GRUNDY COUNTY, Tenn. — Tennessee on Monday and Tuesday dedicated two new state parks that offer fresh places to hike, explore and camp on the Cumberland Plateau: Fiery Gizzard State Park and Head of the Crow State Park. Both are within easy driving distance of Chattanooga and join the state park system as recommended day trips for outdoor-minded viewers.
Fiery Gizzard State Park, dedicated Monday, preserves the famed Fiery Gizzard Trail and surrounding forestland in Grundy and Marion counties. The park includes more than 20 miles of trails with waterfalls, bluffs and scenic overlooks that draw hikers from across the region. Tennessee State Parks lists Fiery Gizzard as a newly named park in its system.
Head of the Crow State Park, dedicated Tuesday, protects more than 4,200 acres taken from the Lost Cove section of the former South Cumberland complex. The park includes the headwaters of Crow Creek, Sewanee Natural Bridge and ridge-top habitats prized for their biodiversity. Tennessee State Parks identifies Head of the Crow as one of the newest parks and describes the park’s recreational offerings and contact information for visitors.
How long to drive from Chattanooga, Nashville
Fiery Gizzard is reachable from Chattanooga in roughly one hour, depending on traffic and your starting point in the city. Most routes take travelers west on I-24 toward Tracy City and nearby trailheads. Travel time is commonly reported at about 55 to 70 minutes.
Head of the Crow is about a one-hour drive from Chattanooga as well, with Sewanee and Lost Cove area trailheads located on the Cumberland Plateau northwest of the city. Typical driving estimates place the trip at roughly 50 to 60 minutes.
From Nashville the drive to FieryGizzardStatePark takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on your route and traffic.
Similarly, the drive from Nashville to HeadoftheCrowStatePark is roughly 1 1/2 hours, making either park a feasible day-trip from the state capital.
A brief history of the land
The Fiery Gizzard area has long been celebrated by local hikers and conservation groups. Large conservation purchases and easements over the last decade helped protect thousands of acres in the Fiery Gizzard watershed and keep the trail corridor open to the public. Federal and state conservation programs, along with local land trusts, played major roles in assembling the protected lands now managed as a state park.
Head of the Crow was created from a portion of South Cumberland that had been managed as Lost Cove. The split and renaming brought the Lost Cove holdings together with adjacent conserved lands under the new park name, preserving natural features that include the Sewanee Natural Bridge, headwaters and unique plant communities found on the plateau. The University of the South and local conservation partners have been involved in planning and stewardship discussions for the tract.
Visitor notes
Tennessee State Parks recommends checking park web pages for trailhead locations, regulations, hunting seasons, and volunteer opportunities before you go. Some trailheads require high-clearance vehicles or limited parking. Expect rugged terrain on Fiery Gizzard and bring water and appropriate footwear.
Viewers interested in visiting can find more information, maps and official guidance on each park’s page at Tennessee State Parks.