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Want to become a certified Tennessee Naturalist?
Openings remain for this year's Tennessee Naturalist Class,
set to begin Sept. 7. Learn more here:
https://www.friendsofsouthcumberland.org/tn-naturalist-program.html
Openings remain for this year's Tennessee Naturalist Class,
set to begin Sept. 7. Learn more here:
https://www.friendsofsouthcumberland.org/tn-naturalist-program.html
Make plans now
to attend the 2020 Trails & Trilliums Festival, set for April 12-14, 2020! Details coming soon!
to attend the 2020 Trails & Trilliums Festival, set for April 12-14, 2020! Details coming soon!
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IN MEMORIAM:
WOODY McLAUGHLIN 
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Woody McLaughlin, a founder and leader of the Friends of South Cumberland State Park, passed away unexpectedly in late July, while on a camping trip with his family in Montana.
He helped establish the Friends organization in 1993, and served on its board for 18 years. Woody was also the 2016 recipient of the State of Tennessee's Robert Sparks Walker Lifetime Achievement Award. He received the award for his decades of devotion to the land and people of South Cumberland State Park, dating back to his days as a student at the University of the South. “We have lost one of the great minds and hearts who helped shape the South Cumberland State Park and our Friends organization,” Friends President John Hille said. “Woody’s tireless, good-natured approach to fostering positive working relationships while achieving real conservation results was essential to preserving priority lands and protecting some of the most special places in the Park. We are grateful for his personal commitment and quiet leadership. It has made a real and lasting difference for our park, and for those who love it.” With Woody's help, the Friends leadership decided to launch the Saving Great Spaces Campaign in 2002. During part of this multi-year campaign, he served as president of the Friends, and worked tirelessly to encourage others to join the effort. This concerted, multi-year conservation campaign leveraged over $8.5 million in total resources, making it possible to add 5,495 acres of priority land at Savage Gulf and the Fiery Gizzard. |
— Summer Volunteer Opportunities --
Please Give Back to the Park You Love!
The trails in your park need your help! Unusually heavy rains from this past winter, coupled with ongoing and increasing visitor use, have taken a heavy toll on sections of trail in many parts of South Cumberland State Park. We need YOUR help to repair or re-route these damaged sections, as well as to help our Rangers build new trail in recently-acquired areas of the park.
Please bring yourself, your family, your Scout or Church group and support our Rangers in these efforts! Be prepared for your day of work by dressing for trail work and for the weather, including sturdy footwear, and bring plenty of water, lunch and high-energy snacks. If you have favorite trail-building hand tools and gloves, feel free to bring them, too!
— Please email the rangers-in-charge to let them know you'll be coming to help! --
Please bring yourself, your family, your Scout or Church group and support our Rangers in these efforts! Be prepared for your day of work by dressing for trail work and for the weather, including sturdy footwear, and bring plenty of water, lunch and high-energy snacks. If you have favorite trail-building hand tools and gloves, feel free to bring them, too!
— Please email the rangers-in-charge to let them know you'll be coming to help! --
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Sherwood Forest Trail Building
August 31, 9:00 am Meet at the Sherwood Forest East (CCC Road) Trailhead Join with other South Cumberland trail blazers to help complete a brand new loop trail at the park. Sherwood Forest is a beautiful new area of the park, now open for a variety of public uses, so we need your help to get this trail finished! For more information, and to RSVP, email Ranger Jason Reynolds. Denny Cove Trail Days August 24, 1:30 pm and September 28 (Nat'l Public Lands Day!) Meet at the Denny Cove Trailhead Join Ranger Ryan Harris at Denny Cove to help keep this spectacular trail looking beautiful! We'll be picking up trash and cutting back overgrown vegetation. Gloves will be provided if you don't have a pair. For more information, and to RSVP, email Ranger Ryan Harris. Savage Gulf Trail Maintenance September 2 & September 5, 8:15 am Meet at the Savage Gulf East (Savage Ranger Station) Trailhead Join Ranger Mark Greenwood for a day of trail repair and maintenance in the awe-inspring Savage Creek basin of the Savage Gulf State Natural Area. For more information, and to RSVP, email Ranger Mark Greenwood. Trail Building in Collins Gulf August 20, 9:00 am Meet at the Savage Gulf South (Collins West) Trailhead Join Ranger Dan Wescoat for a day of building new trail in Collins Gulf. We will be working on a reroute of the trail leading to Horsepound Falls. NOTE: We will be hiking approximately 1.5 miles (each way) to the work-site, through some difficult terrain. For more information, and to RSVP, email Ranger Dan Wescoat. |
This is a park trail, not a creek! The past winter took a heavy toll on SCSP trails. In order to repair them, we need your help!
This portion of the Collins Gulf trail was completely washed away by winter storms, and needs to be rebuilt. Volunteer to help out now!
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Now’s the time to become a Trail Friend!
Eileen (at right), pictured with her service dog Kiki and Trail Friends Coordinator Lee Davenport (on left), is the newest Trail Friends volunteer. Trail Friends are volunteers who offer Park visitors a cheery welcome and much-needed 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. More than four thousand people have been helped by this enthusiastic team of volunteers. The Trail Friends team is always looking for enthusiastic new members! More info and online training is available now. Learn more on our Trail Friends page.
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Why are Dogs Prohibited on Trails in National Parks?
Large national parks that have extensive backcountry areas as a rule do not allow dogs on trails. These include parks such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Rocky Mountains, and several others. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has prohibited dogs in the backcountry since the park was first established in the 1930s.
National Parks prohibit off-leash dogs on hiking trails for several reasons:
• Dogs can carry disease into the park's wildlife populations.
• Dogs can chase and threaten wildlife, scaring birds and other animals away from nesting, feeding, and resting sites. The scent left behind by a dog can signal the presence of a predator, disrupting or altering the behavior of park wildlife. Small animals may hide in their burrow the entire day after smelling a dog and may not venture out to feed.
• Dogs bark and disturb the quiet of the wilderness. Unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells can disturb even the calmest, friendliest, and best-trained dog, causing them to behave unpredictably or bark excessively.
• Pets may become prey for larger predators such as coyotes and bears. In addition, if your dog disturbs and enrages a bear, it may lead the angry bear directly to you. Dogs can also encounter insects that bite and transmit disease and plants that are poisonous or full of painful thorns and burrs.
Many people, especially children, are frightened by dogs, even small ones. Uncontrolled dogs can present a danger to other visitors. This is especially true at SCSP where there are many trails with steep drop-offs on one side.
South Cumberland State Park, unlike National Parks, allows dogs under control and on a leash.
National Parks prohibit off-leash dogs on hiking trails for several reasons:
• Dogs can carry disease into the park's wildlife populations.
• Dogs can chase and threaten wildlife, scaring birds and other animals away from nesting, feeding, and resting sites. The scent left behind by a dog can signal the presence of a predator, disrupting or altering the behavior of park wildlife. Small animals may hide in their burrow the entire day after smelling a dog and may not venture out to feed.
• Dogs bark and disturb the quiet of the wilderness. Unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells can disturb even the calmest, friendliest, and best-trained dog, causing them to behave unpredictably or bark excessively.
• Pets may become prey for larger predators such as coyotes and bears. In addition, if your dog disturbs and enrages a bear, it may lead the angry bear directly to you. Dogs can also encounter insects that bite and transmit disease and plants that are poisonous or full of painful thorns and burrs.
Many people, especially children, are frightened by dogs, even small ones. Uncontrolled dogs can present a danger to other visitors. This is especially true at SCSP where there are many trails with steep drop-offs on one side.
South Cumberland State Park, unlike National Parks, allows dogs under control and on a leash.
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Golden Shell Award
The 2019 Golden Shell Award was presented to Lee Davenport, FSC Director and Trail Friends Coordinator, at the annual meeting by SCSP Manager George Shinn. Lee was recognized for her leadership in organizing the FSC Trail Friends program. |
T&T Tribute Award
The 2019 Trails & Trilliums Tribute Award was presented to the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly for its outstanding long-term support of the Friends of South Cumberland, ranger housing initiatives, and other important contributions to South Cumberland State Park. Scott Parrish, right, accepted the award on behalf of the MSSA from outgoing Friends President Naullain Kendrick. |
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Harry C. Yeatman Award
For enthusiastically devoting time, energy and resources to educating both children and adults about the natural wonders of our region, the Friends of South Cumberland presented the 2019 Harry C. Yeatman Environmental Education Award to wildlife rehabilitator Margaret Hawkins Matens. With Margaret is outgoing Friends president Naullain Kendrick. Henry "Harry" Clay Yeatman, who died in 2013, was a professor of biology at the University of the South and a beloved naturalist. |
Jim Prince Award
Latham Davis, right, received the 2019 Jim Prince Award at the annual meeting. Davis is a FSC director and president emeritus. The award recognizes his enthusiastic energy, time and leadership to the protection of environmentally significant land on the Southern Cumberland Plateau. With Davis is Naullain Kendrick, outgoing president. |
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Trail Master Certifications
SCSP Manager George Shinn, left, presents Trail Master Certifications to Naullain Kendrick, outgoing president, (center), and Rick Dreves, FSC Director and Strategic Planning and Communications Committee Chairs. |
CCC Interpretive Area Now Open!
The new CCC Interpretive Area at South Cumberland State Park is now open. The Interpretive Area, consisting of a new 1/3-mile trail connecting 13 graphic panels, tells the story of Civilian Conservation Corps Company 1475 in words and historical pictures. The trail, in the Grundy Forest area of the Park, is a project of the Friends of South Cumberland State Park, funded by a generous grant from the South Cumberland Community Fund. It takes visitors past the foundations and other remnants of the "village" that housed 200 young men and their leaders between 1935 and 1938, and the interpretive panels weave together the amazing story of the mission and contributions of the CCC to the South Cumberland Region.
The site is approximately 1/4 mile from the Grundy Forest trailhead, along the Grundy Day Loop Trail. The walk to, through and back from the site totals approximately one mile. The trail is generally easy, but there are sections with roots and rocks; sturdy walking shoes and walking sticks are recommended! Special thanks to Friends' CCC Team Lead Rob Moreland and Interpretive Area Designer Rick Dreves, as well as the dozens of volunteers, Park Rangers and others who worked diligently over the past 2-1/2 years to bring this fascinating piece of area and Park history to life! Can't make it out to the site? Click below to learn about the amazing story of CCC Company 1475, as told on the 13 interpretive panels now on display in the CCC Interpretive Area:
A trail and interpretive signage, part of a recently-completed Friends' initiative, allows visitors to learn about the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps at the newly-opened CCC Interpretive Area in South Cumberland State Park.
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A new outdoor classroom, named in honor of former CCC Superintendent and Tracy City leader Herman Baggenstoss, was dedicated at ceremonies opening the new CCC Interpretive Area. The classroom will be used by the Friends and Park Rangers for school programs, re-enactments, and other educational initiatives.
Friends of South Cumberland State Park CCC Project Team Lead Rob Moreland, left, and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Acting Deputy Commissioner Anne Marshall discuss the story of CCC Company 1475 during the dedication ceremonies opening the new CCC Interpretive Area at South Cumberland State Park in Tracy City, TN, on April 12, 2019.
Judy Phillips of the Franklin County Historical Society, left, with Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Area Manager Chris Padgett discuss the story of CCC Company 1475 during the dedication ceremonies opening the new CCC Interpretive Area at South Cumberland State Park in Tracy City, TN, on April 12, 2019.
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South Cumberland celebrates 41 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 more than 30,800 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. New trails must be built, and existing trails must be maintained or upgraded. New and expanded parking areas, restrooms, camping and picnic facilities, and directional signage are needed. Invasive pests, like the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, and invasive plants must be controlled. Guided hikes, seminars and historical re-enactments, including programs for area school children, must be prepared and delivered. And, the work of conserving additional environmentally-significant lands is far from complete.
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!
Your Friends membership directly supports the park.
The Friends of South Cumberland is a group of volunteer citizens dedicated to supporting the South Cumberland State Park, at 30,837 acres, Tennessee's largest state park. A 1993 law passed by the Tennessee General Assembly allows state parks to contract with and receive financial assistance from an organized friends group. As a result, private citizens can be involved with and support the park through both volunteer work and financial support.
Funding for the Friends of South Cumberland is derived from individual and corporate memberships and from private donations. Our tax deductible status was approved in July 1994. As a 501(c)3 non profit public benefit corporation, your membership and gifts may be Federally tax deductible. Please join us in supporting and protecting the South Cumberland State Park!
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 more than 30,800 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. New trails must be built, and existing trails must be maintained or upgraded. New and expanded parking areas, restrooms, camping and picnic facilities, and directional signage are needed. Invasive pests, like the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, and invasive plants must be controlled. Guided hikes, seminars and historical re-enactments, including programs for area school children, must be prepared and delivered. And, the work of conserving additional environmentally-significant lands is far from complete.
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!
Your Friends membership directly supports the park.
- Your membership supports the good work of the Friends of South Cumberland. You will become part of a group working to save great spaces in the South Cumberland and supporting this magnificent park with both funding and volunteer initiatives.
- You will receive the quarterly FSC Newsletter and monthly Trail Tracker emails to keep you updated on Friends and Park issues, events and volunteer opportunities.
- You will be eligible for members-only programs and events, such as the Tennessee Naturalist Program.
The Friends of South Cumberland is a group of volunteer citizens dedicated to supporting the South Cumberland State Park, at 30,837 acres, Tennessee's largest state park. A 1993 law passed by the Tennessee General Assembly allows state parks to contract with and receive financial assistance from an organized friends group. As a result, private citizens can be involved with and support the park through both volunteer work and financial support.
Funding for the Friends of South Cumberland is derived from individual and corporate memberships and from private donations. Our tax deductible status was approved in July 1994. As a 501(c)3 non profit public benefit corporation, your membership and gifts may be Federally tax deductible. Please join us in supporting and protecting the South Cumberland State Park!
