Education
The South Cumberland State Parks are amazing and impactful examples of the best possible classroom, the natural world. Through a variety of programs and experiences that involve both direct and indirect education, we hope to utilize these powerful resources in order to inform and inspire people of all ages. Each event has different primary goals and reaches different audiences, but among our many goals are:
Helping people be confident and safe in the outdoors.
Promoting healthy recreational activities.
Enriching the visitor’s experience in the parks by expanding their understanding of the ecology and history of the area.
Developing a deeper understanding of the interaction and interdependence of people and the natural world.
Inspiring awe in the wonders and beauty of creation.
Promoting pride of place.
Experiencing a deeper understanding of ecology, geology, natural history, human history, and American history and the ways in which they have impacted each other throughout time.
PROGRAMS
Every Child in the Parks
The Education Committee of Friends of the Parks works with area schools to plan and lead day-long field trips in the parks that include standards-based educational and adventure activities designed to highlight and align the grade-level curriculum, selected aspects of each park, and the capabilities of the age group. Although all of these students live within just a few miles of the state park, we find that the majority have never visited one. Whether they have or not, all students learn to see the natural world – and their plateau home – in new ways.
In the 2023-2024 school year, we hosted every 4th and 5th grader in Grundy County public schools. Since then, we have continued to grow the program by adding both more schools and additional grade levels. In 2025-2026 we expanded the program to include all students in grades 1 through 5, from all Grundy County schools, plus Monteagle and Sewanee elementary schools.
Cumberland Forest School
Friends of the Parks hosts Cumberland Forest School, a uniquely impactful and research-based educational model that leverages the natural world as classroom and teacher for preschool students, homeschool support for ages 6-11, day camps, and after-school programming. The home base for CFS is natural campus adjacent to the South Cumberland Visitor Center, and it is supplemented by a variety of natural settings in the area, both in and outside the parks.
Adventure Programing for Middle and High School Students
On occasion Friends of the Parks will offer adventure activities in the parks such as climbing trips, hiking adventures, and water activities. To plan and lead these activities we partner with highly trained instructors, including folks such as park rangers and certified climbing instructors from High Point Climbing in Chattanooga.
Tennessee Naturalist Program
Friends of the Parks hosts, curates, and delivers world class naturalist education and Tennessee Naturalist certification through the Tennessee Naturalist Program. See more detailed information by clicking here or on the TNP link above in the “What We Do” menu.
Trails & Trilliums
Trails & Trilliums is a weekend-long naturalist rally, put on by the Friends of the Parks. Headquartered at the Beersheba Springs Assembly in Beersheba Springs, Tennessee, the festival offers a slate of guided hikes and walks as well as nature-themed presentations, workshops, and exhibits. See more detailed information by clicking here or on the Trails & Trilliums link on the main menu above.