Rocky Fork State Park Is The Newest State Park In Tennessee And It's Incredible
By Meghan Kraft|Published February 23, 2022
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
One of the newest state parks in Tennessee is also one of its most rural, and most folks haven’t even heard of it. The area now designated as Rocky Fork State Park has long been one of the most diversely spectacular in the state, and when you visit, you’ll find that it is laced with natural streams and rocky outlooks. The mountains have never looked so majestic as in this remote state park, and you can experience a rustic adventure of your own with a little bit of planning.
The newest state park in Tennessee is also one of the most rural, and you’ll find it right on the Tennessee-North Carolina border in Unicoi County. Rocky Fork State Park is located in the beautiful, substantially bucolic Blue Ridge Region of the Appalachian Mountains.
The park was first established in 2012 and later renamed to honor Senator Lamar Alexander as he completed his last term. Don’t expect a gaggle of kids attending nature center activities and a fleshed-out visitor’s center, because the facilities at the park are still amid development.
The area was once well on its way to being commercially developed and was even sold to a private investor before a handful of conservationists campaigned to preserve the land. The state park is both owned and operated by the state of Tennessee, and though Rocky Fork was established in 2012, it wasn’t staffed until 2015 when it opened to the public.
Though the park hasn’t long been established as an official state-protected area it has long been a favorite of nature enthusiasts. Here you can see an old photograph of a hiker in the Rocky Fork area taken in the 1940s. Wild and naturally stunning, the remote expanse welcomes the most dedicated of hikers.
There are a handful of recognized hiking trails in Rocky Fork State Park, and each is rated either "moderate" or "hard" by visitors. Buzzard Rock Loop will take you deep into the mountains with a solid elevation gain, Snakeden Ridge is roughly 7 miles is considered the best option for families, and the hike to Whitehouse Cliffs is difficult but also the shortest at just 2 miles long.
Since the state park is so remote there are very few visitors throughout the year. The lack of human intervention means that you’ll find diverse flora and fauna, as well as stunning natural streams and unmarred views. You can choose to go fishing for brook trout in Rocky Fork Creek, and some of the old logging roads in the area have been converted to mountain biking trails.
Rocky Fork State Park has three primitive backcountry campsites that are limited to four people in total, two adults and two children. Since there are no facilities, you’ll want to make sure you follow the camping rules outlined on the Tennessee State Park website. If you’re willing to put in the work, you’ll have the chance to camp in one of the most remote and beautiful places in the state!
