Friends of South Cumberland State Parks
  • What's Happening
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Things to See and Do >
      • Park Overview
      • Park Smarts
      • Tips for New Visitors
      • Trails
      • Day Hikes
      • Overnight Hikes
      • Waterfalls >
        • Winter Waterfalls
      • Overlooks
      • Camping
      • Climbing
      • Caving
      • CCC Interpetive Area
      • Swimming
      • Paddling
    • Resources for Visitors >
      • Trailhead and Trail Info
      • Downloadable Maps
      • Information Center
      • Climbing Areas and Permits
      • Caving Areas and Permits
      • Camping Areas and Permits
      • Campground Reservations
      • Nearby Amenities
    • About the Park >
      • Park Overview
      • Park History
      • Meet the Rangers
      • Hemlock Wooly Adelgid
      • White Fringeless Orchids
      • TN State Parks Website
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our Leadership
    • Five Year Plan
    • Honorees
    • Friends MeetUp Page
    • Friends YouTube Channel
    • Friends Facebook Page
    • Friends Twitter Feed
    • Friends Instagram Feed
    • Friends Snapchat Feed
  • What We Do
    • Conservation and Protection
    • Trails Team
    • Trail Friends
    • ParkSmarts
    • Back the Rangers Program >
      • Storm Damage Clean Up
    • TN Naturalist Program
    • Fiery Gizzard Trail Reroute
    • CCC Camp Restoration
    • Mack Prichard Legacy Project
    • Trails and Trilliums Festival
    • Goldenrod Gala
    • Picture the Park Photo Contest
    • Every Child in the Park >
      • Healthy Horizons
      • Discover Together
    • Wildlife Programs
    • Hike Challenges
    • Pioneers of the Park
    • Telling the Park Story >
      • Orientation Videos >
        • Park Basics Video
        • Trailheads Video
        • Waterfalls Video
        • Historic Video
        • Camping Video
        • Topography Video
    • Trail Counter Program
  • You Can Help
    • Join the Friends
    • Renew Your Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Donate Your Park Photos
  • Member Services
  • Our Partners
  • Contacts

Hike Into History | “Native Americans in the South Cumberlands”

Trailhead:  Buggytop (Carter State Natural Area, Highway 56) Sherwood, TN  [map]

"Native Americans in the South Cumberlands" takes you to the mouth of Buggytop Cave in South Cumberland State Park, one of the largest natural cave openings in Tennessee.  Along the way, you'll come to "The Spur," with an impressive view of Buggytop Cove, and pass a giant sinkhole.  Buggytop Cave is actually part of an extensive cave network in this area, and on this hike you'll visit a second cave entrance, Peter Cave, which is known to have been frequented by Native American hunter-gatherers for many centuries.  Please remember that the interior of the cave is off-limits due to the potential for introducing White-Nosed Bat Syndrome, an affliction fatal to many bats, into the cave's bat population.

Leaving the Lost Cove West trailhead, here are some of the trail highlights:

» 0.2 miles | Top of "The Spur", looking into Buggytop Cove
» 0.5 miles | Giant sinkhole
» 2.0 miles | Overlook above the Buggytop Cave entrance
» 2.2 miles | Second entrance to the Lost Cove cave system: Peter Cave, known to have been inhabited by early Native Americans (please do not enter cave -- will endanger bat population residing within!)

From the Peter Cave entrance, retrace your steps back to the trailhead.

Total trail distance:  about 4.8 miles  | moderately to very strenuous
Picture
The mouth of Buggytop Cave is one of the largest natural cave openings in the State of Tennessee.
Back to "Hike Into History"
©2022 Friends of South Cumberland State Parks, Inc.
Post Office Box 816 | Sewanee, TN 37375

Picture
Picture
Picture