KNOXVILLE, TN (Story Courtesy of WVLT) – Tennessee State Parks announced crews will be installing signs in state parks across Tennessee that use technology to give visitors details about the conditions expected on park trails.
The signs will include detailed information about estimated duration, trail surface type, typical grade and allowed uses. The new trail assessors are one of the ways Tennessee is striving to have the most accessible state park system in the nation through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Access 2030 initiative.
The information on the signs is also available on the Tennessee State Parks website and will give visitors details such as the grade of a trail, the degree of the slope on a trail and the type of surface the trail provides.
The details can be helpful for park visitors who use wheelchairs or need the assistance of an all-terrain wheelchair, available to reserve at many parks at no cost. The new signs and detailed information provide better guidance than broad descriptions used in the past, such as “difficult” or “easy.”
“We want everyone to have the same opportunities to enjoy our beautiful state parks, and this specific information helps take the guesswork out of trails for people who are unfamiliar with them,” said Greer Tidwell, deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Conservation at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. “Visitors can assess a trail based on whether it meets their specific desires and abilities. We are committed to providing all visitors the best experience possible and offering this detailed information at the parks and online shows our commitment.”
The number of parks and trails with the signs will expand across the state. Parks with trail information posted on signs at the park and online currently include:
West Tennessee
- Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
- Middle Fork Bottoms State Park
- Pickwick Landing State Park
- Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park
- Reelfoot Lake State Park
Middle Tennessee
- Fall Creek Falls State Park
- Harpeth River State Park
- Johnsonville State Historic Park
- Long Hunter State Park
- Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park
East Tennessee
- Cove Lake State Park
- Indian Mountain State Park
- Norris Dam State Park
- Panther Creek State Park
- Red Clay State Historic Park
- Rocky Fork State Park
- Seven Islands State Birding Park
- Warriors’ Path State Park
Tennessee is the first state to use High-Efficiency Trail Assessment Process (HETAP) to provide such information. This modern technology measures specific details such as length, grade and possible obstructions on a trail, helping hikers decide whether or not they want to use a trail.
Tennessee State Parks have 1,100 miles of trails. Entry to all 62 of the parks is free. For more information on the new signs or Tennessee State Parks, visit their website.
