Tennessee state park named among the most popular ‘hidden gems’ in US

VAN BUREN COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Tennessee state park is being named one of the top “hidden gem” destinations to visit this summer.

The study, conducted by Places to Travel , analyzed more than 2,700 low-key destinations that were featured on TripAdvisor ‘s “hidden gems” list, which focused on places in every state that had 100 to 1,000 reviews on the site and a rating of at least four stars.

“Hidden gems across America provide an excellent alternative to crowded, popular destinations, adding a unique charm to your travels,” said Jason Wilson, CEO of Places to Travel. “Venturing off the beaten path can be incredibly rewarding and allows you to explore a diverse range of regions you may otherwise have missed.”

Fall Creek Falls in Van Buren County ranked as the ninth most searched for hidden gem, according to the study. Data shows that the state park gained over 78,600 average monthly searches on Google.

“The beautiful waterfalls are some of the highest in the East of America and are surrounded by over 26,000 acres of nature,” wrote the study. In fact, users on TripAdvisor gave the park an average 4.5 stars with 48 “excellent” reviews.

Top 10 “hidden gems” in the US

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In 2022, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) announced that the state park would be expanding. The park already encompassed 29,800 acres on the Cumberland Plateau; However, the expansion added 838 acres of land.

Officials said the 830-acre property shares nearly a mile of its border with the park and contains steep bluffs, rock houses and caves.

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