For YEARS I’ve been talking about how I want to do a waterfall hike (for example this post from 2015). I’ve been saying I’ll do it when I lose weight, right now is not the time. But this year I got tired of waiting!
I think you have to be realistic of your physical capabilities but it’s ok to step outside your comfort zone. So, I started researching waterfall hikes not only within a driving distance of Memphis but one that was attainable. As much research and reviews you can read it can still determine if a hike is good for you. What is easy for someone who hikes every weekend and weighs 150lbs is harder for me as someone who typically only go for walks on the pavement in my neighborhood.
I picked Cummins Falls because although it is marked as strenuous so many reviews said it was moderate. There were even lots of reviews stating how their small children did it. So how bad could it be I thought. Online research indicated the trail was 1.5miles and involved walking through a little bit of water. Ok, that sounds easy enough!
The walk to the overlook was pretty easy and offered some nice views. From there we took the trail down to the water. I was actually surprised that as we went along we were gaining elevation. The trail ground was for the most part pretty packed but there were lots of tree roots. Additionally since we went in the fall the ground was covered in leaves; wet leaves because it rained the night before. So while a little slippery and challenging to see the roots we found that between the railing and our walking sticks we were able to navigate the trail just fine. This won’t be an issue moving forward but the regular trail was closed so we had to take the “long way” down to the water.
Once we got to where we were finally heading down instead of up I was surprised how steep it was. There are stairs at the base but they are really tall stairs and do not go all the way to the bottom.
Once we got down to the water I was excited because it was just a short ways to go, right? Wrong! I wish I had checked my pedometer at the water edge to give you an exact distance but by the time we got to the waterfall I had clocked 2.3 miles from the parking lot.
There are parts of the creek where there is a narrow trail running along side to walk on but many parts require walking through the creek and over rocks. This is all dependent on water level but when we hiked the water was high so there was no dry areas at all. Water shoes were highly recommended, which is what I wore, but they did not provide nearly enough stability for the unevenness. Also, there are many large rocks in the water and it is quite slippery. We watched many hikers sail right past us but I found it difficult to navigate while not having confidence in my footing. Even when the bottom is flat it is still solid rock so quite slippery. Full disclosure, did slip in the water twice.
As we approached the falls I realized that the rocks we had to climb over to reach the falls other hikers mentioned was not all the rocks in the creek but large boulders. I was not prepared for this, but we had come this far. Up until this point I felt like I had been slower than the other hikers and not as steady but still comfortable with the level of activity – this however pushed me outside my comfort zone and watching other hikers step from boulder to boulder with ease really shook my confidence.
After a lot of shaking I managed to make it to the edge of the pool. We took pictures, Shaun swam and got up close to the waterfall and I sat and just soaked up the beauty and congratulated myself for pushing through to make it. It was however 60 degrees and I was soaked from my earlier slip so after about 1/2 an hour I insisted it was time to turn back. Luckily the sweater I packed in my backback was still dry so I was at least able to change tops.
After resting for a bit I realized soreness was starting to set in and it felt like I pulled a muscle in my right thigh. Even though we had just climbed our way in I found it difficult to retrace our same steps and really struggled to climb out of the pool area. This really messed with me mentally and destroyed all confidence I had left. It was now after 4pm, getting colder and the only way out was the way we came so I started to panic. As I lost all confidence in my footing my legs became stiff and each step was a struggle and painful. I realize that a lot of this was mental but if I had to do it again I would have worn more stable shoes and not worried about getting them wet. Shaun was really great about being patient and tried to talk me past the mental wall I had built up. After what felt like eternity we reached the stairs back to the trail. While the rocks were a struggle for me from a skill level of not knowing how to navigate , the steep climb up was a struggle of endurance and I had to stop to catch my breath a few times. This was really the only time I felt winded the entire hike though. Ultimately we made it to the top and the rest was a breeze back to our car.
Looking back I’m really proud out making it out with no injuries but had I known the actual length of the hike and the rock situation I probably wouldn’t have gone. I think this was not a good first time hike, at least not for me. I had no idea how much harder the hike out would be vs the hike in so when I struggled it sent me into panic mode, having this hike under my belt does make me feel like I could keep my cool better next time. I do plan on investing in quality hiking boots before hitting the trail again. I tend to roll my ankle on dry flat land so honestly I should have known better and worn the more supportive shoe.
If you are considering this hike but are nervous first off, look at me – I’m clearly not in peak physical condition and I made it so you can too! Second, I will say that the walking sticks was the best thing we did, I would have slipped a lot more than twice without it. Third, remember to focus on YOUR journey. Don’t worry about people passing you, everyone on the trail was sooo nice and we never felt judged even by the most experienced hikers.
I hope you enjoyed this post and my experience has inspired you to make whatever your goal you’ve been hanging back from happen this year!
Shop my hiking look here
Shop my stripe sweater here
PS: If you are looking to visit Cummins Fall but you REALLY want to be sure you’re ready I recommend checking out Burgess Falls nearby. It’s a 1.5mile round trip hike with no water crossing. We visited the day after and honestly I wish we had gone first too get an easier hike under my belt.