American South – Wonder. Wander. Repeat.

Chasing Tennessee Waterfalls

Waterfall chasing is one of my favorite pastimes. Though I’ve seen dozens over the years, I never grow tiresome of standing in front of tumbling water. To me, standing in front of or listening to or splashing in a waterfall is equivalent to how most people feel when they slip into bed with freshly-laundered sheets. The warmth, security, and contentment that you feel when those cozy, crisp sheets envelope your body is identical to my reaction when I glimpse a waterfall cascading off a cliff. Many endorphins release from my pores, causing euphoria to pour through my veins. This may sound dramatic to many, but anytime I’m stressed or overwhelmed, I won’t talk to a therapist; I will step into nature and listen to all the sounds of the water, birds, and crunching leaves, feel the encompassing mountain air, and sniff the sweet-smelling pines. Comfort immediately wraps around me like a blanket when I am in the midst of nature; there’s just no other way to describe my incredible passion and overwhelming emotions that I am overcome with when I am in nature or in the vicinity of a waterfall.

If you’re in dire need of some free nature therapy and live in or around Tennessee, let me show you some of my favorite waterfalls in the state!

Cumberland Falls: Niagara of the South

There is a hikers’ dreamland tucked into the adventurous state of Kentucky. Between the trees and in the middle of the Cumberland River, there lies a 125-foot waterfall that has been compared time and time again to the famous Niagara Falls that roars along the Canadian/US Border. With similar height, volume and ferocity, this southern gem, infamously called “Niagara of the South,” is a sight that you don’t want to miss. It’s no surprise that Cumberland Falls State Park draws in over a million visitors each year. With its roaring waterfalls, quiet hiking trails, campground, fishing hotspots, gem mining, horseback riding, and rafting, this state park has no shortage of activities that will surely fill up your day or weekend!

Wandering Through the Shenandoah Valley

Whether or not you’re an avid hiker, you’ve most likely heard of the infamous Appalachian Trail. Though it would make for a wild adventure to thru-hike the entire 2,200 mile trail that stretches across the Eastern region of the country, hiking small chunks of the trail is more realistic. Part of the Appalachian Trail snakes through the Blue Ridge Mountain range in Virginia. One-of-a-kind vista views, grand waterfalls, and adventurous rock scrambles dot this trail and carry across the entire Shenandoah National Park.

Between the Pines: Part One

Social media has caused us to display a sugar-coated lifestyle. We scroll through hundreds of photos per day, entranced with what seem like the perfect lives of everyone you follow or befriend. However, what you’re seeing is only part of the picture, literally and figuratively. Let me explain. When you take a photo, you don’t just post it online without a glance. You review the photo, polish imperfections, essentially make sure it looks pristine, maybe even staged. I’d love to see more candid, behind-the-scene photos on my timeline and newsfeeds. Imperfections and mistakes are human nature, but it unfortunately isn’t what people want to see, so these don’t get posted. What if Instagram influencers or celebrities posted the unfiltered, raw realities that surely swirl their everyday lives? Well, I’m not a celebrity and don’t consider myself an influencer, but I’m here to show you what happens on the trails. Reaching the finish line of any trail requires perseverance, persistence and determination. Sweat is shed, blisters are bubbled, curveballs are thrown and dehydration is a very real, very serious thing. Let me be the first to tell you that I wouldn’t trade these imperfections for anything because hiking means everything to me, and both the journey and finish line are equally important.

Foggy Red River Gorge

Kentucky is one of those states that continues to amaze me. This southern haven is full of natural wonders, breathtaking trails, fun campgrounds, unique caverns, a plethora of outdoor activities, such as horseback riding and zip lining, even a National Park! I have so much to share about this state, but for now I’m going to tell you about one of my favorite Kentucky spots, Red River Gorge.

Surrounded By Waterfalls

Have you ever been completely surrounded by waterfalls? And that no matter what direction you turned, your eyes landed on falling water? Let me tell you, show you, what a beautiful sight this is.

Lookout Mountain: From the Top to the Depths

Cave exploration has always been so intriguing to me. The cool, damp atmosphere; the wet, slippery walls, the sharp stalagmites and stalactites that dangle from the cave’s floors and ceilings; and the sheer fact that someone stumbled upon these underground wonders and crawled through them for days, weeks, months, itching to find more. Well, one man named Leo Lambert discovered the Lookout Mountain Cave system, and what he discovered was nothing short of a national treasure.

Superstition Mountains: A Thunderstorm Hike

The clouds quickly shielded the sun; dark, ominous cumulonimbus clouds clumped together in the sky like scoops of dark ice cream, threatening to burst open. Rumbles of thunder echoed in the distance; an occasional bolt of lightening flashed before our eyes. Suddenly, drops of rain pattered on the windshield as we pulled into the Lost Dutchman State Park parking area. We were about to hike the Superstition Mountains with a thunderstorm looming on the horizon, and we couldn’t be more excited!

How Traveling Became My Passion

Welcome to my new travel blog! I decided to create a travel blog because this allows me to do two things that I am most passionate about: traveling and writing. I began writing when I was seven years old. I wrote little stories on wide-ruled notebook paper, complete with silly illustrations, about everything from the art of being a girl to playing baseball. From an early age, I knew I was going to be a writer, but I didn’t so much believe that about my love for travel. I always loved nature; I took every opportunity to be outside, especially when the weather was nice; and I marveled at all the places that my parents took us on vacation. But I didn’t truly appreciate the all-around encompassing nature of travel and adventure until our honeymoon.