River landscapes and a rich local history come together in Jackson County. The Roaring River flows from the highlands to Cordell Hull Lake, while Granville tells the story of its time as a riverboat town. Natural areas, waterfront recreation spots, and museums offer different things to explore—a helpful starting point when planning your trip around nature or cultural interests.

Rivers, Waterfalls, and Natural Areas

The Roaring River flows 37.7 miles before emptying into Cordell Hull Lake. At its mouth is the Roaring River Recreation Area, with picnic areas, a campground, and a boat launch. Activities at Roaring River Park on the lake include boating, fishing, swimming, hunting, and hiking. From I-40, reach the recreation area by taking Highway 53 north through Gainesboro, then Highway 135 east; follow the signs to the area.

A distinctive natural feature can be found at the entrance to Boils WMA on Roaring River Road: a spring bubbles up from the ground into the river, appearing to boil. Boils WMA also provides access to the Roaring River for fishing and swimming. The WMA’s landscapes offer different perspectives for observing nature: river areas, cultivated fields, and higher-elevation deciduous forests provide habitats for wildlife that may be found there.

For a different kind of waterfall, head to Washmorgan Hollow. The natural area covers 73 acres 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. In Cummins Falls State Park, a 282-acre state park northwest of Cookeville, the namesake 75-foot waterfall lies on the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River.

At Cordell Hull WMA, more than 200 cultivated fields are accessible by road and by boat. Salt Lick Creek Campground is located at Cordell Hull Lake, 10 miles from Gainesboro, on Salt Lick Creek, where families and friends gather for boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, hunting, and enjoying the outdoors. It offers 150 family campsites, a large group shelter, and electrical hookups at every site. If you’re planning a scenic drive, consider the Spring Creek and Roaring River Scenic Drive: it follows Spring Creek to where it meets the Roaring River. As the road enters the gorge, it becomes a gravel road; keep this road surface in mind when planning your trip.

Granville’s History and Culture

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

A Historic Granville tour ticket includes a guided tour of Sutton Homestead and Pioneer Village from March through December. The other buildings and museums can be visited on a self-guided basis. At Pioneer Village, artists and craftspeople demonstrate traditional crafts in the Arts and Crafts Building during festivals and special events. The Granville Artisans’ Gallery features handmade work by local craftspeople, including baskets, pottery, hand-forged ironwork, and woven textiles.

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

Art and Other Historic Places

Gainesboro Modern is a small contemporary art space with exhibitions that change throughout the year. Gainesboro is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Fort Blount-Williamsburg Site in Gainesboro was added to the Register in 1974. For a different local visitor experience, you can watch and learn about the distillation process at Roaring River Distillery.

Jackson County offers plenty of ways to explore, from river and forest landscapes to waterfalls, exhibitions, crafts, and regional music. Discover more destinations: Whitleyville, Jefferson County, Hardin County, Hawkins County, Cumberland County, Loudon, Marion County, Claiborne County.

For the main travel overview: Tennessee.