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Friends:
I recently picked up USA Today and saw this travel advice:
“Don’t let the economy put a damper on summer travel. With the high cost of gas, this is the summer to explore small towns, state parks and attractions close to home. Most of us can probably think of 10 places within a three-hour drive where we'd like to go.”
– USA Today, June 1, 2008
As I read this article, I was glad the outdoor family fun and good nature of Tennessee State Parks are close by as we all cope with the high cost of transportation fuels. Most people are already familiar with outstanding recreational opportunities and amenities at our resort parks like Montgomery Bell and Natchez Trace. Travelers from across the country come to Fall Creek Falls State Park each year to see the highest waterfalls in the eastern United States and experience one of the most scenic, spectacular outdoor recreation resort areas in America. We also draw watersports enthusiasts to Paris Landing State Park on Kentucky Lake, Pickwick Landing State Park on Pickwick Lake and Tims Ford State Park on the Tims Ford Reservoir. Whether it’s the fishing, hiking, biking or championship golf along the twelve courses of the Tennessee Golf Trail, we have a number of State Park Super Summer Sites where you can make lifetime memories without traveling a world away this summer. We even have a Gas Price Discount package at our six park inns to help visitors offset high gas prices.
Tennessee State Parks has also created a schedule identifying distinctive destinations where visitors can explore Tennessee’s natural, cultural and historical uniqueness on less than a tank of gas this summer. Each week presents a new Less Than One Tank Trip opportunity to have a high-quality recreation, historic or cultural experience at a state park near you. From the purple blazes of the 62nd annual Rhododendron Festival at Roan Mountain State Park to oldest running outdoor drama, Liberty, at Sycamore Shoals State Park to a Butterfly Festival at Burgess Falls, there are a host of ways families can experience the good nature and compelling stories of Tennessee without breaking the bank at the fuel pump. Check out our Less Than One Tank Trip summer schedule and make plans to have an authentic Tennessee experience.
Why go across the country when what you want is already right here in Tennessee. Whether you are looking for a weekend-getaway or a full day of adventure, I encourage you and your family to discover the natural wonders of Tennessee by visiting an award-winning state park this summer.
Jim Fyke
Commissioner
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
