Department of Environment & Conservation
Robert Martineau, Commissioner

Sycamore Shoals hosts the Seige of Fort Watauga on Sat. and Sun., May 18 and 19. Hear the rattle of muskets, smell the campfire smoke and see the 18th century come to life at the Siege of Fort Watauga. Take advantage of colonial merchants selling period wares in “Sutler’s Row” and join representatives from the Historic Division of MARS/American Heritage Chocolate as they demonstrate chocolate making and share unique stories of chocolate during the 18th century. Bring the entire family and see how your ancestors played a crucial role in our region’s history and in the formation of our nation. Event is sponsored by The Washington County Regiment of North Carolina Militia and The Friends of Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area. View schedule. For more information call 423-543-5808.

News Updates

Do you want to make a difference to Tennessee's natural resources, spend time outdoors, and make new friends? Then consider participating in one of the many volunteer opportunities we offer individuals, families, and civic groups. Opportunities range from spending a few hours helping maintain a trail, to on-going support by joining a Friends Group to seasonal projects like being a Seasonal Interpretive Host at a park museum or visitor center. Learn more about volunteer opportunities

 

Event Spotlights

Edgar Evins (middle) hosts Western Wallflower Week Boat Tour on May 20-26. Join park rangers and the seasonal naturalist for daily boat tours to view a magnificent display of this infrequent Tennessee wildflower, and other unique species endemic to the limestone bluffs on Center Hill Reservoir. Be sure to arrive prepared for sun & rain exposure, and to bring your binoculars. Bottled water and a bagged lunch are also recommended. Meet at the Courtesy Dock. Boat will leave promptly at 10 a.m. CT. Please arrive 15 minutes prior. Duration: approximately 3 hrs. Limit 12 people per tour. Sorry, no children under 3 years of age. To sign up call 931-858-2114 or 931-982-3918, or email Ranger Mark at Mark.Taylor@tn.gov.

 

Davy Crockett Birthplace (east) hosts Appalachian Heritage Fair on June 8 & 9. Join park staff and our Pioneer Friends Group for this 2-day event celebrating the traditional arts, crafts and music of our region. This event showcases local artisans and their handmade, traditional Appalachian style crafts, traditional flowers, herbs and local organic farmers. Local food vendors will be on hand. For more information or to be considered as a craft or food vendor please contact Dawn.Coleman@tn.gov. Sat. June 9, 10-5, Sun June 10, 10-4:30 ET. For more information call 423-257-2167.

 

2013 Event Schedule (updated May 16)

 

May Event Schedule

 

Waterfalls and Wildflowers   (event pdf)

Learn more about TN State Natural Area 2013 events

 

The Tennessee Conservationist magazine May/June Event Schedule

 

Please remember, schedules and events may change. Call individual parks to confirm events, check on cancellations. When a reservation is required, be sure to leave your contact phone number and/or email address with the hike leader. Please let the leader know if you must cancel, so that someone on the waiting list may attend.

 

In addition to events, our parks offer seasonal interpretive programming and workshops throughout the year.  To learn more about seasonal programs and workshops at specific sites, contact that state park directly.

 

Calling all Junior Rangers

Do you like fun and adventure? Would you like to explore and discover the amazing secrets of Tennessee State Parks? Do you want to spend time outdoors learning about the world in which you live and help protect special places? If you answered “yes!”, then you are already on your way to becoming the next Tennessee State Parks Junior Ranger! Learn more about the Junior Ranger Program.

 

Accommodations

Trails, vistas and recreation opportunities call people to stay for the day or to stay for a longer while. Good thing many of our parks feature a variety of lodging for overnight stays, weekend outings or extended family vacations. Our comfortable accommodations range from rustic cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps to new modern villas.

 

With six Resort Inns with full-service restaurants, and more than 3,000 campsites, state parks can accommodate all sizes of budgets and groups. Come for a day or stay and play longer at Tennessee State Parks.

 

Meeting Planners

Tennessee State Parks can accommodate all types of groups and work within your budget to deliver a unique spot for your business or meeting needs. Five state parks have full conference centers with audio-visual equipment, copy centers, and WiFi compatibility. Sixteen state parks offer a variety of meeting rooms for smaller gatherings and most parks have picnic shelters or pavilions for outdoor gatherings.  Twelve parks have restaurants serving delicious home-style food and many will provide complete catering for your event.

Learn more from the Tennessee State Parks’ Meeting Planners Guide.