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Sherwood Forest State Natural Area, TN – Volunteer Vacation 2024

September 1 @ 5:00 pm - September 7 @ 10:00 am

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Experience the joy of building a new trail for outdoor recreationists to enjoy for many years to come! Join this project at Sherwood Forest State Natural Area, a 3,075-acre designated State Natural Area, located near South Cumberland State Park. Home to the federally endangered Morefield’s Leather Flower and the federally threatened painted snake coiled forest snail, this area is a haven for enjoying a variety of plant and animal species.

This project will be centered around the continued construction of the new Head of the Crow trail at South Cumberland State Park. Starting atop the rolling flats of the Cumberland Plateau, this trail soon dips down onto the steep sides of the adjacent gorge. It is here, on the rocky, beautifully wooded slopes, where the work begins. Taught by master trail builders, this Volunteer Vacation is sure to provide new skills and experience, and a sense of comradery and accomplishment. The hike to the worksite will include 200 feet of elevation change on rocky logging roads. Hiking distance traveled one-way could be up to 3/4 mile.

During this trip, Sherwood Forest State Natural Area’s average high temperature is 82°, and average low temperature is 63°.

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

South Cumberland State Park

Accommodations

Cabin/Lodge

Hiking/Access

The hike to the worksite will include 200 feet of elevation change on rocky logging roads. Hiking diistance traveled one-way could be up to 3/4 mile.

Project Rating

Very Strenuous

Minimum Volunteer Age

16

Maximum Group Size

14

Area and Attractions

This park is in the southern Cumberland Plateau region of Tennessee. This is a forested plateau that is dissected by 1,000 ft gorges. The gorges, locally known as "gulfs" or "coves" are rimmed with sandstone cliffs with numerous limestone caves in the lower elevations and seasonal waterfalls throughout. There are no shortages of outdoor recreational activities in the area, which include hiking, caving, rock climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding, swimming, boating, fishing, hunting, bird watching, and Sunday driving. The Location is an hour from Chattanooga, TN and an hour and a half from both Nashville, TN and Huntsville, AL.

Accommodations Description

Volunteers will stay in a bunkhouse outfitted with 8 bunk beds (divided in 2 rooms), with plenty of space outside for hammocks or tents. There are 3.5 baths and a full kitchen including outdoor grill. WIFI available. Volunteers need to bring their own sleeping bags or linens, towels, and personal toiletries.

Travel

Nashville International Airport in Nashville, 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. Sherwood Forest State Natural Area is a 1 hour and 40-minute drive from Nashville International Airport.

Location

Sherwood Forest State Natural Area
301 Lois Lane, Sewanee, TN 37375 United States + Google Map
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