Prentice Cooper State Forest is located in southeastern Tennessee, in Marion
County. The forest is approximately 10 miles west of Chattanooga and is heavily
utilized by the public. It is situated on the scenic Tennessee River Gorge. The
property for Prentice Cooper was acquired by simple purchase between 1938 and
1944. The site was proclaimed a State Forest in 1945. Sixty-nine percent of the
forest are in multiple-use regulated forests and the remainder is in conservation
areas. Approximately 6,939 acres are designated as unregulated scenic zones
that protect this view shed and other scenic areas of the forest. Hicks Gap Natural
Area (350 acres) also occurs in the forest and was developed to protect the
federally endangered Large-flowered Skullcap. The forest also includes several
in-holdings owned by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and 3 cemeteries.
Management activities of the forest focus primarily on sustainable timber
management, forest management demonstration and wildlife habitat improvement
while maintaining recreational opportunities for the public. There are 35 miles of
hiking trails, including the south end of the Cumberland Trail State Park. There
also are two designated camping areas. Tennessee Department of Agriculture,
Forestry Division has provided labor and portions of the forest for various types of
research in collaboration with the University of Tennessee. Hunting has been a
traditional use of the forest. Other recreational activities include OHV use in
designated areas, rock climbing, hiking, Mountain biking, horseback riding, bird
watching, and camping.
http://www.stateparks.com/prentice_cooper.html
On June 22, 1998, TN State Parks announced the creation of the Cumberland Trail State Park, Tennessee's 53rd State Park and the only state park of its kind. In September 2002, the park was renamed the park Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park in recognition of Wilson's dedication and leadership in catalyzing efforts to build the trail.
Upon completion, the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park -- the state's only linear park -- will be 300 miles, cutting through 11 Tennessee counties from the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park on the Tennessee-Virginia-Kentucky border, to the Signal Point near Chattanooga.
One hundred fifty miles of the Cumberland Trail are open and ready for exploration. This includes the Cumberland Mountain Segments above LaFollette and Jacksboro and in the Cumberland Gap National Military Park, the Grassy Cove Segment on Black and Brady Mountain in Cumberland County, the Tennessee River Gorge Segment in Prentice Cooper State Forest, and the Obed Wild and Scenic River Segment in the Obed River Gorge and Catoosa WMA.
The Cumberland Trail wanders among the remnants of the Cumberland Mountains that once rose as high as the Rockies. The trail represented a barrier to all who dared push through storied gaps westward onto and over the Cumberland plateau. It now provides a linkage north to south, forming natural connections and opportunities for scenic vistas and curious geological formations.
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/CumberlandTrail/index.shtml#hiking
12,000 acres with approximately 100 miles of dirt roads/trails. Multi-use trails open to motor vehicles, ATV's, hiking, horseback riding. Roads/trails can be a mix of dirt, gravel, or rocks. Terrain varies from very easy to very steep.
Address: Marion County, TN
Related activities: trail riding, hiking
Map(s) and directions: From Chattanooga, take Hwy 27 to Signal Mountain exit. Turn right onto Signal Mountain Rd. Turn left onto Hwy 27 (Suck Creek Rd.) Do not go up the mountain on Hwy 127. Continue on Hwy 27 for approximately 8 miles (into Marion County). Watch for sign of your left that says Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management Area. Turn left at that sign. Bear to left again at junction, and turn left at next road. Small sign says Prentice Cooper WMA. Go about one mile to check-in station on your left. Park at check-in station. Maps available through Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, 615-484-9571 or 800-262-6704. Prentice Cooper manager's office 615-658-2726.
Activity type: easy to difficult
Dates/Hours: dawn to dusk. Closed during managed hunts. Camping at check-in station lot or Davis Pond.
Estimated time: varies
http://www.outdoorchattanooga.com
Flora: The Vascular Flora of Prentice Cooper State Forest and Wildlife
Management Area, Tennessee
John T. Beck* and Gene S. Van Horn
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37403-2598 The vascular plants of Tennessee's Prentice Cooper State Forest and Wildlife Management Area (PCSFWMA) were gathered from the growing seasons of 1998 through 1999 and the summer of 2005. The ca. 10,300 ha tract of eastern deciduous forest comprises 137 families, 536 genera, and 1,070 species or lesser taxa. Five hundred and eighteen new county records were documented as well as two notable state records, Galium uniflorum and Macrothelypteris torresiana. Nineteen taxa of either state or federal listing were documented or examined. PCSFWMA has 192 introduced species, comprising 17.9% of the total flora and constituting 56.6% of Tennessee's listed invasive exotic pest species. Association coefficients of seven southeastern Appalachian floras were compared to elucidate several floristic similarities and dissimilarities.
Prentice Cooper State Forest has a number of interesting trails and is within 25 minutes of downtown Chattanooga. Possibly the most interesting portion of trail in the forest is the section from Snooper's Rock to the Indian Rock House on the Mullen's Creek Loop Trail and which runs mostly along the Tennessee River Gorge. This section is about 4 miles in length and is easy. (The loop is 10.2 miles total.) It is mostly level, however there are some rocky places and moderate climbs. It may be hiked in either direction from the Cumberland trail parking area or from the Snooper's Rock parking area. The accompanying photos (taken on the club New Year's Day hike, 1998) show a portion of this trail near the Indian Rock House. The top inset is a view of the Tennessee River from one of the many overlooks along the trail and the other inset is the view from Snooper's Rock. The longest and most difficult trail in Prentice Cooper is a portion of the Cumberland Trail which runs from the Indian Rock House across Suck Creek road (State27) by Edward's Point to Signal Point.
The Chattanooga Hiking Club maintains the Pot Point Loop Trail which is 11.9 miles and includes such interesting features as Snooper's Rock (where it connects to the Mullen's Cove Loop) and the Natural Bridge. (See inset photo). The trail runs along the top of the bridge. To reach Prentice Cooper from Chattanooga, take I24 to US27 across the river and exit on Signal Mt. Boulevard(US127). Turn left on Suck Creek Road (state 27) to the top of Signal Mountain. Turn left at the sign for Prentice Cooper and follow the signs to the Cumberland Trail parking area. The Cumberland Trail Conference provides a map of this area on their web site Please note there is hunting allowed in Prentice Cooper during which times it is closed to hikers. Prentice Cooper hunt dates are noted elsewhere on this website.
http://hiking.chattanooga.net/nearby3.htm