Responsible Recreation
Responsible Recreation at Tennessee State Parks
Time spent outdoors is priceless, and so are the public lands that we enjoy.
Tennessee State Parks are free for everyone to enjoy and open 365 days a year. By practicing responsible recreation, we can all protect our public lands and leave them better than before.
Steps to Responsibly Recreate
Learn and Prepare Before You Go
Preparing for your time in Tennessee State Parks helps ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. Here are a few things you should do before heading out:
- Gather information about your destination and activities using the park's webpage.
- Stay up to date on weather and park alerts.
- Plan trip activities to match your skills and abilities.
- Bring or get a park map from the visitor center.
Reduce Your Impact on Trails
Trails are designed to reduce human impact on the natural environment. Stick to designated trails and avoid shortcuts to protect fragile plant life and respect wildlife habitats.
- Stay on designated trails.
- Don’t take shortcuts.
- Dispose of all trash and pet waste properly. Don’t leave them on the trail.
- Don’t build rock cairns.
Take Everything You Bring
Everything you bring into the park or natural area must be taken with you or disposed of in the appropriate containers. Only pack in what you can pack out.
- When you're packing, think to yourself, "Can I carry this out with me?"
- Remove items from their commercial packaging before packing.
- Leave outdoor areas better than you found them.
- Make sure the areas of the park you spend time in are clean before leaving.
Leave What You Find
“Take only pictures, leave only footprints." All visitors should abide by this adage. Take all the pictures you want, but please leave plants, animals, and artifacts where you find them.
- Don't remove plants or wildlife. Exceptions include legally caught fish.
- Don't remove artifacts. You can always tell a Park Ranger about your findings.
- Don't move firewood. Only certified heat-treated firewood is allowed to enter the state park.
- You may have seen a man-made tower of stacked rocks outside. These structures are called rock cairns and cause erosion, damage animal ecosystems, and disrupt river flow. Please don’t build these structures.
Practice Fire Safety
Fires should be contained within fire rings that are provided at most Tennessee State Parks campgrounds and cabins. Practice these fire safety tips to make sure you're playing it safe:
- Check for burn bans. If the area you’re visiting has a burn ban in effect, don't have a fire.
- Only bring certified heat-treated firewood into a state park. Most of our parks with campgrounds offer firewood for sale at the camp store or visitor center.
- Keep your fire small.
- Stay with the fire until it is completely out.
Respect Wildlife
Encountering wildlife is one of the things that makes park visits so special. To help wildlife stay wild and keep yourself safe, follow these tips for respecting wildlife.
- Keep your distance.
- Don't attempt to touch wildlife.
- Never attempt to feed wildlife.
- Keep your pets on a leash at all times.
Share The Space and Be Considerate
People come to the outdoors to experience the sights and sounds of nature. Be respectful of others and try not to detract from another visitor's experience with your actions.
- Let other hikers pass.
- Don’t use loudspeakers to listen to music.
- Help fellow visitors when you can.
- Keep your pet on a leash at all times.
Inspiration
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