Long Hunter State Park

Long Hunter State Park was began in 1972, and includes over 2,600 acres along the shoreline of Percy Priest Lake. It was originally owned by the US Corps of Engineers, and leased to the state of Tennessee in a 50 year lease, who developed the park. with the pricetag of $8 million. All and all, it's a large and expansive property. In the late 1980s, it was briefly floated as the idea of a site for a zoo, but eventually conservationists complained loudly that the property needed to be conserved as much as possible as it. In 1991, the organization of the Friends of Long Hunter State Park was established, which is a nonprofit group that helps organize, clean, and plan events and fundraisers for the park (psst- go donate $25 towards a membership and get a T-Shirt at www.friendsoflonghunter.com/membership.html).

Long Hunter State Park has over 26 miles of hiking trails. Because it shares its border with Percy Priest Lake, it includes fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and other boating sports, and a couple of swimming spots.. It has two backcountry camping spots. It has a visitor's center (closed on weekends in the winter), picnic pavilions, playgrounds, and a meeting room. The visitors' center hosts activities like hikes, tours, camps, and canoe rides that you can sign up for on the tnstateparks.com website. There are 10 hiking trails in the park- Couchville Lakes Arboretum Trail (2 miles), Reading Rails Trail (.3 miles), Bryant Grove Trail (4 miles), Deer Trail (1 mile), Inland Trail (1 mile), Bluff Trail (.2 mile), Day Loop (4.5 miles), Volunteer Trail (6 miles), Jones Mill Trail (4.5 miles), and Cedar Glade Trail (1 mile). We did the Cedar Glade Trail and the Couchville Lakes Arboretum Trail. We had so much fun!