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Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, TN – Volunteer Vacation 2024

June 9 @ 5:00 pm - June 15 @ 10:00 am

Trip Navigation

With scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is rich with natural and historic features. Enjoy the Cumberland Plateau through Big South Fork’s 125,000 acres of tributaries, natural bridges, and wilderness.

Volunteers will get to enjoy the Twin Arches area, designated as a state natural area and managed by Big South Fork National River and Recreation. These arches are the highest arches east of the Mississippi. The trail goes over one of the arches and provides a beautiful view of the valley below. Volunteers will repair tread, build water bars, boardwalks, remove vegetation and repair/replace ladders. Volunteers will use hand tools such as shovels, rakes, handsaws, hand drills, and hammers. Volunteers will drive or carpool to the trailhead. Hiking will be required from the trailhead to the area of work. The trail is steep in most areas and will require sturdy shoes. The hike will vary from 1-2 miles daily.

During this trip,Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area’s average high temperature is 84°, and average low temperature: 64°

There is no experience needed to join a Volunteer Vacation! Your expert hosts will provide detailed instruction, tool demonstrations, and project oversight throughout the week. All you need is a willing attitude and to be in good physical condition to participate in moderate physical activity for approximately 6-8 hours a day with plenty of breaks, at your own pace. Find out more about what it’s like to join a Volunteer Vacation and other frequently asked questions here.

AHS acknowledges with gratitude that this project takes place on the traditional lands of the ᏣᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee, East), S’atsoyaha (Yuchi), and Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee) peoples past and present. We honor the land itself, the Indigenous communities who have stewarded this land for generations, their deep and sacred connection to these lands, and those who continue to steward these lands today. We offer this land acknowledgement as the first of many steps to stand as an ally and amplify Indigenous voices. We invite the American Hiking Society community to join us through continued efforts to support Indigenous communities and learn more about the history of the lands on which we live, work and recreate.

Click here for a PDF of trip details.

Host

National Park Service

Accommodations

Car Camping Tent Sites

Hiking/Access

Volunteers will drive or carpool to the trailhead. Hiking will be required from the trailhead to the area of work. The trail is steep in most areas and will require sturdy shoes. The hike will vary from 1-2 miles daily.

Project Rating

Moderate

Minimum Volunteer Age

16

Maximum Group Size

10

Area and Attractions

Big South Fork is home to hiking trails, horseback riding, rock climbing, and more. Ample natural features are ready to be explored. Pickett State Park and Daniel Boone National Forest are in close proximity. The Daniel Boone National Forest offers numerous recreational activities and magnificent scenery. Pickett State Park has a lake with canoe rentals for paddling and/or fishing. Visit the Blue Heron Mining Community, a coal mining town once owned by the Stearns Coal and Lumber Company. Enjoy a train ride with Big South Fork Scenic Railway from Stearns into Blue Heron.

Accommodations Description

Volunteers will stay at a group campground with a bathhouse that includes showers and toilets, a screened-in pavilion, picnic tables, water, fireplace and grill. Volunteers will need to bring their personal camping gear, bedding, towels, and toiletries.

Travel

McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, Tennessee is the closest major airport. Airport pick up and drop off is not available for volunteers, however carpooling and rideshare can be arranged upon confirmation of the trip. Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is about 2 hours and 30 minutes from McGhee Tyson Airport.

Location

Bandy Creek Visitor Center
151 Stable Road, Oneida, TN 37841 United States + Google Map
Website:
View Location Website
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