
Fiery Gizzard State Park

Fiery Gizzard State Park (formerly known as South Cumberland State Park) has approximately 12,166 acres of the best hiking and backcountry camping in the region, including the acclaimed Fiery Gizzard Trail, Foster Falls, Denny Cove and Grundy Lakes.
The Visitor Center, located at on US 41 in Monteagle, offers interpretative exhibits and provides information on each component of the Park. The Visitor Center is a great place to have a picnic before beginning your adventure.
Primitive car-camping is available at the Foster Falls Campground and backcountry camping is also a popular activity at Fiery Gizzard State Park. The primitive campsites at Foster Falls are drive-up while Father Adamz, Small Wild, Little Cove and Grundy Forest Hemlock Grove require hiking to reach. Reservations are required for all campsites at the park and can be made online at https://reserve.tnstateparks.com/fiery-gizzard/campsites. Please consult the Park's trail map, below, and note distances before embarking on any hike!
The park is located in and around Tracy City, which is rich in history and home to several dining and lodging options.
Hikes & Attractions
Moderate
Black Canyon Cascade
One of the most picturesque sites in the Fiery Gizzard State Park, Black Canyon is technically a cascade, not a waterfall, but still an amazing sight, as two creeks come together and are squeezed through a narrow rock opening. Access this adventure from the Fiery Gizzard North trailhead.
Difficult
Fiery Gizzard Trail, a 2-day Adventure
Ranked as one of the top 25 backpacking trails in the United States by Backpacker magazine, "The Gizz" features cascading streams, numerous waterfalls, panoramic overlooks, extremely rocky gorges, gentle slopes and lush woodlands. Use either the Fiery Gizzard State Park's North or South trailheads to begin this adventure!
Moderately Difficult
Foster Falls
In Fiery Gizzard State Park, at the southern end of the Fiery GizzardTrail, is Foster Falls, a 60-foot waterfall, the tallest in the parks, with a swimming hole at its base. There is an easy quarter-mile hike to observe the falls from above; and a much more strenuous two-mile hike (round trip) to clamber to the bottom of the falls on a rocky trail. Access this adventure from the Fiery Gizzard South Trailhead.
Moderate
Grundy Forest Loop/CCC Camp
In Fiery Gizzard State Park, you'll discover a moderate 3-mile trek with swimming holes, history, geology, giant hemlocks and cascading streams with an optional 1/3-mile walk through the site of a 1930s CCC camp. Access this adventure from the Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead.
Easy
Grundy Lakes & Lone Rock Coke Ovens
In Fiery Gizzard State Park, there's a recreational lake with swimming and picnicking facilities at the site of the historic Lone Rock Coke Ovens, where locally-mined coal was converted to coal coke by convict labor. An easy 2.3-mile hike encircles the lakes; some of it using a low-traffic paved road. Access this adventure from the Grundy Lakes Trailhead, which is also the parking area for the swimming and picnicking facilities.
Easy
Storybook Meadow Trail
This is a 1-mile easy, round trip walk through a meadow with storyboards from a children's book and a forest playground made of logs and ropes -- a great way to introduce the little ones to the joys of hiking! Access this adventure from the Fiery Gizzard State Park Headquarters on US 41 in Monteagle.

















































