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The Cumberland Plateau, the
largest remaining forested plateau in the continental United States, is
home to South Cumberland State Recreation Area. The
wilderness park includes some of Tennessee's most diverse and
spectacular scenery.
Totaling 21,649 acres, the South Cumberland is
comprised of ten districts scattered over 100 square miles in Franklin,
Marion, Grundy and Sequatchie counties, but is managed as a single park.
A popular destination for
hikers, numerous miles of trails and a number of primitive campgrounds
service the area. In addition to hiking and camping, the park
offers opportunities for picnicking, swimming, fishing, caving, visiting
historic ruins, rock climbing and rappelling, viewing spectacular rock
formations, wildlife and waterfalls.
Jump down the page to:
Visitor Center
Meadow Trail
Carter State Natural Area
Collins Gulf
Fiery Gizzard Trail
Foster Falls Small Wild Area
Greeter Falls
Grundy Forest
Grundy Lakes
Hawkins Cove Natural Area
Savage Gulf State Natural Area
Sewanee Natural Bridge State Natural
Area
Our Commitment
Some Important Reminders
Bears in the Park
Our Friends Group
Visitor Center
The South Cumberland Visitor
Center is an excellent initial stop for visitors. Located on U. S.
Highway 41 between Tracy City and Monteagle, it is approximately three
miles east of Interstate 24 and may be reached by taking either Exit 134
or 135 from the Interstate. The Visitor Center is about 50 miles
northwest of Chattanooga and 85 miles southeast of Nashville.
The Visitor Center provides
and excellent interpretation of the area's history through exhibits,
including a cabin, tools relating to the timber industry, photographs,
maps and other displays depicting the region's natural and cultural
resources. A focal point is a cross-section of a coal mine as
mining was central to the region's economy during the 19th and early
20th centuries.
The adjacent grounds include
a picnic pavilion, ball field, two lighted tennis courts, a playground
and a wooded picnic area with grills and tables.
Visitors can get maps of the
park and directions to any of the ten specific tracts noted below.
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Meadow Trail
The
Meadow Trail is accessible at the Visitor Center.
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Carter State Natural
Area
Carter State Natural Area is
in the southwest section of the South Cumberland complex. Hikers
can enter the area along the Buggytop Trail, a two-mile long route that
leads to the Buggytop entrance of the Lost Cove Cave. All visitors
to the cave are asked to respect the fragile ecology of this underground
ecosystem.
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Collin's Gulf
The Collin's Gulf Trail is
access from the trailhead near the Swiss Memorial School in
Gruetli-Laager. The parking area is on 55th Avenue, about three
miles south of State Highway 108. This is a spectacular area for
spring woodland wildflowers.
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Fiery Gizzard Trail
This seventeen mile one-way
trail features cascading streams, numerous waterfalls, panoramic
overlooks, extremely rocky gorges, gentle slopes and lush woodlands.
This trail is one of the most diverse and beautiful in the state and has
been ranked as one of the top twenty-five backpacking trails in the U.
S. by Backpacker magazine. There are four primitive campgrounds
along the trail.
There are two entrances to
Fiery Gizzard. The north entrance is from the Grundy Forest State
Natural Area and is about three miles from the South Cumberland Visitor
Center. The south entrance is eleven and one-half miles from the
Visitor Center and is accessed via U. S. Highway 41 or State Route 150.
The entrance is within the TVA managed Foster Falls area.
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Foster Falls Small Wild
Area
The Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA) provides picnic facilities and a seasonal
campground for overnight visitors from April through October. Foster
Falls, which lends its name to the area, drops sixty feet and marks the
southern end of the Fiery Gizzard Trail. South Cumberland manages
550 acres at Foster Falls that has become a world class destination for
sport rock climbing. Facilities include restrooms, a picnic
pavilion managed by the TVA resident manager, a handicap accessible
boardwalk and viewing platform and a wooded picnic area. TVA has
additional information on their
website.
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Greeter Falls
Part of the Savage Gulf
Natural Area and located in the northeast corner of the South Cumberland
complex, Greeter Falls features a day use trail that is part of the
Savage Gulf trails network. The trailhead is three miles from the
town of Altamont and is just off Highway 56. Greeter Falls and
Boardtree Falls are highlights within this strikingly beautiful area.
Greeter Trail connects this section with Stone Door and other features
within the Savage Gulf area.
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Grundy Forest
In 1935 a group of Tracy
City residents donated this 212-acre tract to accommodate a camp of the
Civilian Conservation Corps. It is the northern access point for
the Fiery Gizzard Trail. For those wanting a shorter hike, the
Grundy Forest Day Loop is a two-mile trek that carries hikers past
numerous waterfalls, a plunge pool, old growth trees including a giant
Hemlock, and a cascading stream. Facilities include a picnic
shelter and restrooms.
Grundy Lakes
The Grundy Lakes area, which
is adjacent to U. S. Highway 41, provides swimming and picnicking
facilities in one of Grundy County's most historic areas. Grundy
Lakes is the site of the Lone Rock Coke Ovens where locally mined coal
was converted to coke by convict labor until 1896. The coke ovens
remain intact and may be viewed by visitors as historic reminders of
those times. Facilities include a bath house. The Park has
canoeing and training available at various times. Check the
current Park activities schedule for details.
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Hawkins Cove Natural
Area
The Cumberland Plateau is
home to a large number of rare and endangered species of plants and
wildlife. The Hawkins Cove Natural Area is the most recent
addition to the South Cumberland complex. Its 262 acres were set
aside as a natural area in 1985 to preserve the rare Cumberland Rosin
Weed. Additional information about this tract is available at the
Visitor Center.
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Savage Gulf State
Natural Area
This tract of 14,357 acres
contains some of the most spectacular natural rock formations in
Tennessee. Purchased by the state in 1973 to protect one of the
last known stands of virgin timber in the Eastern United States, Savage
Gulf has 55
miles of trails and ten primitive campgrounds.
The Savage Gulf Ranger
Station is the eastern access point to the Savage Gulf-Stone Door trail
system that traverses the most rugged and scenic areas of the South
Cumberland complex.
The Stone Door Ranger
Station is within the Savage Gulf area and is accessible off State
Highway 56 near Beersheba Springs. It is named for the Great Stone
Door, a 150-foot deep crevice at the crest of the Plateau. It is
the western access for the Savage Gulf-Stone Door trails network.
Sewanee Natural Bridge
State Natural Area
Accessible from State Route
56 and located in the southwest section of the park domain, the Natural
Bridge is only a short walk from the parking area. A masterpiece
of Mother Nature's handiwork, the 27-foot tall natural bridge has been
artfully weathered from solid sandstone by natural forces.
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Our Commitment
As a land and resource
management agency, it is the purpose of the Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation to preserve and protect our Tennessee
heritage, interpret its natural and cultural significance and provide
within its areas a wide range of outdoor-oriented recreation
opportunities for this and future generations.
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Some Important
Reminders
South Cumberland State
Recreation Area is an ecological sanctuary, and all features including
plants and animals (living and dead), rocks, minerals, artifacts and
fossils are protected by Tennessee State Law. Leave them as you
find them. Violators are subject to prosecution.
Be careful with fires and
help us keep your state park neat and natural.
As in any wilderness
environment, obvious hazards exist. Visitors are reminded to
exercise care, stay on marked trails and be adequately prepared for
backcountry trips. Filter all stream and spring source drinking
water. Use special caution when approaching high bluffs. All
backpackers on overnight trips must register at the Visitor Center or at
the Savage Gulf or Stone Door ranger stations before accessing the park.
During periods of high visitation, you need to reserve a campsite before
heading out on the trail.
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Bears in the Park
In
August 2009 bear signs were spotted in the area around Savage and
Collins Gulfs and a bear was seen by a Park visitor in Grundy Forest
which is the upper end of the Fiery Gizzard Gulf and trail. Please
read the Park Bear Notice.
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Our Friends Group
Park Manager John Christof
says, "One of the best things that has ever happened to South Cumberland
is the formation of our Friends group. They have purchased land to
add to the park, have provided construction materials, built bridges, a
ranger house, a picnic shelter and have made many other improvements to
your park. If you love the park,
join the Friends and help them care for and
improve this wonderful wilderness resource."
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