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It’s HERE! The 2020 SCSP Calendar
makes a great present for Family and Friends!
For each donation to the Friends of $25 or more,
we’ll send you a 2020 South Cumberland State Park Calendar
as our thank you for your support of the Friends.
Make your donation and receive a confirmation easily, quickly and safely online:
NOTE: Clicking the button above will open a form in a new browser tab or window.
To return to this page, please close that window after you've finished submitting the form.
To return to this page, please close that window after you've finished submitting the form.
If you'd prefer not to make a gift online, you can mail your contact information, with your check, to:
Friends of South Cumberland, Post Office Box 816, Sewanee, TN 37375
Please make checks payable to the "Friends of South Cumberland".
Thank you for your support of Tennessee's largest -- and most spectacular -- state park!
Friends of South Cumberland, Post Office Box 816, Sewanee, TN 37375
Please make checks payable to the "Friends of South Cumberland".
Thank you for your support of Tennessee's largest -- and most spectacular -- state park!
Support the Friends on Giving Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019
Why Should You Make a Giving Tuesday Gift to the Friends?
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. Trails must be maintained or upgraded. Improved trailheads, interpretive and directional signage are needed. Invasive pests, like the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, and invasive plants must be controlled. 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. |
As one of our outstanding Park Rangers said, "The best thing that has ever happened to South Cumberland is the formation of our Friends group. They have purchased land to add to your park, have provided construction materials, built bridges, a ranger house, picnic shelters, rescue equipment for the rangers, helped build, assess, and maintain trails, created education programs for our local schools, totally renovated your Visitor Center, created the new interpretive area at the site of the Civilian Conservation Corps camp, and have made many other improvements to your park. If you love the park, join the Friends and help them work with us to care for and improve this wonderful wilderness resource!"
By making a Gift to the Friends, you can support the work of the Friends of South Cumberland, on behalf of the Park. You will be empowering a group working to save great spaces in the South Cumberland and help protect and maintain this magnificent park. You'll also receive the monthly Trail Tracker email to keep you updated on Friends and Park news, events and volunteer opportunities. |
Make your gift and receive a confirmation easily, quickly and safely online:
NOTE: Clicking the button above will open a form in a new browser tab or window.
To return to this page, please close that window after you've finished submitting the form.
To return to this page, please close that window after you've finished submitting the form.
If you'd prefer not to make a gift online, you can mail your contact information, with your check, to:
Friends of South Cumberland, Post Office Box 816, Sewanee, TN 37375
Please make checks payable to the "Friends of South Cumberland".
Thank you for your support of Tennessee's largest -- and most spectacular -- state park!
Friends of South Cumberland, Post Office Box 816, Sewanee, TN 37375
Please make checks payable to the "Friends of South Cumberland".
Thank you for your support of Tennessee's largest -- and most spectacular -- state park!
Mary Priestley points out the garden at the entrance to the Storybrook Trail to Grundy County students during field trip day.
Storybook Trail Grand Opening Set
The SCSP Storybook trail will have a grand opening at noon on Nov. 30. The trail is located behind the Visitor Center and is perfect for young children. The Storybrook Trail is an outdoor reading adventure for youngsters, featuring a child's book presented on child-height panels along a short trail. The trails feature reading tips on each page panel to bring the book to life with the surrounding nature. Snacks from the Dutch Maid Bakery and a guided hike of the trail will be featured at the grand opening.
The SCSP Storybook trail will have a grand opening at noon on Nov. 30. The trail is located behind the Visitor Center and is perfect for young children. The Storybrook Trail is an outdoor reading adventure for youngsters, featuring a child's book presented on child-height panels along a short trail. The trails feature reading tips on each page panel to bring the book to life with the surrounding nature. Snacks from the Dutch Maid Bakery and a guided hike of the trail will be featured at the grand opening.
— Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities --
Please Give Back to the Park You Love!
Civilian Conservation Corps Camp Fall Clean-up Day
Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date: Dec. 7
We need folks with gas or battery-powered leaf blowers; gas or battery-powered string trimmers, garden loppers/shears, a couple of large plastic trash cans (large gray “Brute”-style cans or equivalent), and folks who’d just like to help carry cuttings and other natural debris to the composting pile, on-site. Please, no saws of any kind! — we will have a chain-saw operator who will assist us as needed, if there are some larger branches to be hauled to the pile. All volunteers should wear long-sleeved old clothing (that you don’t mind getting scratched up by thorny vines), sturdy work shoes, and bring your favorite pair of heavy-duty garden or work gloves. Don’t forget to dress for the weather, and bring plenty of water and a high-energy snacks and/or lunch! We’ll meet at the Grundy Forest Trailhead at 9 am and shuttle to the CCC site. Please RSVP to FSC Trails Chair Bruce Blohm, bruce.blohm@gmail.com. Help us make the CCC site beautiful for the thousands of Park visitors who are now coming to see this remarkable interpretive area in South Cumberland State Park!
Sherwood Forest Trail Building
Nov. 27 at 1 p.m.
Join in with other South Cumberland trail blazers to help create a brand new loop trail at the park. The Sherwood Forest is a brand new area that is now open for a variety of public uses. We need your help to get the trails ready! Please be prepared with sturdy footwear and plenty of water/snacks. If you have favorite trail-building tools or pairs of gloves, feel free to bring them. Note: You can only access Old CCC Road from Jumpoff Road; NOT from Sherwood Road! Meet at the Sherwood Forest trailhead parking lot. Contact: jason.reynolds@tn.gov.
Collins Gulf Trail Maintenance
Nov 23 at 9:30 am
Help the Rangers with needed trail repair and maintenance at the Savage Gulf State Natural Area. 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. Weather permitting. Meet at the Collins Gulf trailhead, at 2689 55th Ave. Gruetli-Laager, TN 37374. Contact: spencer.baxter@tn.gov
Savage Gulf Trail Work
Dec. 2 from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Help the Rangers with needed trail repair and maintenance at the Savage Gulf State Natural Area. 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. Weather permitting.
Meet at the Savage Gulf Ranger Station, 3157 SR 399, Palmer, TN 37365. Contact: mark.greenwood@tn.gov
Notes/Disclaimers: Please do not bring power tools (chainsaws, etc.). For this event, Volunteers will use hand tools only. Volunteers will be required to sign a Volunteer Form, which may include a liability waiver. Trail maintenance and the use of hand tools, etc., carries certain inherent risks. These include, but are not necessarily limited to: accidents involving the tools; potential exposure to the elements and wildlife; and all-around, general hard work.
Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date: Dec. 7
We need folks with gas or battery-powered leaf blowers; gas or battery-powered string trimmers, garden loppers/shears, a couple of large plastic trash cans (large gray “Brute”-style cans or equivalent), and folks who’d just like to help carry cuttings and other natural debris to the composting pile, on-site. Please, no saws of any kind! — we will have a chain-saw operator who will assist us as needed, if there are some larger branches to be hauled to the pile. All volunteers should wear long-sleeved old clothing (that you don’t mind getting scratched up by thorny vines), sturdy work shoes, and bring your favorite pair of heavy-duty garden or work gloves. Don’t forget to dress for the weather, and bring plenty of water and a high-energy snacks and/or lunch! We’ll meet at the Grundy Forest Trailhead at 9 am and shuttle to the CCC site. Please RSVP to FSC Trails Chair Bruce Blohm, bruce.blohm@gmail.com. Help us make the CCC site beautiful for the thousands of Park visitors who are now coming to see this remarkable interpretive area in South Cumberland State Park!
Sherwood Forest Trail Building
Nov. 27 at 1 p.m.
Join in with other South Cumberland trail blazers to help create a brand new loop trail at the park. The Sherwood Forest is a brand new area that is now open for a variety of public uses. We need your help to get the trails ready! Please be prepared with sturdy footwear and plenty of water/snacks. If you have favorite trail-building tools or pairs of gloves, feel free to bring them. Note: You can only access Old CCC Road from Jumpoff Road; NOT from Sherwood Road! Meet at the Sherwood Forest trailhead parking lot. Contact: jason.reynolds@tn.gov.
Collins Gulf Trail Maintenance
Nov 23 at 9:30 am
Help the Rangers with needed trail repair and maintenance at the Savage Gulf State Natural Area. 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. Weather permitting. Meet at the Collins Gulf trailhead, at 2689 55th Ave. Gruetli-Laager, TN 37374. Contact: spencer.baxter@tn.gov
Savage Gulf Trail Work
Dec. 2 from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Help the Rangers with needed trail repair and maintenance at the Savage Gulf State Natural Area. 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. Weather permitting.
Meet at the Savage Gulf Ranger Station, 3157 SR 399, Palmer, TN 37365. Contact: mark.greenwood@tn.gov
Notes/Disclaimers: Please do not bring power tools (chainsaws, etc.). For this event, Volunteers will use hand tools only. Volunteers will be required to sign a Volunteer Form, which may include a liability waiver. Trail maintenance and the use of hand tools, etc., carries certain inherent risks. These include, but are not necessarily limited to: accidents involving the tools; potential exposure to the elements and wildlife; and all-around, general hard work.
Carlton Parmley, Marietta Poteet recognized
From left are SCSP General Manager George Shinn, Marietta Poteet, Tennessee Trail Award recipient Carlton Parmley, State Naturalist Randy Hedgepath, and SCSP Assistant Manager Bill Knapp.
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From left are Joan Hartvigsen with the Tennessee Trails Association; 2019 Bill Stutz Award recipient Marietta Poteet; and Tom Bentlley with TTA.
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Two individuals who have given much to South Cumberland State Park were honored recently by the Tennessee Trails Association (TTA) for their many years of contributions to the TTA and the South Cumberland region.
Carlton Parmley, of Grundy County, was presented the 2019 Tennessee Trails Award, while Marietta Poteet, of Monteagle, received the 2019 Bill Stutz Award. Parmley is employed as a Conservation Worker 3 at the South Cumberland State Park in Monteagle. He began working for the State of Tennessee in 1979, and traveled throughout the state, where he built or repaired trails and constructed bridges in over 30 state parks. According to Parmley, one of his most memorable times was when he was asked to help with the movie set of King Kong at Foster Falls. He had to build a bridge that would be destroyed in a movie scene as the leading lady fell off of it.
In 1996, the state trail crew was disbanded and Parmley was stationed full time at the South Cumberland State Park as a conservation worker. During his tenure he led the maintenance team on a multitude of projects, including building all of the suspension bridges in the Savage Gulf Natural Area, a project he considers his greatest accomplishment.
Parmley was tasked with figuring out each bridge individually, getting materials to the site, and constructing them. He did the majority of the work with only park staff and teams of AmeriCorps workers, saving the state a considerable amount of money. Parmley’s plans are to retire at the end of the 2019.
Poteet’s award recognizes an active hiker and TTA member for individual contributions to the Association or to one of its chapters. She has been a TTA member since 1999, and is currently a member and active volunteer with the Highland Rim Chapter, and chair of the Friends of South Cumberland's Volunteer Resources Committee, and a member of its board. As a member of the TTA Nashville Chapter, Marietta co-led hikes at least once a month and was the Nashville Chapter treasurer. She also served as TTA merchandise coordinator for many years. She joined the Highland Rim Chapter in 2006, and has served as chapter treasurer and membership chairperson since January 2007.
“Marietta has continued to consistently lead hikes for the Highland Rim Chapter at least monthly, and sometimes more often,” said chapter hike and program coordinator Joan Hartvigsen. “And when Marietta is not leading a hike, she is participating in other TTA hikes, camping trips and kayak trips. Marietta has held an annual Chilly Chili Hike for 17 years, which is open to all TTA members and friends. Marietta also leads hikes for the Friends of South Cumberland State Park and is the volunteer coordinator for the Friends of South Cumberland State Park. She is devoted to the Tennessee Trails Association.”
For more information on the Tennessee Trails Association, visit www.tennesseetrails.org. For more information on the South Cumberland State Park, visit www.tnstateparks.com. The Highland Rim Chapter of the Tennessee Trails Association meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at the D.W. Wilson Community Center in Tullahoma.
Carlton Parmley, of Grundy County, was presented the 2019 Tennessee Trails Award, while Marietta Poteet, of Monteagle, received the 2019 Bill Stutz Award. Parmley is employed as a Conservation Worker 3 at the South Cumberland State Park in Monteagle. He began working for the State of Tennessee in 1979, and traveled throughout the state, where he built or repaired trails and constructed bridges in over 30 state parks. According to Parmley, one of his most memorable times was when he was asked to help with the movie set of King Kong at Foster Falls. He had to build a bridge that would be destroyed in a movie scene as the leading lady fell off of it.
In 1996, the state trail crew was disbanded and Parmley was stationed full time at the South Cumberland State Park as a conservation worker. During his tenure he led the maintenance team on a multitude of projects, including building all of the suspension bridges in the Savage Gulf Natural Area, a project he considers his greatest accomplishment.
Parmley was tasked with figuring out each bridge individually, getting materials to the site, and constructing them. He did the majority of the work with only park staff and teams of AmeriCorps workers, saving the state a considerable amount of money. Parmley’s plans are to retire at the end of the 2019.
Poteet’s award recognizes an active hiker and TTA member for individual contributions to the Association or to one of its chapters. She has been a TTA member since 1999, and is currently a member and active volunteer with the Highland Rim Chapter, and chair of the Friends of South Cumberland's Volunteer Resources Committee, and a member of its board. As a member of the TTA Nashville Chapter, Marietta co-led hikes at least once a month and was the Nashville Chapter treasurer. She also served as TTA merchandise coordinator for many years. She joined the Highland Rim Chapter in 2006, and has served as chapter treasurer and membership chairperson since January 2007.
“Marietta has continued to consistently lead hikes for the Highland Rim Chapter at least monthly, and sometimes more often,” said chapter hike and program coordinator Joan Hartvigsen. “And when Marietta is not leading a hike, she is participating in other TTA hikes, camping trips and kayak trips. Marietta has held an annual Chilly Chili Hike for 17 years, which is open to all TTA members and friends. Marietta also leads hikes for the Friends of South Cumberland State Park and is the volunteer coordinator for the Friends of South Cumberland State Park. She is devoted to the Tennessee Trails Association.”
For more information on the Tennessee Trails Association, visit www.tennesseetrails.org. For more information on the South Cumberland State Park, visit www.tnstateparks.com. The Highland Rim Chapter of the Tennessee Trails Association meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month at the D.W. Wilson Community Center in Tullahoma.
Make plans now...
...to attend the the Wild Azalea Gala, the Friends' annual fundraiser. Proceeds from the Gala help fund Friends' activities and initiatives in support of the Park.
The Gala is now part of the Trails and Trilliums festival weekend. The Gala will take place at the Sewanee Inn on Friday evening, April 17th. The Trails and Trilliums festival runs from April 17th through 19th, 2020.
Save the dates! More details coming soon!
...to attend the the Wild Azalea Gala, the Friends' annual fundraiser. Proceeds from the Gala help fund Friends' activities and initiatives in support of the Park.
The Gala is now part of the Trails and Trilliums festival weekend. The Gala will take place at the Sewanee Inn on Friday evening, April 17th. The Trails and Trilliums festival runs from April 17th through 19th, 2020.
Save the dates! More 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.
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. To make a memorial gift in woody's name, visit https://friendsofsouthcumberland.org/make-a-gift.html |
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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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 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!
