Welcome to your
Mountains of Adventure
Between Nashville and Chattanooga likes the perfect adventure getaway...
It’s not flashy. It’s not crowded. And that’s exactly the point.
This stretch of the Cumberland Plateau is where you go when you want to enjoy waterfalls without waiting in line, hiking trails secluded enough to feel like your own, and just enough authentic small-town life to make a weekend feel grounded instead of scheduled.
It’s the Elevation: Big Vistas, Small Hassles.
The defining feature here is elevation. Unlike the busier Smoky Mountains, where you’re down below, looking up, Tennessee’s South Cumberland sits higher than the surrounding lowlands, and enjoys cooler temperatures— often several degrees lower than adjacent cities—and noticeably fresher air.
Some highlights...
Savage Gulf State Park
Beersheba Springs, Altamont, Gruetli-Laager, Palmer
More than 19,000 acres of Tennessee’s most scenic wilderness, with 60 miles of hiking to remarkable waterfalls and vistas such as the iconic Great Stone Door, an impressive cliff line overlooking the Savage Gulf with steps descending through a top-to-bottom crack in the cliff that resembles a door left slightly ajar.
The Caverns
Pelham
A world-renowned destination for live music in beautiful natural settings above and below ground, home of the PBS television series The Caverns Sessions (formerly Bluegrass Underground), and a magical cave system for different skill levels of exploration.
Fiery Gizzard State Park
Tracy City
The 12,000 acre park includes the area's highest waterfall, a recreational lake area recovered from a coal mining site, a historical CCC camp exhibit and the acclaimed Fiery Gizzard Trail.
Head of the Crow State Park
Sewanee
Features two beautiful natural sandstone arches -- Sewanee Natural Bridge (Natural Bridge Trailhead) and Sherwood Natural Bridge (Pack Hollow Trailhead). It's also home to "Buggytop Cave," one of Tennessee's only publicly accessible cave openings with an underground river spilling out of its mouth.
The University of the South
Sewanee
Regularly named the nation's most beautiful campus, "Sewanee" also maintains over 65 miles of hiking and biking trails on its 13,000 acre domain. Several spectacular vistas are easily accessable by car.
Coalmont OHV Park
Coalmont
Over 1,700 acres of off-road trails, offering diverse wooded terrain suitable for all types of vehicles and skill levels. Camping and RV sites with full hookups are also available on site.
Appalachian Conservation Institute
Tracy City
11,000 acres of protected land that is available by permit for hunting, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, foraging and OHV riding on designated trails.
Mountain Goat Trail
Sewanee, Monteagle, Tracy City
A paved walking and cycling trail connecting the communities of the mountain along the path of the historic Mountain Goat Railroad
Ideas to get you started...
Spring is Time for Wildflowers & Waterfalls
Escape the Summer Heat
Fill Your Fall with Color, Not Crowds
You Can See For Miles and Miles
Experience "The Gizz"
A Sewanee Visitor's Guide
Come for the Music.
Stay for the Adventure!
Visit the NEW Head of the Crow State Park
Insider Info...
Tips
The Land of Adventures in All Four Seasons
While many visitors to Tennessee’s South Cumberland region think of it as a place to hang out in the summertime or to see great fall colors, you can find some great, unique ways to experience new adventures any time of the year!
History, Tips
Explore with this Self-Guided History Tour
Take a driving tour of historic sites in Tennessee's South Cumberland, with an optional audio narration to guide you
Tips
Rare and Wild Things in Tennessee’s South Cumberland
Rafinesque's Big Eared Bat, one of the Rare and Wild Things in the Mountains of Adventure
Itineraries
Relax and Re-charge in the Mountains of Calm
Indulge your senses in nature and augment your experience with spa and fitness activities.
More about the South Cumberland...
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), Fiery Gizzard (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.
Located in southeast Tennessee, between Chattanooga and Nashville, the area is easy to reach via Interstate 24. It’s 90 minutes from major airline service at Nashville International Airport (BNA), and 60 minutes from connecting airlines at Chattanooga (CHA). Shuttle service from BNA is available, but a rental car is a must in order to fully enjoy this area.
There are literally hundreds of beautiful, secluded cabins and other homes available for short-term rental in this area, as well as a number of motels and lodges; check any of the major accommodation websites for particulars. The area’s State Parks have 14 campsites, both for car-camping and backwoods wilderness adventures; campsites are available by advance reservation through the Tennessee State Parks website. In addition, the Mountains of Adventure have dozens of authentic, local restaurants with delicious fare and local grocers to keep your adventurers well fed and fueled for each exciting day.
This is not your typical vacation or getaway weekend kind of place. No theme parks. No crowds. No long lines in the hot sun. No waiting for tables. This is a place where you, your family and friends can reconnect with the real world, be inspired by nature, and see things most people don’t even know exist. A tremendous way to unplug and explore, to show the kids things way beyond the screens of their devices. A great opportunity to fire up their imaginations, and stoke their appetite for the outdoors.
Swim beneath a pristine waterfall. Gaze at thousands of acres of fiery fall colors from a breathtaking overlook. Walk softly through a forest of centuries-old hemlock evergreen trees. Admire the explosion of color as spring wildflowers carpet our canyons and define our trails. Enjoy the crackle of a campfire on a cool spring or autumn evening. Sleep under some of the finest night skies in all of eastern North America.
Whether it’s for a long weekend or a week or more, you won’t run out of places to immerse yourselves in the kind of outdoor adventure most folks only read about in books, or see on their screens. It’s both a getaway and a destination, and most definitely an item for your bucket list.
And if you come here once, you will come back. Again and again and again. It’s that kind of magical place — the Mountains of Adventure.