Hogenakkal is situated at the borders of Karnataka, about 46 kms from Dharmapuri, the headquarters of the district of the same name. The river Kaveri which enters in Tamil Nadu as a big river flows here as natural falls, thus making the place serene and panoramic.

The word Hogenakkal is made of two words, Hoge and Kal. Hoge in Kannada means smoke and Kal means rocks. Hence, the Hogenakkal means smoky rocks. The river when falls on the rocks below, then the gushing force of the water looks like as if smoke is coming from the rocks so this place is as Hogenakkal.