Trails, Waterfalls, Overlooks and more...
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PARKS'
TRAIL MILEPOST SYSTEM
LOOK FOR THE MILEPOST MARKERS, AND KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN!
Throughout the parks you’ll see a series of metal disks mounted to trees or posts along our trails, every half mile, or every quarter mile on some of the parks' most popular trails. These milepost markers will help you keep track of your location.
• REMEMBER TO BRING A MAP WITH YOU!
South Cumberland and Savage Gulf are vast WILDERNESS parks! Park maps are available for download online, here and in paper form at the Parks' Information & Welcome Centers. The trail maps show you each of the over 85 miles of trails in the parks, and how to get there. Together, these are huge park areas, spanning four counties, and having a trail map is the best way to know where you’re going, and how to safely get back to your car!
• If you, or someone in your group are LOST...
... and you need to call 911 for emergency assistance, stay on the trail, and walk to the nearest milepost marker. Remember, the nearest marker may be in front or behind you, but it should not be more than 1300 feet away! When you get to the marker, call 911 and give them the unique location code you’ll see on the bottom of that marker (see example above). This code will tell emergency responders exactly where to find you. Once you call, do NOT leave that location. This will help insure that help arrives as quickly as possible.
• If you, or someone in your group are INJURED and can still walk...
... but need to call 911 for emergency assistance, stay on the trail, and walk to the nearest milepost marker. Remember, the nearest marker may be in front or behind you, but it should not be more than 1300 feet away! When you get to the marker, call 911 and give them the unique location code you’ll see on the bottom of that marker (see example above). This code will tell emergency responders exactly where to find you. Once you call, do NOT leave that location. This will help insure that help arrives as quickly as possible.
• If you, or someone in your group are INJURED but CANNOT walk...
... designate one person who can walk to stay on the trail, and walk to the nearest milepost marker. Remember, the nearest marker may be in front or behind you, but it should not be more than 1300 feet away! When you get to the marker, call 911 and give them the unique location code you’ll see on the bottom of that marker (see example above); and how far from there your injured person is located. This code will tell emergency responders exactly where to find you. Once you call, do NOT leave that location, unless it is critical that you attend to the injured person. This will help insure that help arrives as quickly as possible.
NOT ALL PARTS OF THE PARKS HAVE CELL SERVICE!
If you need to call 911 but cannot get a signal, everyone in your group should always stay on the trail. Walk back, the way that you came, to the nearest milepost marker (not more than 1300 feet away) and make note of the unique location code at the bottom of that marker (see example above). Everyone in your group, except for one person who will be trying to get a cell signal, should stay at this location, and not leave. Be sure your designated caller takes a picture of the unique location code on the bottom of that marker. Your designated caller should then continue walking back the way you came, staying on the trail at all times, until they get a cell signal AND are standing by another milepost marker, and then call 911 for help. They should give the emergency responder both the location code of their location, and the location code of the marker where the rest of your group is located. This will tell emergency responders exactly where to find each of you.
TRAIL MILEPOST SYSTEM
LOOK FOR THE MILEPOST MARKERS, AND KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN!
Throughout the parks you’ll see a series of metal disks mounted to trees or posts along our trails, every half mile, or every quarter mile on some of the parks' most popular trails. These milepost markers will help you keep track of your location.
• REMEMBER TO BRING A MAP WITH YOU!
South Cumberland and Savage Gulf are vast WILDERNESS parks! Park maps are available for download online, here and in paper form at the Parks' Information & Welcome Centers. The trail maps show you each of the over 85 miles of trails in the parks, and how to get there. Together, these are huge park areas, spanning four counties, and having a trail map is the best way to know where you’re going, and how to safely get back to your car!
• If you, or someone in your group are LOST...
... and you need to call 911 for emergency assistance, stay on the trail, and walk to the nearest milepost marker. Remember, the nearest marker may be in front or behind you, but it should not be more than 1300 feet away! When you get to the marker, call 911 and give them the unique location code you’ll see on the bottom of that marker (see example above). This code will tell emergency responders exactly where to find you. Once you call, do NOT leave that location. This will help insure that help arrives as quickly as possible.
• If you, or someone in your group are INJURED and can still walk...
... but need to call 911 for emergency assistance, stay on the trail, and walk to the nearest milepost marker. Remember, the nearest marker may be in front or behind you, but it should not be more than 1300 feet away! When you get to the marker, call 911 and give them the unique location code you’ll see on the bottom of that marker (see example above). This code will tell emergency responders exactly where to find you. Once you call, do NOT leave that location. This will help insure that help arrives as quickly as possible.
• If you, or someone in your group are INJURED but CANNOT walk...
... designate one person who can walk to stay on the trail, and walk to the nearest milepost marker. Remember, the nearest marker may be in front or behind you, but it should not be more than 1300 feet away! When you get to the marker, call 911 and give them the unique location code you’ll see on the bottom of that marker (see example above); and how far from there your injured person is located. This code will tell emergency responders exactly where to find you. Once you call, do NOT leave that location, unless it is critical that you attend to the injured person. This will help insure that help arrives as quickly as possible.
NOT ALL PARTS OF THE PARKS HAVE CELL SERVICE!
If you need to call 911 but cannot get a signal, everyone in your group should always stay on the trail. Walk back, the way that you came, to the nearest milepost marker (not more than 1300 feet away) and make note of the unique location code at the bottom of that marker (see example above). Everyone in your group, except for one person who will be trying to get a cell signal, should stay at this location, and not leave. Be sure your designated caller takes a picture of the unique location code on the bottom of that marker. Your designated caller should then continue walking back the way you came, staying on the trail at all times, until they get a cell signal AND are standing by another milepost marker, and then call 911 for help. They should give the emergency responder both the location code of their location, and the location code of the marker where the rest of your group is located. This will tell emergency responders exactly where to find each of you.
Some Important Reminders
Hiking after dark is against park rules. It is a risky proposition, particularly on the parks' rocky trails. Bluffs and other steep drop-offs are extremely hard to see at night. That said, you might find yourself out in the park after dark: Accidents can happen; you might misjudge how long it will take to reach your destination; or you might take a wrong turn on a trail. Be prepared to hike out after dark if you have to. Even on day trips, carry a good LED flashlight or headlamp with fresh batteries.
Using your smartphone as a flashlight is a bad idea; the battery will run down far too quickly to be a reliable light source, and it may be more important for you to be able to use the phone to call for help! Be prepared to sit it out until dawn, or until someone finds you. Our rangers and area emergency responders are very good, but these are huge parks; so the more precisely you can describe where you are, the more quickly they can find you. Knowing how to use the park's milepost marker system (above) could be the difference between getting quick help, or spending the night outside, in potentially unpleasant or dangerous weather.
Both South Cumberland and Savage Gulf State Parks are on Central Time. Know when the sun will set today!
As you visit the parks, be aware of how long it has taken you to hike in, and allow at least an equal amount of time to hike out. Before you begin, make sure you are aware of today’s sunset time. Our shaded gorges, gulfs and coves get dark before our mountaintop and plateau areas! Here is the local sunset time for each month of the year in the South Cumberland region:
Hiking after dark is against park rules. It is a risky proposition, particularly on the parks' rocky trails. Bluffs and other steep drop-offs are extremely hard to see at night. That said, you might find yourself out in the park after dark: Accidents can happen; you might misjudge how long it will take to reach your destination; or you might take a wrong turn on a trail. Be prepared to hike out after dark if you have to. Even on day trips, carry a good LED flashlight or headlamp with fresh batteries.
Using your smartphone as a flashlight is a bad idea; the battery will run down far too quickly to be a reliable light source, and it may be more important for you to be able to use the phone to call for help! Be prepared to sit it out until dawn, or until someone finds you. Our rangers and area emergency responders are very good, but these are huge parks; so the more precisely you can describe where you are, the more quickly they can find you. Knowing how to use the park's milepost marker system (above) could be the difference between getting quick help, or spending the night outside, in potentially unpleasant or dangerous weather.
Both South Cumberland and Savage Gulf State Parks are on Central Time. Know when the sun will set today!
As you visit the parks, be aware of how long it has taken you to hike in, and allow at least an equal amount of time to hike out. Before you begin, make sure you are aware of today’s sunset time. Our shaded gorges, gulfs and coves get dark before our mountaintop and plateau areas! Here is the local sunset time for each month of the year in the South Cumberland region:
January 4:40 (CST)
February 5:10 (CST)
March 6:44 (CDT)
April 7:04 (CDT)
May 7:29 (CDT)
June 8:01 (CDT)
July 7:46 (CDT)
August 7:10 (CDT)
September 6:27 (CDT)
October 5:48 (CDT)
November 4:30 (CST)
December 4:29 (CST)
CST = Central Standard Time
CDT = Central Daylight Time
February 5:10 (CST)
March 6:44 (CDT)
April 7:04 (CDT)
May 7:29 (CDT)
June 8:01 (CDT)
July 7:46 (CDT)
August 7:10 (CDT)
September 6:27 (CDT)
October 5:48 (CDT)
November 4:30 (CST)
December 4:29 (CST)
CST = Central Standard Time
CDT = Central Daylight Time