Greeter Falls near Altamont, Tenn., seen here in frostier weather, is among the featured waterfalls in the upcoming Winter Waterfall Tour at South Cumberland and Fall Creek Falls state parks.Birds, waterfalls and backpacks figure prominently in a series of nine vacation packages offered this year by Tennessee State Parks. Designed to suit all types of outdoor enthusiasts and skill levels, the three-day outings feature guided tours through eight state parks across Tennessee as well as several natural areas and wildlife refuges. Most include overnight indoor accommodations.
First up is the Winter Waterfall Tour at Fall Creek Falls and South Cumberland state park early next week. Balmy weather may affect the “winter wonderland” vistas that might have been expected in February, but guests will still get more barren views of the gorges that they can compare with spring and fall scenery in similar tours later in the year.
The hikes will total roughly 7 miles of moderate to strenuous terrain. Trip leaders are state naturalist Randy Hedgepath and ranger Cara Alexander.
Check-in is at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, at Fall Creek Falls Inn, but guests may arrive early to explore the park on their own. The first evening also includes dinner in the park restaurant and an informal presentation on Tennessee waterfalls, nature and wildlife.
After breakfast Tuesday morning, Feb. 23, guests will depart for South Cumberland State Park. The outing will include a moderate, 3-mile round trip on Savage Falls Trail and lunch at the ranger station before a 20-minute drive to Altamont to walk the Greeter Falls Loop, a challenging 1.5 miles.