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HELP THE PARK YOU LOVE!
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Don’t let South Cumberland State Park be the place
you caught, or shared, the Covid virus! Help us keep the Park safe and open for all to enjoy by following these simple steps: — Please wear masks any time you are in the presence of other Park visitors — Please maintain six-foot social distancing from anyone not in your immediate group — Please bring hand sanitizer and be virus-aware at all times during your visit — Please bring a trash bag and pack out whatever you bring into the Park! — Enjoy the Park responsibly, and help us keep the Park beautiful! |
If you find a crowd (or crowded parking lot) at the trail you planned to hike, remember that South Cumberland State Park has 12 amazing trailheads, waiting for you to explore!
- Check out the newly-released map of all South Cumberland trailheads, below, which also lists the most outstanding features you’ll be able to see from each trailhead.
- Be aware that Savage Gulf North (Stone Door); Fiery Gizzard North (Grundy Forest); and Fiery Gizzard South (Foster Falls) are the busiest trailheads in the Park; consider starting your adventure from one of our other nine trailheads, and discover something new about South Cumberland State Park!
- Get driving directions to any of the Park's 12 trailheads, and more info, by visiting our Trailhead Information Page.
- Please do not park along roadside or on adjacent private properties. Thanks!
— Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities --
Please Give Back to the Park You Love!
Volunteer Trail Maintenance at Savage Gulf
July 13: 1:15-3:15 p.m.
Meet at the Savage Gulf Ranger Station, 3157 SR 399, Palmer, TN 37365
Please pre-register. Join us for a day of trail repair and maintenance at the Savage Gulf State Natural Area (weather permitting). Bring work clothes, sturdy footwear, gloves, plenty of water, and food for the trail. Work implements (hand tools only) will be provided, but you may bring your own, if desired. If you wish to contribute support to the park, but cannot volunteer, the park is now offering the option to give a donation, which may be selected as one of the "donation but not attending" options. To register, or for more information on how to donate, visit the activity sign-up for any of these three dates on the State Parks website, or email mark.greenwood@tn.gov.
July 13: 1:15-3:15 p.m.
Meet at the Savage Gulf Ranger Station, 3157 SR 399, Palmer, TN 37365
Please pre-register. Join us for a day of trail repair and maintenance at the Savage Gulf State Natural Area (weather permitting). Bring work clothes, sturdy footwear, gloves, plenty of water, and food for the trail. Work implements (hand tools only) will be provided, but you may bring your own, if desired. If you wish to contribute support to the park, but cannot volunteer, the park is now offering the option to give a donation, which may be selected as one of the "donation but not attending" options. To register, or for more information on how to donate, visit the activity sign-up for any of these three dates on the State Parks website, or email mark.greenwood@tn.gov.
Enter our 2020 Picture the Park Photo Contest today!
The Friends' 2020 Picture the Park photo contest is now open for entries, and we are inviting all our nature-loving photographers to show us their "view" of the Park through their photographic talents! By entering our Picture the Park contest, you're donating your photo/s to the Friends, which will help us tell the amazing story of the Park. We'll feature your photos online, in printed literature and in physical products we may offer in exchange for donations to the Friends, or sell in order to raise money for projects we facilitate in the Park. This is your opportunity to support the park in a very real and tangible way, while showcasing your best photos and getting much-deserved recognition for your work! For submission details, visit our Picture the Park Contest page.
Registration Now Open for 2020-21 Tennessee Naturalist Program - first come, first served!
Registration is now open for the 2020-21 Tennessee Naturalist Program, sponsored by the Friends of South Cumberland. TNP is a series of 10, four-hour classes that are designed to introduce adult learners to the natural history of Tennessee. Following 40 hours of classroom work and 40 hours of environmentally focused volunteer work, students become certified Tennessee Naturalists. Class size is limited to 20, on a first-come, first-served basis, so register today! The cost is $250 for Friends members and $275 for others. To learn more and to register, visit our Tennessee Naturalist Program application page.
Registration is now open for the 2020-21 Tennessee Naturalist Program, sponsored by the Friends of South Cumberland. TNP is a series of 10, four-hour classes that are designed to introduce adult learners to the natural history of Tennessee. Following 40 hours of classroom work and 40 hours of environmentally focused volunteer work, students become certified Tennessee Naturalists. Class size is limited to 20, on a first-come, first-served basis, so register today! The cost is $250 for Friends members and $275 for others. To learn more and to register, visit our Tennessee Naturalist Program application page.
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FSC ANNUAL MEETING RECAP
The 2020 Annual Meeting of the Friends of South Cumberland was held online, via the Zoom app, on Saturday, June 20th. Here are highlights from the meeting:
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John Greeter
Deb Dreves
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Fiery Gizzard Trail Reopened for hikers to “travel at own risk”
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Due to the March 24th collapse of the footbridge over Little Gizzard Creek, the Fiery Gizzard Trail is open,
but requires a creek crossing at Little Gizzard Creek. With recent rain, creeks can be high & extremely dangerous. Attempting to ford creeks on foot is strongly discouraged. Only ford creeks at times of low water. Watch this video to learn more »» |
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Here's a video overview of all the great trails in South Cumberland State Park:
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See what our Trail Team has been up to:
Email FSC Trails Team Chair Bruce Blohm to find out how you can help!
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Mack S. Prichard: 1939-2020
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The environmental conscience of Tennessee has passed. Mack S. Prichard, Jr., died peacefully on April 29, 2020 in Cookeville, Tennessee.
He will be sorely missed by all who care about "all things nature", the great outdoors, Native American culture, and his tireless efforts to protect all these things, while building amazing coalitions to save, understand, interpret and protect these special places. Our thoughts are with his family, as we mourn the loss of a true Tennessee trailblazer and good friend of South Cumberland State Park. |
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Open Space Institute’s Earth Day presentation
features South Cumberland and SCSP
The Open Space Institute, one of our outstanding conservation partners,
chose to feature SCSP and the South Cumberland region as part of its Earth Day celebration.
Take a few minutes to scroll through the interactive presentation:
https://osiny.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html
The Friends of South Cumberland were happy to supply some of the photos and video for the presentation.
Thanks to OSI for recognizing the Friends and our amazing South Cumberland State Park team!
features South Cumberland and SCSP
The Open Space Institute, one of our outstanding conservation partners,
chose to feature SCSP and the South Cumberland region as part of its Earth Day celebration.
Take a few minutes to scroll through the interactive presentation:
https://osiny.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html
The Friends of South Cumberland were happy to supply some of the photos and video for the presentation.
Thanks to OSI for recognizing the Friends and our amazing South Cumberland State Park team!
Trail Friends assisted 3,000 visitors in 2019In 2019, FSC's Trail Friends program had 27 active volunteers who donated their time at the park's most popular trail heads, offering assistance to hikers. Volunteers worked 86 shifts, contributed 242 hours and helped 2,960 visitors. The Trail Friends offer park visitors a cheery welcome and useful information about the park, the natural surroundings, and the specifics of the trails. Trail Friends staff five of the busiest trailheads in the Park, and also walk these trails, answering questions and providing assistance as they go. Trail Friends also create trail guides, using the State Park-approved Avenza app, that include historic and nature information about popular trails. The Trail Friends team is always looking for enthusiastic new members! Learn more by visiting our Trail Friends Initiative page.
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Please join us in saying Thank You
to all of our Sponsoring Partners!
HERITAGE PARTNERS
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Mr. Doug Ferris & Dot Neale |
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SILVERBELL PARTNERS
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REDBUD PARTNER
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Mr. John Canale |
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South Cumberland celebrates 42 years!
On July 1, 1978, South Cumberland State Park was dedicated with less than 10,000 acres. Four decades later, it is the largest State Park in Tennessee, at nearly 31,000 acres. Today, the South Cumberland State Park is visited by nearly 750,000 people each year, and thanks to your support of the Friends, is as wild and spectacular as ever, with new trails and new ways to enjoy the park now available through the hard work of our Friends volunteers! Please take a moment to join or renew your membership in the Friends of South Cumberland State Park!
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Shop Online and help the Park with every purchase!
When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates a portion of your purchase directly to the Friends of South Cumberland! Bookmark this page, and use it whenever you shop at Amazon! 
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Learn more about the newest areas of the Park |
South Cumberland State Park continues to grow at a remarkable pace; it is now officially Tennessee's largest state park, at nearly 31,000 acres. Click on any of these links to learn more about recent land areas that have been protected and added to the park, and what work is underway to make these areas accessible to the public: |
Our Mission:
To aid and assist the South Cumberland State Park management and staff in meeting its objectives, and to inform, educate, engage, and inspire its members and the public to protect, conserve, and enjoy all the resources of the park.
Why Should You Be a Friends Member?
Now protecting nearly 31,000 acres, South Cumberland is the largest State Park in Tennessee. Although this is great news, more land, and more visitors, creates new and urgent unmet needs for the park. Trails must be maintained or upgraded. Trail bridges require maintenance or replacement. Additional interpretive and wayfinding signage is needed. Guided hikes, seminars and workshops, including programs for area school children, must be prepared and delivered. And, the work of conserving additional environmentally-significant lands is far from complete. Your support makes possible the many initiatives of the Friends of South Cumberland State Park, a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization, working to protect, maintain and enhance Tennessee's largest and most spectacular state park!
By becoming a member of the Friends, you can help insure that South Cumberland will always be a safe, well-maintained and amazing place to experience world-class natural beauty!
Funding for the Friends of South Cumberland is derived from individual and corporate memberships and from private donations.
As a 501(c)3 non-profit public benefit corporation, your membership and gifts may be Federally tax deductible.
To aid and assist the South Cumberland State Park management and staff in meeting its objectives, and to inform, educate, engage, and inspire its members and the public to protect, conserve, and enjoy all the resources of the park.
Why Should You Be a Friends Member?
Now protecting nearly 31,000 acres, South Cumberland is the largest State Park in Tennessee. Although this is great news, more land, and more visitors, creates new and urgent unmet needs for the park. Trails must be maintained or upgraded. Trail bridges require maintenance or replacement. Additional interpretive and wayfinding signage is needed. Guided hikes, seminars and workshops, including programs for area school children, must be prepared and delivered. And, the work of conserving additional environmentally-significant lands is far from complete. Your support makes possible the many initiatives of the Friends of South Cumberland State Park, a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization, working to protect, maintain and enhance Tennessee's largest and most spectacular state park!
By becoming a member of the Friends, you can help insure that South Cumberland will always be a safe, well-maintained and amazing place to experience world-class natural beauty!
Funding for the Friends of South Cumberland is derived from individual and corporate memberships and from private donations.
As a 501(c)3 non-profit public benefit corporation, your membership and gifts may be Federally tax deductible.
