About this spot
Rutledge Falls is a roughly 30-40 ft waterfall on private land between Tullahoma and Manchester, TN; the owners allow public hiking access. Park along the fence on Rutledge Falls Road across from Rutledge Falls Baptist Church at 1289 Rutledge Falls Rd; the walk in is under a quarter mile but steep and slick near the water. The base forms a clear, cold, popular summer swimming hole. The key hazard: the plunge pool is shallow, so jumping from rocks at the top (a common sight in photos) is discouraged since depth isn't sufficient for a safe landing. Water shoes help on sharp creek-bed rocks. Open dawn to dusk; respect the owners' generosity and stay on worn paths.
Safety first. Cliff jumping is inherently dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Conditions — water depth, submerged hazards, and access — change constantly. CliffScout is community-sourced reference information, not a guarantee a spot is safe. Always assess the conditions yourself before jumping, and never jump where you're unsure. You assume all risk.