Tucked along the Cumberland Plateau, Savage Gulf State Park near Beersheba Springs, Tennessee covers a sprawling 15,590 acres of scenic wilderness, which makes it one of the larger natural areas in the state. The property was once part of a much larger natural area and became Tennessee’s newest state park in September 2022, a change […]
Join the Tennessee River Gorge Trust to celebrate the grand opening of the second phase of the Aetna Mountain trail system with a short ceremony followed by an inaugural community ride and hike on Friday, August 21, at 3:30 p.m. at the Aetna Mountain Trailhead off River Gorge Drive. Learn more. Tennessee River Gorge Trust
Grand Opening of Aetna Mountain Trail System – Phase II, August 21 Read More »
Most public lands news happens out west. More than 90 percent of our federal public lands lie in America’s 12 westernmost states. It’s easy to disregard what’s happening in the eastern half of the country. That doesn’t mean that public lands aren’t essential to people in the eastern half of the country. Much of that
Redrock and Rocky Top – A Look at the Fiery Gizzard and Public Lands Read More »
Temperatures in the “Mountains of Adventure” are 5-6 degrees cooler than most other Southeastern locations (rarely topping the 80s). And summer brings perfect water temperatures to the area’s many streams, offering perfect swimming holes, which are found at the base of the area’s amazing waterfalls. Plan your escape. South Cumberland Partnership
Escape the Summer Heat in Tennessee’s South Cumberlands Read More »
Read about these topics and more in the ACI’s Summer 2026 newsletter. Photo: ACI
Trailers and Trails at the Appalachian Conservation Institute Read More »
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has inscribed the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge as a World Heritage Site, recognizing its outstanding global value as North America’s largest blackwater swamp. Joining iconic natural treasures like the Great Barrier Reef, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Iguazu Falls, the Okefenokee Swamp has been recognized for its “outstanding universal value to humanity.”
Okefenokee Swamp Gets Global Recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site Read More »
Multiply and divide describes the new-math of the Tennessee State Parks on the South Cumberland Plateau, currently recognized as Fiery Gizzard, Head of the Crow, and Savage Gulf. Formerly, these three parks were one park, South Cumberland State Park, noncontiguous natural areas covering more than 30,000 acres. Read more. Leslie Lytle – Sewanee Mountain Messenger
There’s Lots Happening at the Plateau Parks Read More »
Momentum is building behind a proposed trail connector that would link Swinging Bridge Park to Pocket Wilderness in Rhea County. City, county, state and community leaders gathered recently to begin mapping out the project. Read more. News Channel 9 Plus: Read Rhea Leaders Unite to Advance Vision for Swinging Bridge Park–Pocket Wilderness Trail Connector at
In the Tennessee River Gorge Trust’s Summer 2026 issue of Field Notes from the Gorge, topics include: Read the newsletter. Image: TN River Gorge Trust
Skullcaps, Salamanders, Camping and Bike Trails in the Tennessee River Gorge Read More »
Approximately 1,300 acres in Hamilton and Rhea counties will be transferred to the State of Tennessee to create a new state park, located near Graysville. With the addition of existing state-owned parcels, the future park’s total area will be approximately 2500 acres. The site borders McDonald Farm in Hamilton County and connects to the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park. Tennessee State Parks
Online Survey Still Available for Input on New State Park at McDonald Farm Read More »