 Click to view this year's Auction items!
The second annual Goldenrod Gala — a “night out for Nature” and an important fundraiser for the Friends of South Cumberland State Park — will be going underground on Saturday evening, October 6, 2018 at The Caverns, about 10 minutes north of Monteagle, TN. This year's Gala will feature the music and stagecraft of the Grammy-nominated WannaBeatles with the artisan-style buffet dinner crafted by Ivy Wild Catering. This year's Gala takes place in the dramatic new performance hall at The Caverns, which is also the new home of the popular PBS television series “Bluegrass Underground.” This year’s Gala will also feature a "silent" version of the very popular Adventure Auction, offering a dozen opportunities to experience unique places in and around South Cumberland State Park. Early bids for the twelve Adventure Auction offerings can now be placed online.
Underground cocktail reception
The evening begins with a one-of-a-kind Underground Cocktail Reception, with small-batch spirits courtesy of Prichard’s Distillery, artisan beers courtesy of Chattanooga Brewing Company and an excellent selection of wines, courtesy of the Monteagle Inn.
Although Ivy Wild’s restaurant operation has recently changed direction, the catering service continues its eight-year tradition of providing unique and delectable dishes, with an emphasis
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on locally-sourced ingredients. Ivy Wild Catering manager SJ Heath is looking forward to catering the event: “It is an honor to provide dinner for this year’s Goldenrod Gala. We are very fortunate to have the Friends group working so diligently to protect and keep South Cumberland State Park in top form,” she said. "I moved to this area just so I’d be able to hike in the Park more often. This is an important event, raising funds to protect our area’s biggest treasure."
After-dinner entertainment and dancing The WannaBeatles have created an amazing musical tribute experience that combines great Beatles classics with hilarious on stage antics, audience involvement and award winning entertainment. 
The WannaBeatles use their multi-instrumental skills to re-create all eras of the Beatles song catalogue. They have appeared with such renowned artists as Wynonna Judd, Phil Keaggy, and Jonny Lang. Their upbeat performances at The Tennessee Performing Arts Center, The Music City Bowl, and Georgia’s New Year‘s Eve Peach Drop earned them enthusiastic reviews and standing ovations.
How funds raised by the Gala help the Park Proceeds from the Goldenrod Gala support a wide range of Friends’ initiatives on behalf of South Cumberland State Park. A limited number of tables and individual seats are still available, and may be reserved online at GoldenrodGala.org. The Friends are also seeking business sponsors and donors to sign-on in support of the Goldenrod Gala and its mission for the Park. If you are interested, please contact the Friends for more information. |
Can't make it? Please consider placing a bid on any of our 12 Adventure Auction items
or making a donation to the Gala on our Gala Fund Donation Page!
or making a donation to the Gala on our Gala Fund Donation Page!
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FIERY GIZZARD TRAIL UPDATE:
The Lower Fiery Gizzard & Dog Hole Trails, just past Sycamore Falls, which had been closed since May, have RE-OPENED! Thanks to everyone for their patience! |
The 2018-2019 Tennessee Naturalist Class is now full; however, you may still enter your info here to get on a wait-list, in case there are any cancellations; and to be notified when registration will open for the 2019-2020 class next year!
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Volunteers needed for Angel Fest (Sep 28) and 4th Grade Field trips (Oct 1-3)
Volunteers are needed to staff the Friends table at Sewanee's Angel Fest celebration in downtown Sewanee, Friday, September 28th, from 4:00 -7:00 pm. Answering questions about the Friends and the Park; and assisting with a wildlife program for the kids (handling tae snakes, turtles, possums, etc.) are among the tasks with which help will be needed. Two shifts are available: 4:00 - 5:30 pm and 5:30 - 7:00 pm. Please contact Friends Education & Outreach Chair Margaret Matens if you can help.
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As part of the Friends' Every Child in the Park initiative, every fourth grader from Grundy County Schools, plus Monteagle Elementary, will arrive by bus -- rain or shine -- for a day of planned activities at the SCSP Visitor Center. Approximately 60 students will arrive each day on October 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Students rotate among three activities: Geology and Pioneer Life, inside the Visitor Center; Gardening and Nature Play on the Meadow Trail; and a hands-on Wildlife Program in the picnic pavilion. You may volunteer to work one or more days of this event; each day generally runs from 8 am 'til 2 pm. If you are interested in helping, please contact Friends Education & Outreach Chair Margaret Matens.
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Now’s the time to Volunteer for this fall’s Trail Friends team!
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 their assigned trails, answering questions and providing assistance as they go. Thousands of people have been helped by this enthusiastic team of volunteers. The group is accepting new members and on-line training is available now. The Fall Trail Friends season began Sept. 1 and extends on weekends through Nov. 18. Trail Friends will hold a Kickoff Meet and Greet at 3 pm on Sept. 9 at the South Cumberland State Park Visitor Center Pavilion on US 41 in Monteagle. If you're interested in volunteering as a Trail Friend this fall, the time to enroll is NOW! Learn more on our Trail Friends page.
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Trail Friend volunteer Barbara Braswell (right) helping out fall hikers at Savage Gulf.
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View of the Crow Creek Valley from one new overlook on the Sherwood Day Loop Trail.
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Help build the new
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Enter our Picture the Park Photo Contest!
Share your most amazing moments and places in the Friends' 2018 ‘Picture the Park’ Photo Contest!
The Friends of South Cumberland, in conjunction with SCSP Ranger Jessie McNeel, invite you to send us your most awesome photos, and support the Park in the process! As long as your photo was taken in South Cumberland State Park, it is eligible -- even old favorites you took years ago! And, you may enter as many entries, in as many categories as you like!
photo: Susan Campbell
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We’ll offer great prizes for the best photos in the following categories:
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We'd like to feature your photos on the Friends' website, 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 for South Cumberland State Park. It's your opportunity to support the park in a very real and tangible way, and showcase your awesome photographs at the same time! Thank you for your support of South Cumberland State Park!
You must log in via your Google account in order to use the entry form. One photo per form submission; minimum photo size: 3000 pixels on the longest dimension (wide or tall). Photos not meeting the size requirement will be disqualified. This contest runs until November 1, 2018, at 11:59 pm Central Time. Decisions of the judges are final. Winners will be notified via email, at the address provided with each submitted photo. Winners can pick up their Winner Certificate(s) and prize(s) at the South Cumberland State Park Visitor Center, 11745 US 41 Monteagle, Tennessee 37356-7609, during normal business hours between the date of notification and March 31, 2019. A valid photo I.D. will be required in order to claim your certificate and prize. Sorry, but we cannot ship prizes.
Lots of ‘buzz’ at Honey Bee Day!
National Honey Bee Day was celebrated in SCSP on Sunday, August 19 to call attention to the challenges facing honey bees, a principal source of pollinators for the world's food supplies. Tennessee Naturalist and FSC member Nathaniel Mann set up a temporary hive and did bee-keeping demonstrations. Paula Yeatman presented a program for children based on Mary Priestley's book, William's Wildflowers. Emily Heid, a local SCCF/Sewanee VISTA, demonstrated various aspects of the process of pollination and seed production in the new Visitor Center garden.
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1,125 White Fringeless Orchids Documented in Savage Gulf
South Cumberland State Park is home to a number of rare and endangered plants, one of which is the White Fringeless Orchid (Platanthera intergrilabia). The Savage Gulf area of the Park is home to one of the largest remaining populations of these beautiful plants.
Ranger George Shinn reports that park staff, supported by Division of Natural Areas staff, counted 1,125 of the federally-protected plants at a remote site in Savage Gulf, compared to 24 plants at that site last year. That is the highest number ever recorded for that site. They also confirmed a new occurrence of 20 plants in the northeast corner of the site.
Platanthera integrilabia is generally found in wet, flat, boggy areas in acidic muck or sand, and in partially, but not fully shaded areas at the head of streams or seepage slopes. It occurs mainly at elevations between 300 and 2,300 feet above sea level. Despite occurring across a relatively wide geographic range, Platanthera integrilabia is listed as "Near Threatened” because of continuing declines in its area of occupancy and number of plants in each area.
The plant has all but disappeared from North Carolina, where it was once thriving. At last count, there were between 50 and 60 existing subpopulations. 29 subpopulations have disappeared since botanists began monitoring the plant, mainly because of human actions that altered growing conditions, particularly with regard to soil moisture. Population declines plague some subpopulations, and today, many have fewer than 100 plants.
In our area, Platanthera integrilabia flowers from late July through early September. The flower bears an odd resemblance to a monkey’s face; hence, some folks call this the “Monkey Face Plant!” Like many orchids, Platanthera integrilabia has pollen sacs which adhere to pollinators, transferring pollen from plant to plant. The percentage of individuals flowering within a subpopulation is generally very low, which is why the relatively large numbers of flowering plants in Savage Gulf this summer is so encouraging!
Watch the Tennessee Wild Side TV episode about the White Fringeless Orchid.
Ranger George Shinn reports that park staff, supported by Division of Natural Areas staff, counted 1,125 of the federally-protected plants at a remote site in Savage Gulf, compared to 24 plants at that site last year. That is the highest number ever recorded for that site. They also confirmed a new occurrence of 20 plants in the northeast corner of the site.
Platanthera integrilabia is generally found in wet, flat, boggy areas in acidic muck or sand, and in partially, but not fully shaded areas at the head of streams or seepage slopes. It occurs mainly at elevations between 300 and 2,300 feet above sea level. Despite occurring across a relatively wide geographic range, Platanthera integrilabia is listed as "Near Threatened” because of continuing declines in its area of occupancy and number of plants in each area.
The plant has all but disappeared from North Carolina, where it was once thriving. At last count, there were between 50 and 60 existing subpopulations. 29 subpopulations have disappeared since botanists began monitoring the plant, mainly because of human actions that altered growing conditions, particularly with regard to soil moisture. Population declines plague some subpopulations, and today, many have fewer than 100 plants.
In our area, Platanthera integrilabia flowers from late July through early September. The flower bears an odd resemblance to a monkey’s face; hence, some folks call this the “Monkey Face Plant!” Like many orchids, Platanthera integrilabia has pollen sacs which adhere to pollinators, transferring pollen from plant to plant. The percentage of individuals flowering within a subpopulation is generally very low, which is why the relatively large numbers of flowering plants in Savage Gulf this summer is so encouraging!
Watch the Tennessee Wild Side TV episode about the White Fringeless Orchid.
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South Cumberland celebrates 40 years!
On July 1, 1978, South Cumberland State Park was dedicated with less than 10,000 acres. Forty years 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!
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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 30,837 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!
