List of Tennessee state parks and natural areas
This is a list of state parks and natural areas in the U.S. state of Tennessee.
State parks
[edit]Tennessee has 59 designated state parks, operated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). The largest park, Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail, is made up of land along the Cumberland Trail, stretching from Cumberland Gap at the Virginia state line to Prentice Cooper State Forest in Marion County, just northwest of Chattanooga.[1] The smallest state park is Bicentennial Capitol Mall, at just 19 acres (7.7 ha).[2]
State natural areas
[edit]Tennessee has 85 state natural areas that are divided into two classes:[4]
- Class I – Scenic-Recreational
- Class II – Natural-Scientific
Nine areas have restricted access and are not open to the public; a tenth, Hubbard's Cave, has limited access during the summer.
Park Name[4] | Class | County/Counties | Size | Property Owner | Access Status (Public/Private) |
Year Established | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
acres | ha | ||||||
Auntney Hollow State Natural Area | II | Lewis | 26 | 11 | Private | Private – No access | 2002 |
Barnett's Woods State Natural Area | II | Montgomery | 40 | 16 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1995 |
Bays Mountain State Natural Area | I | Sullivan | 3,650 | 1,480 | City of Kingsport | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Beaman Park State Natural Area | II | Davidson | 1,678 | 679 | Nashville Parks & Recreation | Public – Full access | 2013 |
Big Cypress Tree State Natural Area | I | Weakley | 270 | 110 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Bone Cave State Natural Area | II | Van Buren | 400 | 160 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1974 |
Burgess Falls State Natural Area | I | Putnam | 217 | 88 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Campbell Bend Barrens State Natural Area | II | Roane | 35 | 14 | Private | Public – Limited access | 2006 |
Carroll Cabin Barrens State Natural Area | II | Decatur | 250 | 100 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2002 |
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lee Carter State Natural Area | II | Franklin | 931 | 377 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1975 |
Cedars of Lebanon State Forest Natural Area | II | Wilson | 2,690 | 1,090 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1974 |
Chimneys State Natural Area | I | Marion | 33 | 13 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1999 |
Coldiz Cove State Natural Area | II | Fentress | 165 | 67 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1984 |
Couchville Cedar Glade State Natural Area | II | Davidson, Wilson | 140 | 57 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1995 |
Crowder Cemetery Barrens State Natural Area | II | Roane | 15 | 6.1 | Private | Public – Limited access | 2006 |
Devil's Backbone State Natural Area | I | Lewis | 950 | 380 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1997 |
Dog Cove State Natural Area & Beecher Wallace Homestead[5] | — | White | 757 | 306 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2019 |
Dry Branch State Natural Area | II | Lewis (primary), Hickman, Perry |
2,169 | 878 | State of Tennessee | Private – No access | 2007 |
Duck River Complex State Natural Area | II | Maury | 2,612 | 1,057 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2002 |
Dunbar Cave State Natural Area | I | Montgomery | 144 | 58 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1973 |
Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade State Natural Area | II | Rutherford | 185 | 75 | USACE | Public – Limited access | 1998 |
Fall Creek Falls State Natural Area | II | Bledsoe, Van Buren | 16,181 | 6,548 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1974 |
Falling Water Falls State Natural Area | I | Hamilton | 136 | 55 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Fate Sanders Barrens State Natural Area | II | Rutherford | 230 | 93 | USACE | Public – Limited access | 1999 |
Flat Rock Cedar Glades & Barrens State Natural Area | II | Rutherford | 846 | 342 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1999 |
Frozen Head State Natural Area | I, II | Morgan | 15,150 | 6,130 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1974 |
Gattinger's Cedar Glade & Barrens State Natural Area | II | Rutherford, Wilson | 57 | 23 | Private | Private – No access | 2003 |
Ghost River State Natural Area | I | Fayette | 2,306 | 933 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1997 |
Grundy Forest State Natural Area | I | Grundy | 234 | 95 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1974 |
Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area | I | Carter | 693 | 280 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1986 |
Hawkins Cove State Natural Area | II | Franklin | 249 | 101 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1985 |
Hicks Gap State Natural Area | II | Marion | 350 | 140 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1989 |
Hill Forest State Natural Area | II | Davidson | 225 | 91 | Friends of Warner Parks Nashville Parks & Recreation |
Public – Limited access | 2010 |
Honey Creek State Natural Area | II | Pickett | 109 | 44 | National Park Service (Big South Fork) |
Public – Full access | 1973 |
House Mountain State Natural Area | I | Knox | 527 | 213 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1987 |
Hubbard's Cave State Natural Area | II | Warren | 50 | 20 | The Nature Conservancy | Public – Limited access during summer |
1995 |
John & Hester Lane Cedar Glades State Natural Area | II | Wilson | 45 | 18 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 2009 |
John Noel at Bon Aqua State Natural Area | I | Hickman | 35 | 14 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2007 |
Langford Branch State Natural Area | II | Lewis | 23 | 9.3 | Swan Conservation Trust | Private – No access | 2001 |
Laurel–Snow State Natural Area | II | Rhea | 2,259 | 914 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Lost Creek State Natural Area | — | White | 200 | 81 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2012 |
Lucius Burch Jr. Forest State Natural Area | I | Shelby | 728 | 295 | Shelby County | Public – Full access | 1988 |
Manus Road Cedar Glade State Natural Area | II | Rutherford | 22 | 8.9 | State of Tennessee | Private – No access | 2004 |
May Prairie State Natural Area | II | Coffee | 492 | 199 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1973 |
Meeman-Shelby State Natural Area | II | Shelby | 11,000 | 4,500 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2002 |
Montgomery Bell State Natural Area | II | Dickson | 1,086 | 439 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1998 |
Morrison Meadow State Natural Area | II | Warren | 20 | 8.1 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 2008 |
Mount View Glade State Natural Area | II | Davidson | 9 | 3.6 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1995 |
Natural Bridge State Natural Area | I | Franklin | 3 | 1.2 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Natural Area | II | Hamilton, Sequacthie | 7,093 | 2,870 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1999 |
Overbridge State Natural Area | II | Rutherford | 70 | 28 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1995 |
Old Forest State Natural Area | II | Shelby | 125 | 51 | City of Memphis | Public – Full access | 2011 |
Ozone Falls State Natural Area | I | Cumberland | 43 | 17 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Piney Falls State Natural Area | II | Rhea | 818 | 331 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area | II | Fentress | 3,000 | 1,200 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2006 |
Powell River Preserve State Natural Area | II | Claiborne | 15 | 6.1 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1995 |
Radnor Lake State Park & Natural Area | II | Davidson | 1,368 | 554 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Reelfoot Lake State Natural Area | I | Lake, Obion | 18,000 | 7,300 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Riverwoods State Natural Area | II | Shelby | 21 | 8.5 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1978 |
Roundtop Mountain State Natural Area | II | Sevier | 237 | 96 | National Park Service (Great Smoky Mountains) |
Public – Full access | 1974 |
Rugby State Natural Area | I | Morgan | 762 | 308 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2006 |
Savage Gulf State Natural Area | II | Grundy, Sequatchie | 15,590 | 6,310 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1974 |
Sequatchie Cave State Natural Area | II | Marion | 133 | 54 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2001 |
Sherwood Forest State Natural Area | — | Franklin | 3,075 | 1,244 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2020 |
Short Springs State Natural Area | I | Coffee | 420 | 170 | State of Tennessee, TVA, City of Tullahoma |
Public – Full access | 1994 |
Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area | I | Maury | 90 | 36 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2006 |
Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area | II | Rhea | 783 | 317 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Stones River Cedar Glade and Barrens State Natural Area | II | Rutherford | 185 | 75 | National Park Service | Public – Full access | 2003 |
Sunk Lake State Natural Area | II | Lauderdale | 1,873 | 758 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1986 |
Sunnybell Cedar Glade State Natural Area | II | Rutherford | 36 | 15 | State of Tennessee | Private – No access | 1995 |
Taylor Hollow State Natural Area | II | Sumner | 173 | 70 | The Nature Conservancy | Private – Access by permission only |
1995 |
Twin Arches State Natural Area | II | Fentress, Pickett, Scott | 1,500 | 610 | National Park Service (Big South Fork) |
Public – Full access | 1974 |
Vesta Cedar Glade State Natural Area | II | Wilson | 150 | 61 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1986 |
Vine Cedar Glade State Natural Area | II | Wilson | 35 | 14 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 2000 |
Virgin Falls State Natural Area | II | White | 1,157 | 468 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1973 |
Walker Branch State Natural Area | II | Hardin | 520 | 210 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1997 |
Walls of Jericho State Natural Area | II | Franklin | 750 | 300 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2006 |
Walnut Knob State Natural Area | — | Smith | 18 | 7.3 | State of Tennessee | Private – No access | 2020 |
Walterhill Floodplain State Natural Area | II | Rutherford | 34 | 14 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1985 |
Washmorgan Hollow State Natural Area | II | Jackson | 73 | 30 | The Nature Conservancy | Public – Limited access | 1995 |
Watauga River Bluffs State Natural Area | II | Carter | 50 | 20 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 1998 |
William B. Clark Conservation Area | II | Fayette | 460 | 190 | The Nature Conservancy | Public – Full access | 2000 |
William L. Davenport Refuge State Natural Area | II | Polk | 120 | 49 | State of Tennessee | Public – Limited access | 1997 |
Wilson School Road Forest and Cedar Glades State Natural Area | II | Marshall | 58 | 23 | State of Tennessee | Private – No access | 2008 |
Window Cliffs State Natural Area | II | Putnam | 275 | 111 | State of Tennessee | Public – Full access | 2014 |
State scenic rivers
[edit]Tennessee state scenic rivers are divided into three classes:[6]
- Class I – Natural River Area – Free flowing, unpolluted, and with primitive shorelines and scenic vistas generally inaccessible except by trail.
- Class II – Pastoral River Area – Free flowing, unpolluted, and with shorelines and scenic vistas partially or predominantly used for agricultural and other recreational activities.
- Class III – Developed/Partially Developed River Area – Free flowing, unpolluted, and with shorelines and vistas more developed.
River[6] | Class | County/Counties | Location | Length | Year Designated | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
miles | km | |||||
Blackburn Fork Scenic River | I | Jackson | Cummins Mill Road downstream for 1.5 miles (2.4 km), the entire distance within Cummins Falls State Park | 1.5 | 2.4 | 1968 |
II | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream of Cummins Mill Road to the confluence of the Roaring River | 12.5 | 20.1 | |||
Buffalo Scenic River | II | Lawrence | Entire section within Lawrence County, from the head of the river to the Lewis County line | 15.5 | 24.9 | 1968 |
Clinch Scenic River | III | Anderson, Knox, Roane | Melton Hill Dam upstream to the Highway 62 bridge in Solway | 18.5 | 29.8 | 1996 |
Collins Scenic River | II | Grundy | Section within Savage Gulf State Natural Area | 5 | 8.0 | 1968 |
Conasauga Scenic River | I | Polk | Segment in the Cherokee National Forest from the Georgia state line downstream to the U.S. 411 bridge in Conasauga |
9 | 14 | 1969 |
Duck Scenic River | II | Maury | Iron Bridge Road near Columbia upstream to Maury–Marshall county line | 37.3 | 60.0 | 2001 |
French Broad Scenic River | III | Cocke | North Carolina state line downstream to J.W. Walters Bridge in Douglas Lake | 33 | 53 | 1968 |
Harpeth Scenic River | II | Davidson, Rutherford | Entire section in Rutherford County, from the head of the river to the Williamson County line | 6.75 | 10.86 | 1968 |
III | Section in Davidson County, from the Williamson County line at Highway 100 bridge to the Interstate 40 bridge | 8.5 | 13.7 | |||
II | Section in Davidson County, from the Interstate 40 bridge to the Cheatham County line | 6 | 9.7 | |||
Hatchie Scenic River | I | Hardeman, Haywood, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Tipton |
Entire length in Tennessee from Mississippi state line to Mississippi River confluence | 163 | 262 | 1970 |
Hiwassee Scenic River | III | Polk | Segment in the Cherokee National Forest from the North Carolina state line downstream to the U.S. 411 bridge in Delano |
23 | 37 | 1968 |
Obed Wild & Scenic River | I | Cumberland, Morgan | Western edge of the Catoosa WMA to the confluence with the Emory River (24.3 mi (39.1 km)), as well as:
|
46 | 74 | 1976 |
Roaring River Scenic River | I | Jackson, Overton | Highway 136 bridge to a point 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream | 2 | 3.2 | 1968 |
II | A point 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream of the Highway 136 bridge to the confluence with the Cumberland River at Cordell Hull Lake |
19 | 31 | |||
Soak Creek Scenic River | III | Bledsoe, Rhea | Confluence with Georgia Branch in Bledsoe County downstream to its confluence with the Piney River in Spring City |
6.75 | 10.86 | 2016 |
Spring Creek Scenic River | I | Jackson, Overton | Waterloo Mill downstream to the Jackson–Overton county line | 4.4 | 7.1 | 1968 |
II | Jackson–Overton county line to the confluence with the Roaring River | 4.6 | 7.4 | |||
Tuckahoe Creek Scenic River | III | Knox | Entire length in Knox County, from Jefferson County line to confluence with French Broad River | 16.1 | 25.9 | 1968 |
Former state parks and natural areas
[edit]State parks
[edit]- Poor Valley Creek State Park (cancelled)
- Ross Creek Landing
State natural areas
[edit]- Morril's Cave (Worley's Cave) State Natural Area, Sullivan County
- Short Mountain-Jim Cummings State Natural Area, Cannon County, 500 acres (200 ha)
- Sneed Road Cedar Glade State Natural Area, Williamson County, 1 acre (0.40 ha)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Cumberland Trail State Park".
- ^ "Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park".
- ^ "Find a Park".
- ^ a b "List of Natural Areas".
- ^ "Beecher Wallace Homestead Added to State Park System". www.tn.gov. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019.
- ^ a b "Tennessee Scenic Rivers". www.tn.gov. Archived from the original on January 12, 2018.