The mission of the Cumberland Trails Conference is to provide paid and volunteer labor, equipment, supplies and vehicles to design and construct the Cumberland Trail under the auspices of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
The continued development and construction of the Cumberland Trail is accomplished through a working relationship between the Cumberland Trails Conference (CTC), the Cumberland Trail State Scenic Park, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. The CTC, private corporations, foundations, individuals, and others assist TDEC in raising funds for land acquisition, providing maintenance, and further developing the Cumberland Trail.
The Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail State Park operates a professional trail crew mostly in the north sections.
The Cumberland Trails Conference also maintains a professional trail crew that works twelve months a year. Additional labor comes from thousands of hours of volunteer service provided through the CTC, including through the CTC BreakAway, a college Alternative Spring Break program.
CTC is a non-profit 501-(c)(3) membership organization.
What is the Cumberland Trail?
The Cumberland Trail is an extensive foot trail constructed and maintained largely by volunteers from Tennessee and across the nation. The Trail is managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).
Building the Cumberland Trail is a grassroots effort, driven by communities along the trail, government agencies, and a broad network of volunteers. This successful private/public partnership is a model often cited to demonstrate the power of volunteerism and public/private partnerships.
When completed, the Cumberland Trail will extend more than 300 miles from its northern terminus in Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Kentucky to its southern terminus at the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park located on Signal Mountain just outside Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Cumberland Trail Segments
The scenic footpath follows a line of high ridges and deep gorges along or near the rugged, eastern edge of Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau. The trail offers a unique wilderness experience and many scenic views, waterfalls, landscapes, gorges, wildlife, and widely varying flora. As a remote, back-country trail, it meanders through eleven Tennessee counties, on lands managed by Tennessee’s Departments of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), and Tennessee Forestry.
There are more than 50 trail heads for the 12 Segments and 28 Sections of the 210 open miles on the Cumberland Trail.
Below the map are links to these 12 segments with their trail sections. Click on the links to get maps to sections of each segment.
Report Trail Conditions
Please report adverse trail conditions to the Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail State Park
headquarters at: 423-566-2229 or send an email to cumberland.trail@tn.gov
Volunteers Needed
Volunteer hours so far in 2023
North Chick Creek
Volunteer Event
June 16th & 17th @ 8:30 am – Noon EDT
Meet at: North Chick Creek Trailhead off Montlake Road.
Read more here
Contact savana@cumberlandtrail.org with questions.
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Naomi Moon2023-03-28 12:19:272023-03-28 12:20:00Partnering with Responsible Stewardship
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Naomi Moon2023-03-01 12:46:302023-03-01 12:47:54February 2023 News
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Naomi Moon2023-02-21 16:20:222023-02-21 16:22:26Tennessee Trails Association Awards CTC the Evan Means Grant
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Naomi Moon2023-02-12 13:32:232023-02-12 13:32:23Cumberland Trails Conference names new executive director
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Naomi Moon2023-02-04 13:48:092023-02-04 13:49:50January 2023 News
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Naomi Moon2023-01-31 09:16:372023-01-31 09:25:45Wildflowers & Wonders Art Auction
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Naomi Moon2022-12-30 16:19:552022-12-30 16:21:21December 2022 News
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Naomi Moon2022-12-28 15:55:012022-12-28 15:55:01Tennessee Trails Association supports the Cumberland Trails Conference through Evan Means Grant.
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Naomi Moon2022-11-30 10:21:122022-11-30 10:21:54November 2022 News
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Naomi Moon2022-11-22 09:24:042022-11-22 09:30:31Big Fun at November Volunteer Trailbuilding Event
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Naomi Moon2022-11-22 09:20:142022-11-22 09:20:48Rhea County awards CTC $10,000 for trailwork in Rhea County
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Naomi Moon2022-11-15 19:45:242022-11-15 19:49:03Volunteer Spotlight – Dustin Davis
