As Dolly Parton turns 80 on Monday, the Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors Bureau’s Waterfalls For All program shares the cover of the 2026 Tennessee Vacation Guide with the country star.
Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors Bureau Executive Director Shan Stout said Waterfalls For All started last year to help visitors know about the accessibility to all the waterfalls in Putnam County. Stout said to be featured next to Dolly Parton in anything is an honor. Stout said her team is completely overwhelmed to be on the cover.
“It’s a really, really big deal, and a great awareness campaign for visitors that are going to be grabbing this guide out of all the Tennessee welcome areas, our welcome centers, and multiple places across our state parks,” Stout said.
Stout said she believes being on the cover will bring an increase in tourism spending in 2026. Stout said the more awareness people have of the accessible waterfalls in Putnam County, the better.
“It’s one reason and one reason only, and that is economic impact on our side,” Stout said. “And under the county, the more visitors that come spend their sales and lodging tax dollars, the lower our property taxes will be. So the impact to Putnam County is a direct line.”
Stout said year over year, on average, tourism spending saves Putnam County households $560 per household on their property taxes. Stout said increased tourism and lower property taxes are a win-win for county residents.
Waterfalls For All covers Cummins Falls, Burgess Falls, Twin Falls, Great Falls, and Fall Creek Falls. She said these are the five most accessible waterfalls in the state.
“We have waterfalls that you can literally see by car,” Stout said. “You can drive up, and you can roll down your window. So, if someone is so completely disabled that they can not even walk a paved path, they can see a waterfall from their car. All of our waterfalls and our state parks in our area are pet-friendly, and that is not the case with all of our state parks in Tennessee. Next up, we have paved paths, and we also have drivable overlooks where you can get any member of your family to be able to see a waterfall regardless of their physical barriers.”
Stout said she believes the state chose Waterfalls For All to be on the cover as it is aligned with the Department of Tourism’s mission. Stout said Tennessee wants to become the most accessible state by 2030.