Plan your adventure

They form a beautiful, unspoiled part of southern Appalachia in the United States. The terrain here is unique — full of dramatic sandstone cliffs, over which spill dozens of majestic and beautiful waterfalls, carving deep canyons with cool, clear-running streams — all surrounded by lush, mature hardwood and evergreen forests.

Much of this area is about 2,000 feet above sea level, thus four to six degrees cooler than surrounding areas such as Nashville or Chattanooga.  In the summer, that makes for much more pleasant days; in the winter, a better chance to see snow when other areas in the region just get rain.

And there are centuries of fascinating history here, too. This area was settled by Swiss colonists and other European immigrants, looking for a better life in these rugged and beautiful hills. The coal, timber and railroading industries were once a major part of life in this area, though all but timbering are now largely gone. Dozens of historical sites and interpretive aids give you an opportunity to experience these events up-close.

Over the past 50 years, a grassroots conservation movement, with support from state and national conservation organizations, has protected over 50,000 acres of the most pristine and scenic parts of the region, much of which has now become part of the area’s three Tennessee State Parks — Savage Gulf (20,000+ acres), South Cumberland (8,000+ acres) and Head of the Crow (5,000+ acres) — as well as part of the 13,000-acre domain of the University of the South. A vast and nationally-recognized network of hiking and biking trails allow visitors to ride, hike, camp and enjoy all of these breathtaking natural areas.