South Cumberland State Park
Separate trail systems reach Savage Gulf overlooks, Stone Door, Grundy Forest, waterfalls, sandstone cliffs, and backcountry camps across the southern Cumberland Plateau.
Artwork inspired by Mayna Treanor Avent
This is not one gate with one loop. Deep coves preserve moist forests below dry sandstone rims, while historic roads and mining traces cross the plateau. Understanding which unit you selected is essential to both ecology and safety.
Use the official trail map and name your trailhead before driving; cellular service is unreliable and units can be far apart. Check bridge, water, and closure notices, carry a paper map, and reserve backcountry camps rather than treating the park as an improvised roadside stop.
- visitor-center map
- Dispersed park requires planning
- Stone Door geology
- Sandstone passage into Savage Gulf
- Savage Gulf backcountry
- Backcountry demands route discipline
Quick guide
- First move
- At South Cumberland State Park, begin with visitor-center map: Separate trail systems reach Savage Gulf overlooks, Stone Door, Grundy Forest, waterfalls, sandstone cliffs, and backcountry camps across the southern Cumberland Plateau.
- Second look
- Stone Door geology: This is not one gate with one loop.
Let terrain determine the day
- Start with
- visitor-center map: Separate trail systems reach Savage Gulf overlooks, Stone Door, Grundy Forest, waterfalls, sandstone cliffs, and backcountry camps across the southern Cumberland Plateau.
- Look closely at
- Stone Door geology: This is not one gate with one loop.
- Connect the story
- Savage Gulf backcountry: A dispersed plateau park of cliffs, coves, and waterfalls.
- Plan around
- Use the official trail map and name your trailhead before driving; cellular service is unreliable and units can be far apart.
Good to know
South Cumberland State Park: check bridge, water, and closure notices, carry a paper map, and reserve backcountry camps rather than treating the park as an improvised roadside stop.
Notice these
- visitor-center map
- Stone Door geology
- Savage Gulf backcountry