Fall Creek Falls drops 256 feet in a single curtain, the tallest free-falling waterfall east of the Mississippi, and the surrounding state park stretches across 20,000 acres with 34 miles of trails braided around it. The hike itself is short — 2.76 miles — so it’s more of an excuse for the rest of the park than a demanding day. Worth the detour off Tennessee’s I-40, especially after a wet week when the creek is at full pressure.