South Cumberland State Park

South Cumberland State Park is one of Tennessee’s largest and most rugged parks, a sprawling complex of more than 30,000 acres scattered across the Cumberland Plateau of southeast Tennessee. Far from a single tract, it gathers some of the plateau’s most spectacular wild country — deep gorges, towering sandstone bluffs, waterfalls, rock shelters and old-growth forest — into a premier destination for hikers and backcountry adventurers.

Its crown jewels include the vast Savage Gulf, a great three-pronged gorge system protected as an old-growth wilderness; the dramatic Great Stone Door, a massive natural crack in the bluff that pioneers used as a passage through the cliff line; and the celebrated Fiery Gizzard Trail, ranked among the finest hiking trails in the country. With waterfalls, overlooks, more than 90 miles of trails and a network of natural areas, South Cumberland State Park is a Cumberland Plateau wilderness of extraordinary scope and beauty.

South Cumberland State Park offers some of the best backcountry hiking in Tennessee — more than 90 miles of trails, including the renowned Fiery Gizzard and the Stone Door and Savage Gulf trails, leading to gorges, waterfalls, overlooks and rock shelters. Backpacking with designated campsites, day hiking, photography, rock climbing (at Foster Falls), and exploring the Stone Door and Savage Gulf old-growth wilderness are the draws. The vast, rugged park is a premier destination for hikers and backcountry adventurers on the Cumberland Plateau.

Spring and fall are ideal — spring for wildflowers and full waterfalls, fall for spectacular color across the gorges and crisp hiking weather. Summer is green and warm, good for the gorge swimming holes though humid for long hikes. Winter is quiet and stark, with bare-bluff views and the chance of ice. The waterfalls run fullest after rain and in spring; the trails, gorges and overlooks reward visits year-round, with spring and fall the highlights for this vast plateau park.

The lands of South Cumberland State Park preserve a rugged plateau landscape with a deep human history — Native American use of its rock shelters and the Stone Door passage, then logging, mining and hardscrabble farming. Conservationists worked to protect the spectacular Savage Gulf and surrounding tracts, and the scattered natural areas were gathered into South Cumberland State Park, now among Tennessee’s largest. The park safeguards the old-growth wilderness of Savage Gulf, the Stone Door and the plateau’s gorges and bluffs for the public.

South Cumberland State Park showcases the dramatic geology of the Cumberland Plateau, where streams have carved deep gorges into thick layers of resistant sandstone over softer shale, creating sheer bluffs, waterfalls, rock shelters and the great gorge system of Savage Gulf. The Great Stone Door is a massive natural crack in the sandstone bluff, a passage through the cliff line. The layered sandstone caprock, the deep gorges and the towering bluffs define the park’s rugged plateau scenery.

The vast forests, gorges and bluffs of South Cumberland State Park host white-tailed deer, wild turkey, black bear, bobcat, and a rich community of birds, with the cliffs offering habitat for raptors and the cool gorges and rock shelters sheltering salamanders, bats and amphibians. The old-growth forest of Savage Gulf and the varied plateau habitat support abundant and diverse Appalachian wildlife, making the park excellent for wildlife watching and birding across its rugged terrain.

South Cumberland State Park protects a richly biodiverse Cumberland Plateau ecosystem, anchored by the Savage Gulf old-growth wilderness — one of the largest tracts of virgin forest in the eastern United States — along with deep gorges, sandstone bluffs, waterfalls, rock shelters and extensive second-growth forest. The varied habitats support diverse plants and animals, including rare and cave-adapted species. Protecting the old-growth, the gorges and the water quality sustains one of the most ecologically significant landscapes on the plateau.

South Cumberland State Park, with its vast gorges, the dramatic Great Stone Door, the celebrated Fiery Gizzard Trail and the old-growth Savage Gulf wilderness, holds a distinguished place among Tennessee’s parks and in the hearts of the region’s hikers. The spectacular scenery, the rich backcountry, and the layered history of the Stone Door passage and the plateau’s settlers have made the park a cherished and storied wilderness, a showcase of the rugged grandeur of the southern Cumberland Plateau.

South Cumberland State Park is a sprawling complex across the Cumberland Plateau in southeast Tennessee, with its visitor center near Monteagle and major access points at the Stone Door (near Beersheba Springs), Savage Gulf, Grundy Forest/Fiery Gizzard (near Tracy City) and Foster Falls. The park is free to enter; trailheads and the visitor center serve the scattered tracts. Many trails are rugged and remote. Check Tennessee State Parks (South Cumberland) for the visitor center, trailheads, backcountry permits and current conditions before visiting.

Tennessee State Parks protects the vast gorges, bluffs, waterfalls and old-growth Savage Gulf wilderness of South Cumberland State Park, managing the scattered tracts for both recreation and the preservation of a rare and significant plateau landscape. Visitors help by staying on trails, keeping back from cliff edges, camping only at designated backcountry sites with permits, packing out everything, protecting the old-growth and water quality, being bear-aware, and following Leave No Trace. Conserving this rugged wilderness sustains its rich ecology and dramatic scenery.

South Cumberland’s trails are rugged and its gorges ringed by dangerous cliffs — keep well back from the edges at the Stone Door, Savage Gulf and other overlooks, watch footing on slippery rock, and supervise children closely. The Fiery Gizzard and backcountry trails are strenuous and remote; carry water, food, a map, and tell someone your plans, as cell service is limited. This is bear country, so store food. Be ready for changing weather, and respect the rugged plateau terrain.

The park is free to enter; follow South Cumberland State Park rules. Stay on trails and back from cliff edges. Backcountry camping is allowed only at designated sites with a permit — reserve in advance. Treat rock shelters and historic and natural features with care; collecting is prohibited. Never feed or approach wildlife; store food in bear country. Pets must be leashed. Drones are generally prohibited. Pack out all trash. Check Tennessee State Parks for permits, rules and conditions.

The towns of Monteagle, Tracy City, Sewanee and Beersheba Springs lie around the scattered park, with Foster Falls, the Fiery Gizzard Trail, Savage Gulf and the Stone Door among its own units, and the broader Cumberland Plateau all around. Chattanooga is roughly an hour to the south and Nashville about an hour and a half north, making South Cumberland State Park a premier centerpiece of a Cumberland Plateau hiking and backcountry adventure in southeast Tennessee.

Start at the visitor center near Monteagle to plan a visit to the park’s scattered units, and don’t miss the dramatic Great Stone Door, the Savage Gulf gorges and the celebrated Fiery Gizzard Trail. Choose day hikes or a permitted backpacking trip, come prepared for rugged, remote terrain with map, water and supplies, and keep back from the dangerous cliff edges. Visit in spring for waterfalls or fall for color, store food in bear country, and combine with Foster Falls for swimming and climbing.