Fiery Gizzard State Park: A Local’s Guide to Tennessee’s Renamed Park

If you came looking for South Cumberland State Park, you are in the right place under a new name. On October 20, 2025, Tennessee dedicated Fiery Gizzard State Park at the Foster Falls trailhead, and most of the old park’s best-known hiking now sits inside it: the Fiery Gizzard Trail, Grundy Forest, Foster Falls, Grundy Lakes and Denny Cove. The Getaway on Ranger Creek in Coalmont is about 20 minutes from the north end of it, and most of the park is within half an hour.

Is South Cumberland State Park Now Fiery Gizzard State Park?

Mostly, yes. South Cumberland State Park grew to about 30,000 acres over four decades, and between 2022 and 2025 the state split it into three parks so each could get its own management. Savage Gulf went first, in 2022, and it now holds the Stone Door and Greeter Falls. In October 2025 the rest became Fiery Gizzard State Park, named for its famous trail. A day later the state dedicated Head of the Crow State Park in Franklin County, home of the Sewanee Natural Bridge.

Expect to see the old name on older maps, trail apps and a few signs for a while. Our South Cumberland State Park guide covers how the three parks fit together.

The Fiery Gizzard Trail

The park is named for this one. The trail runs about 13 miles (12.8 by the park’s own measure) from Grundy Forest in Tracy City to Foster Falls, through a gorge of sandstone bluffs and rockhouses, and Backpacker magazine has ranked it among the top hiking trails in the country. Few people hike the whole trail in a day. End to end takes a car shuttle or a night in the backcountry.

The stretch most people mean when they say they hiked the Fiery Gizzard is the Grundy Forest Day Loop: two miles from the north trailhead, past Blue Hole Falls, Hanes Hole Falls, Cave Spring Rockhouse and the Black Canyon, a slot five feet wide and thirty feet deep. Add the spur to Sycamore Falls if you want a swim. Our Fiery Gizzard Trail guide covers the full route.

Foster Falls

The south end of the trail, and the waterfall most people drive out for. Foster Falls drops about 60 feet into a wide pool, and a short, steep walk down stone steps takes you to the base, where you can swim in warm weather. If steps are a problem, a boardwalk near the picnic area gives you the view from the top. The bluffs around the falls hold more than 150 climbing routes, so expect ropes on the walls on any nice weekend.

The best times to go and the rest of the details are in our Foster Falls guide.

Grundy Lakes

Grundy Lakes is the quiet corner of the park: four small lakes outside Tracy City with a sandy swimming beach and a fishing pier you can roll a wheelchair onto. Kayaks and canoes are welcome; gas motors are not. The trails around the water pass a long row of stone coke ovens left from the coal days, and the loop runs about two miles. There are no lifeguards, so swim with someone.

The coke ovens and the town itself get more room in our Tracy City guide.

Denny Cove

Denny Cove came into the park through climbers. The Access Fund and the Southeastern Climbers Coalition bought 685 acres in 2016 and passed them to the state, and the area opened to the public in 2017. Today it is a climbing area with well over 100 routes, plus a hike to Denny Falls, about 2.8 miles round trip and rated difficult by the park, and an overlook across the cove.

The entrance is off US-41 about a mile and a half past the Foster Falls turn, then about three quarters of a mile of gravel. The gate closes at 6:00 pm. Climbers need to register online with the park before they go.

Camping in Fiery Gizzard State Park

The park has one drive-up campground, at Foster Falls: 25 primitive sites for tents and small pop-up campers, with a bathhouse and no hookups or room for RVs. There are also four hike-in backcountry campgrounds along the trail. All sites are reservation only through Tennessee State Parks.

If you would rather end a day on the trail with a shower and a real bed, the cabins and the Geodesic Glamping Dome at The Getaway on Ranger Creek each have their own private bathroom, heat and air, power and running water, about 20 minutes from the north trailhead.

Planning a Visit

There is no entry fee, as at every Tennessee state park. The park is open daily from morning until sunset, and hikers are asked to be off the trails half an hour before dark. In December that means off the trail by about 4:00. Dogs are welcome on a leash. Bikes are not allowed on the trails.

On a first visit, start at the visitor center on US-41 between Tracy City and Monteagle. It is open 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, with maps, a small museum and rangers who can tell you about current trail conditions. The park’s page posts alerts and closures.

One honest note on the waterfalls: they run on rain. A dry spell in late summer or fall can thin Foster Falls and the Grundy Forest falls to a trickle, and the biggest flow comes in late winter and spring.

Where to Stay Near Fiery Gizzard State Park

The Getaway on Ranger Creek is in Coalmont, about 20 minutes from the north trailhead in Tracy City and about 28 from Foster Falls. Hike one end of the trail in the morning and you can be back on your deck by mid-afternoon.

The Scandinavian Cabin and the Cozy Spruce Cabin are open all year. The Geodesic Glamping Dome and the Glamping Tent close for the winter, so for a winter trip, book a cabin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is South Cumberland State Park now Fiery Gizzard State Park?

Mostly. In 2025 the remaining part of South Cumberland State Park became Fiery Gizzard State Park. It holds the Fiery Gizzard Trail, Foster Falls, Grundy Forest, Grundy Lakes and Denny Cove. Savage Gulf, with the Stone Door and Greeter Falls, became its own park in 2022, and Head of the Crow State Park took the Sewanee Natural Bridge and Buggytop Cave.

Is Foster Falls in Fiery Gizzard State Park?

Yes. Foster Falls is the south end of the Fiery Gizzard Trail and part of the park, with a campground, an overlook boardwalk and a short, steep trail to the base of the 60-foot falls. It is about 28 minutes from The Getaway on Ranger Creek.

Does Fiery Gizzard State Park charge an entry fee?

No. Tennessee state parks do not charge for entry. Campsites and backcountry sites are reserved and paid for through Tennessee State Parks.

Can you camp in Fiery Gizzard State Park?

Yes. The Foster Falls Campground has 25 primitive drive-up sites and is open all year, and four hike-in backcountry campgrounds sit along the Fiery Gizzard Trail. All sites are reservation only. For a less primitive night, the cabins at The Getaway on Ranger Creek have a private bathroom, heat and air and a real bed, about 20 minutes from the north trailhead.

Where is the Fiery Gizzard State Park visitor center?

At 11745 US-41 in Monteagle, on the road between Tracy City and Monteagle. It is open 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Two nights gives you a day on each end of the trail. Check dates for the cabins and plan the hikes around the weather.

Photo: “Foster Falls, Tennessee” by Casey Fleser, CC BY 2.0. Resized from the original.