Tennessee Day Trip: Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park

Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park

Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park is a Tennessee hiking trail following a line of ridges and gorges along the eastern escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.  You enter the park from I-40 at Crab Orchard, Exit 329, about nine miles east of Crossville.  Drive south from the exit and follow the signs to the parking area.  Elevation at the parking area is 2,700 feet.  The trail is easy to moderate as you walk to your right.  The south overlook is approximately .3 miles along the main trail.

However, you can take a more challenging route by going to your left at the spring house and keep  following the rock formations on your right until you see a foot bridge above you.  Climb under the bridge and there are easy steps to the bridge and the overlook in the photo above.

This is an easy hike to spectacular natural rock formations and amazing mountain top views.  There are no picnic tables or restrooms, but several stores are located at exits 322 and 329 on I-40 and great rest areas at Exit 323 eastbound and Exit 326 westbound.

The 300-mile Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park, the state's only linear park, wanders along the remnants of the Cumberland Mountains. These majestic mountains once rose as high as the Rockies.

The trail cuts through 11 Tennessee counties from Cumberland Gap National Historic Park on the Tennessee-Virginia-Kentucky border, to Signal Point near Chattanooga. This trail provides a linkage from north to south of the Cumberland Plateau. Hikers on this trail will continuously be rewarded with views of fascinating scenic vistas and curious geological formations.

Currently, 150 miles of the Cumberland Trail are open and ready for exploration. This includes the Cumberland Mountain Segments above LaFollette and Jacksboro and in the Cumberland Gap National Military Park, the Grassy Cove Segment on Black and Brady Mountain in Cumberland County, the Tennessee River Gorge Segment in Prentice Cooper State Forest, and the Obed Wild and Scenic River Segment in the Obed River Gorge and Catoosa WMA. The Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail one of the most unforgettable trails in the state and it will continue to grow.

For a more comprehensive description of the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park, and it many sections, visit http://cumberlandtrail.org

Chimney & fireplace from old homestead

Spring House about 30 yards from homestead

Collection basin inside spring house to collect potable water

Trail through huge rocks

Natural shelter

Rocks look like dinosaur heads

Linda admiring huge ferns along trail beside spring-fed stream

South Overlook from Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park