history of the park’s formation with us, and also educated us on the park’s flora and

fauna. Guess what…the hemlock trees we have here in the south-east are not the same as the hemlock that Socrates used to poison himself. In fact, our hemlock is a good source of vitamin C!

Burgess Falls lies south of Cookeville, just over the White County line. The Fall Water River winds through the park, and crashes over three beautiful waterfalls. On our hike, we learned that the park was originally owned by Thomas Burgess, who was gifted with the land in response to his Revolutionary War efforts. The river at different times powered a grist mill and even a sawmill. Later, construction of a flume line carried water through a powerhouse below the bottom falls. This powered Cookeville with electricity until TVA took over in 1944.

The Kisers spend a lot of time at Burgess Falls. The hike is relatively easy, but extremely

gratifying. You can’t ask for better scenery. The rangers who take care of this park are always happy to answer questions and work hard to keep everyone safe. They’re constantly making improvements to the park, particularly with improving the footing on the hiking trail. Ian also loves the playground at the main entrance of the park, and splashing in the small streams along the trail and road.

If you ever find yourself in the Upper Cumberland and need to kill an hour or two, stop by and check Burgess out. If you’re trying to think of a full day activity for your family, pack a picnic basket and make the drive. I promise that you won’t regret it.