State Parks in Tennessee
Tennessee has 56 state parks covering nearly 200,000 acres. The parks are particularly strong in the Cumberland Plateau, where deep gorges and dramatic waterfalls create exceptional scenery.
Fall Creek Falls State Park is the flagship of the Tennessee state park system. Fall Creek Falls plunges 256 feet into a plunge pool below — the highest plunge waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. Cane Creek Falls (85 feet) and Piney Falls (70 feet) are also within the park. The 26,000-acre park has an inn and golf course alongside its wilderness areas.
Frozen Head State Park near Wartburg in the Cumberland Mountains is a hidden gem — 24,000 acres of densely forested wilderness with over 50 miles of trails. The park is best known among runners as the location of the Barkley Marathons, a notoriously brutal 100-mile ultramarathon with a near-zero completion rate.
Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (managed jointly by the NPS and Tennessee) protects 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau. The Big South Fork of the Cumberland River cuts spectacular gorges through the plateau. The John Muir Trail, Blue Heron Loop, and Natural Arch Scenic Area are highlights.
Cumberland Mountain State Park near Crossville was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and is one of the most popular family parks in the system. It surrounds Byrd Lake, built by the CCC using hand-cut sandstone from local quarries.
Pickett CCC Memorial State Park near Jamestown is a botanical wonder — the park sits in one of the greatest centers of biodiversity in North America. The geologically complex terrain supports unusual plant communities; the sandstone arches, natural bridges, and waterfalls make it the most scenically diverse small park in Tennessee.
Roan Mountain State Park near the North Carolina border has a dramatic setting on the flanks of Roan Mountain (6,285 feet). The Appalachian Trail crosses the summit, and the Catawba rhododendron bloom in June creates one of the most spectacular wildflower displays in the eastern US.
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