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Camping and Hiking in Tennessee
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Natchez Trace State Park
Natchez Trace State Park was named for the famous "Natchez to
Nashville" highway, an important wilderness road during the
early 18th and early 19th centuries. A western spur of The Trace
ran through a portion of what is now the park. The park is not
connected with the Natchez Trace Parkway, administered by the
National Park Service. With the many acres of scenic woodlands,
the park also includes four lakes, a swimming beach, a 20-unit
resort inn and restaurant complex, cabins, group lodge,
facilities for fishing and boating, camping areas, picnicking
sites, playgrounds, a ballfield, a regulation pistol firing
range, picturesque hiking trails, a wrangler camp, 250 miles of
horse riding trails, a park store, and archery range. The park's
three campgrounds feature a total of 146 sites (30 tent camping
sites and 116 with electrical hook-ups). Sites are equipped with
a table and a grill. Bathhouses containing hot showers are
conveniently located in all camping areas. Two dump stations are
provided for self contained rigs. Campsites are available on a
first-come, first-serve basis. Many miles of hiking trails
meander through the forest and fields and along the lake shores
and streams of Natchez Park. There is even a long-distance,
overnight hiking trail for the backpacking enthusiast. Many
miles of fine roads and back country trails are also open to
motorcycles and other off-road vehicles. Trails are closed
during managed gun hunts by TWRA. This schedule changes yearly.
Contact the park for more information. For information call:
(901)968-8176
Paris Landing State Park
Paris Landing State Park is named for a steamboat and freight
landing on the Tennessee River, dating back to the mid 1800's.
From here and other landings on the Tennessee and Big Sandy
Rivers supplies were transported to surrounding towns and
communities by ox cart. The 841-acre Paris Landing State Park is
situated on the western shore of what is now Kentucky Lake, one
of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Forty-four
campsites, each with water, electricity, picnic table and grill,
are located near the lake. Two bathhouses provide restrooms and
hot and cold showers. A dump station is available for
self-contained recreation vehicles. There is a 2-mile trail
winding through the hills surrounding Kentucky Lake. No
overnight camping is allowed on the trail. For information call:
(901)642-4311
Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park
Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park is one of the most scenic and
spectacular recreation areas in America. Its waterfalls,
cascades, sparkling streams, gorges, timberland, and an
unmatched variety of recreation facilities and activities have
made it one of the most popular parks in the Southeast. Fall
Creek Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rocky
Mountains, plunging 256 feet into a shaded pool at the base of
its gorge. The park's other falls, (Piney, Cane Creek, and Cane
Creek Cascades), though smaller, are just as impressive. The oak
and hickory forest that covers most of the park gives way to
tulip poplar and hemlock forest in the gorges. The plants and
animals of the moist, protected gorges are not unlike the
species found in southern Canada. Mountain laurel and
rhododendron are abundant throughout the park, as are other
plants and animals. Fall Creek offers 228 campsites in three
campgrounds. All sites have tables, grills, and water and
electrical hook-ups. Central bathhouses with showers serve the
campgrounds; a dump station is provided for self contained
camping rigs. Backcountry camping is allowed. There are three
backcountry campsites and a permit is required. Pack animals are
not allowed in the park. Fall Creek Falls State Park offers a
variety of day-use trails. Providing access to some of the
park's loveliest areas, the trails pass into virgin woods, over
fast flowing streams, and around awesome gorges and waterfalls.
The day-use trails are designed to accommodate recreational and
educational activities including fitness walking, leisure
walking and easy hiking or exploring the Parks' geological
features and forest life typical of the Cumberland Pleateau. For
information call: (423)881-5241
Montgomery Bell State Park
Montgomery Bell State Park is located seven miles east of
Dickson in Dickson County. The rolling hills of Dickson County
contain a treasure that was considered more precious than gold
to the builders of young America. The treasure was iron ore, and
it lured men by the hundreds to this area of Middle Tennessee.
The iron industry in Dickson County has been long silent, but
the 3,782 acres that make up Montgomery Bell State Resort Park
still show the signs of its presence. Near the remains of the
Old Laurel Furnace, ore pits, where men once scratched iron ore
from the earth, lie quiet and abandoned, the hardwood forest,
once heavily cut to clear farmland, and to produce charcoal for
the iron furnaces, has slowly healed its wounds. Fox, squirrel,
raccoon, opossum, deer and a wide variety of birds and
wildflowers have returned with the forest, making Montgomery
Bell a place of quiet natural beauty. Camp grounds provide both
30 and 50 amp. electric service and can accommodate 32 ft.
campers on most electrical sites. There are 2 pull-through
handicap accessible sites. There is a creek that runs through
the campground, some sites located along the creek bank. There
are three bathhouses located in the campground, two are handicap
accessible. Picnic tables and grills are available at campsites.
Backcountry camping is allowed and there are three backcountry
campsites available. Pack animals are NOT allowed. Approximately
19 miles of hiking trails. Trail length ranges from .75 mile
nature trail to 11.7 miles overnight/backpacking trails.
Backcountry trail has three overnight shelters dispersed along
its length, open year-round. For information call: (615)797-9052
Frozen Head State Natural Area
Frozen Head State Natural Area is located 5 miles northeast of
Wartburg in Morgan County. This 11,562-acre wild and scenic area
is named for the second highest peak (elevation 3,324') in the
Cumberland Mountains, the top of which is often shrouded with
winter ice and snow. The park features waterfalls, giant rock
outcroppings and 14 mountain peaks over 3,000 feet in elevation.
Wildlife is abundant. Frozen Head is rated as one of the best
spring wildflower areas in Tennessee, second only to the
Smokies. There are 20 campsites at the park designed primarily
for tent campers, however, pop-ups, pickups and small trailers
can be accommodated. A bathhouse with hot showers and restroom
facilities is located in the campground. Water is available
throughout the campground, but electrical hookups are not
provided. Reservations are available by calling the park office.
A primitive group tent camping area, available to scout and
other youth groups, is located along Flat Fork Creek. The area
will accommodate up to 200 persons. This area is also used as an
overflow tent camping area. For group reservations call the park
office for the special required permit. By far the most popular
activity at Frozen Head is hiking. Frozen Head is one of the
best areas in Tennessee for hiking and backpacking. The park
features over 50 miles of highly scenic and challenging foot
trails, many originally established by the Civilian Conservation
Corps in the 1930s. A topographical trail map and brochure are
available at park headquarters, as are permits, which are
required for overnight hiking and camping. The park features 10
backcountry campsites. The twenty major trails within Frozen
Head are well defined by color blazes keyed to the map and
brochure.: (423)346-3318
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