This 2010 file photo shows a plaque dedicating the Soak Creek Watershed Project to the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd.State officials and outdoor advocates are touting the economic opportunities that accompany Soak Creek's recent designation as a Tennessee Scenic River.
A section of the creek that runs through Bledsoe, Cumberland and Rhea Counties is the first waterway in the state to receive the designation since 2001.
Soak Creek is a whitewater kayaking destination and a tributary of the Piney River. It received the Scenic River destination following a push from local landowners, The Nature Conservancy, American Whitewater and the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation, according to a Wednesday news release.
"This scenic river designation will preserve and protect the pristine ecology and waters of Soak Creek," state deputy commissioner of parks and conservation Brock Hill said in the release. "It will also provide a high-quality outdoor experience on the water and hiking trails at the adjacent Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park. The opportunities for place-based economic development from tourism in the area have the potential to be significant."
The designation provides protection to the creek without impacting property rights. It covers the area of Soak Creek between its junction with Georgia Branch near Stinging Falls State Natural Area and its intersection with the Piney River near Piney Falls State Natural Area.
"The Soak Creek Scenic River classification will help promote the region as an outdoor recreation area," Rob Bullard, director of The Nature Conservancy's Tennessee/Cumberland Rivers program, said in the release. "We hope it will serve as a catalyst for future recreational eco-tourism in East Tennessee."
A proposed section of the Cumberland Trail is set to parallel about four miles of the creek, the release said. That section of the trail would connect hikers to Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area, Piney Falls State Natural Area and the 2,000-acre Piney River Resource Management Area.
State senator Ken Yeager, R-Kingston and state representative Ron Travis, R-Dayton introduced the bills in the Tennessee General Assembly that led to the designation. It was approved unanimously by the house and senate and signed by Gov. Bill Haslam.