Celebrations offer chances to enjoy the great outdoors at area state, national parks

Hikers can explore the path down from the Great Stone Door overlook in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area, part of South Cumberland State Park, during a National Public Lands Day hike Saturday, Sept. 24.
Hikers can explore the path down from the Great Stone Door overlook in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area, part of South Cumberland State Park, during a National Public Lands Day hike Saturday, Sept. 24.
photo Visitors to Cloudland Canyon State Park can explore the trails by bike Saturday, Sept. 24. The Bike Your Park Day activity coincides with National Public Lands Day and Georgia's Your State Parks Day. Cloudland Canyon also will offer service projects and just-for-fun activities throughout the day.

Three celebrations designed to get people outdoors coincide Saturday, Sept. 24.

National Public Lands Day, coordinated by the National Environmental Protection Foundation, is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. Several service projects, such as pulling invasive species, maintaining trails and picking up trash, have been scheduled, and some activities are just for fun. The day is fee-free for all federal public lands and many state parks.

Georgia state parks and historic sites will piggyback on the celebration with Your State Parks Day, asking citizens to volunteer for a variety of projects across the state, with free parking and admission in return.

Bike Your Park Day is a first-time effort by the Adventure Cycling Association to experience a favorite park via pedal power.

Here are activities in some of the closest state parks and national parks in Tennessee and Georgia.

TENNESSEE

* Beersheba Springs: South Cumberland State Park's Stone Door parking lot, 1183 Stone Door Road. From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. CDT, take an easy 2-mile hike to see the Stone Door, an impressive cliff line that overlooks Savage Gulf. Resembling a door left ajar, the 10-foot by 100-foot crack in the cliff was used for centuries by American Indians as a passageway from the top of the plateau into the gorges below. Wear sturdy shoes; bring water. Contact: aaron.reid@tn.gov, 931-692-3887.

* Chattanooga: Booker T. Washington State Park, 5801 Champion Road. Meet at the swimming pool parking lot at 9:30 a.m. for a 2- to 3-mile hike and at 1:30 p.m. for a birds of prey program. Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes for the hike, and bring water, snacks and bug spray. Contact: daniel.basham@tn.gov, 423-322-5160.

* Chattanooga: Harrison Bay State Park, 8411 Harrison Bay Road. Spend an hour helping to clean up the 4.5-mile Bay Point Loop Trail. Meet at the trailhead in the upper marina parking lot at 3 p.m. Contact: jordan.brison@gmail.com, 423-298-4993.

* Cleveland: Red Clay State Historic Park, 1140 Red Clay Park Road SW. Meet at 10 a.m. for an easy, 1.5-mile hike that teaches about the native fauna, wildlife and history of the park on the Council of Trees Trail. Volunteers may stay through 2 p.m. to help with litter pickup and trail widening. Wear sturdy shoes, and bring water, sunscreen, bug spray and gloves. Contact: logan.cammarata@tn.gov, 423-478-0339.

* Crossville: Cumberland Mountain State Park, 24 Office Drive. Find out the latest about the park in an easy, 2-mile hike at Byrd Lake, complete with a swinging bridge crossing, from 10 to 11:15 a.m. CDT. Contact: mark.houston @tn.gov, 931-484-6138.

* Crossville: Cumberland Trail State Park; Wyatt Court off Woodland Road. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT, get a hands-on introduction to sustainable trail construction techniques in a full-day course taught by rangers and volunteers. Topics include trail design, safety, efficient use of tools, the behavior of water, step-over crossings, climbing tours, armoring and rock-work fundamentals. Bring gloves, eye protection, sturdy footwear, lunch, snacks, at least a gallon of water and a backpack for toting supplies on the trail. Register at 931-456-6259, ctcoffice2014@gmail.com.

* Delano: Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park, 404 Spring Creek Road. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Gee Creek Campground for an hourlong cleanup hike on the Gee Creek Loop Trail. Contact: bridget.lofgren@tn.gov, 423-263-0050.

* Gruetli-Laager: South Cumberland State Park's Collins West Trailhead, 55th Avenue. From 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. CDT, join in the Horsepound Falls trail work, which is rerouting the short spur trail to the falls. Participants will carry hand tools down to the falls (about 3 miles, 400-foot elevation change). The terrain is rugged; the hike and work are strenuous. Bring your own food, water and work gloves. Contact: murray.gheesling @tn.gov, 931-779-3532.

* Lookout Mountain: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will waive entrance fees to Point Park on East Brow Road. 423-821-7786, www.nps.gov/chch.

* Manchester: Old Stone Fort State Park, 732 Stone Fort Drive. Help with maintenance on the prehistoric mounds and walls within the park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT. There's a 1-mile hike to the work site. Bring plenty of water. Contact: andrew.hyder@tn.gov, 931-952-0920.

* Missionary Ridge: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will celebrate the opening of a new trail to Sherman Reservation on Missionary Ridge from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. as part of the park's final centennial program of the year, "Creating a Neighborhood Link: Glass Street to Sherman Reservation." 423-821-7786, www.nps.gov/chch.

* Spencer: Fall Creek Falls State Park, 2009 Village Camp Road. Meet at 10 a.m. CDT for a 10-mile bike tour around the lake and rim of Cane Creek Gorge (moderate with a few hills). Bring water and a bike. Contact: matthew.brown@tn.gov, 423-881-5708.

* Tracy City: South Cumberland State Park's Grundy Forest parking lot, 131 Fiery Gizzard Road, Tracy City. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT, help with a major trail reroute along the Fiery Gizzard Trail. The reroute cuts through rough terrain, so wear sturdy shoes and bring water and snacks. Bring favorite gloves or tools if you have them. Contact: charles.greer@tn.gov, 931-924-2956.

* Vonore: Fort Loudon State Park, 338 Fort Loudoun Road. From 9 a.m. to noon, volunteers will learn about the park's fields and forests as they remove invasive plant species. Expect moderate work and walking. Bring work gloves; tools provided. Contact: laurenbaghetti@tn.gov, 423-884-6217.

* Winchester: Tims Ford State Park, 570 Tims Ford Drive. Meet at 9 a.m. CDT at the Visitor Center parking area for Tour de Ford, an easy to moderate, two-hour, 6-mile bike ride on paved trails/roads with stops to explore places of interest. Bring water. Helmets are recommended for all participants and required for anyone younger than 16. Contact: stacie.rains@tn.gov, 931-962-1183.

GEORGIA

* Chatsworth: Chief Vann House Historic Site, 82 Highway 225 N. Help repair and replace the rail fencing surrounding the Vann plantation, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Special afternoon tours for volunteers. Bring lunch and work gloves. Free for volunteers. 706-695-2598.

* Chatsworth: Fort Mountain State Park, 181 Fort Mountain Park Road. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers will pick up litter and install new timbers to prevent erosion on the Lake Trail. No parking pass necessary if volunteering. The Bike Your Park activity is a 20-miler on paved streets with considerable elevation up the mountain. www.Gastate parks.org/FortMountain.

* Fort Oglethorpe: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Visitors Center, 3370 LaFayette Road. Consider a self-guided history of the Civil War with a ride over 10 miles of paved roads through the first national military park. www.nps.gov/chch.

* Rising Fawn: Cloudland Canyon State Park, 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road. Meet at the Interpretive Center to take part in a number of service projects led by the park's Friends group to enhance garden, picnic and playground areas, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. At the Yurt Village Playground, install fence, mulch and plant, install natural playground logs and create a dry creek to divert water flow. Elsewhere, perform trail maintenance on the Backcountry Trial, power-wash concrete picnic tables and service recycling collection cans. Family-friendly activities include Introduction to Disc Golf, hayrides (additional fee), catfish pond fishing (poles available), hikes, nature exhibits, kids crafts and scavenger hunt, bluegrass music, breakfast and lunch concessions and a bike tour for Bike Your Park Day. 706-657-4050.

* Summerville: James H. "Sloppy" Floyd State Park, 2800 Sloppy Floyd Lake Road. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., volunteers can help out with the future Wildlife Garden. 706-857-0826.

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