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Fall Creek Falls State Park offers many opportunities for nature studies and environmental education. For years, school groups, church groups and senior citizen groups have been coming to Fall Creek and visiting its numerous vistas and waterfalls, and hiking its cool mountain paths. Since the park’s creation in 1935, millions of people have been touched by the park’s beauty and have gone home richer for their experiences. The park has also provided guided hikes, tours, and slide shows to better help the visitor to understand the area’s rich cultural history and stunning natural diversity. The park offers an Environmental Education Center that will provide a two and a half day, or five-day overnight experience. This handbook is designed to guide a group leader through the process of scheduling and bringing a group through the Environmental Education Program at Fall Creek Falls State Park. |
The information in this guide covers the period roughly concurrent with the nine-month school year (Labor Day through Memorial Day). The special school rates for the Group Lodges are not available through the summer months, nor are the many special arrangement programs. During the summer vacation months, the park is near full occupancy and therefore continuous recreational and interpretive programs are offered seven days a week for general park visitors.
Background Information About Fall Creek Falls State Park
In 1935, the National Park Service proposed the creation of Fall Creek Falls State Park situated in both Van Buren and Bledsoe Counties. The original plans were to include the entire Cane Creek Gulf watershed, but only 15,777 acres of land were purchased from local farmers centering on the upper portion of the Cane Creek and Fall Creek watersheds. Workers from the Works Progress Administration began construction of the park in 1936, and by 1944 the management of the park was turned over to the fledgling Tennessee Department of Conservation. In the early stages of the park, development was kept to a minimum. The rustic park was a destination for hikers, hunters, swimmers, and other nature lovers. Camping was in an open field; groups could also stay in Youth Camp One, which was built around 1938.
An instrumental person in the development of Fall Creek Falls as a state park was James Taft, a teacher, Boy Scout leader, and preacher, who lived in the area. Taft quickly recognized the value of the area as a park and began his lobbying efforts to see it set aside for the public. Through his passionate insistence about the possibilities for this land, James Taft helped get the area set aside as a state park.
In 1968, an 8.1 million dollar bond project was approved for the development of Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park. Most of the park facilities you see today were built during that period: the Inn and Restaurant, the eighteen-hole golf course, the Nature Center, and the Village Green Complex. With the development of the resort park, visitation increased dramatically, especially during summer months.
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Basic Program Summary
Cave Trip
This exciting hike takes you through many years of history and geology. A three-mile round trip hike is involved that ventures deep into cave hollow gorge. The terrain is very steep for about ¼ mile. Old clothes (and shoes in the cave) should be worn due to the fact that caves are muddy and you will get dirty. The cave is around fifty-six degrees, so you may wish to wear a long sleeve shirt and pants inside the cave. A flashlight is required for anyone entering the cave. A water bottle must be carried due to the difficulty of the hike.
Reptiles & Amphibians
Explore the world of our native reptiles and amphibians. Learn how to identify some of our native snakes, and become familiar with the habits and traits of many species. Also, learn about our amphibians’ and reptiles’ ecological importance and life cycles.
Stream Survey
Introducing students to aquatic biology at an early age is sure to inspire curiosity! This program is designed to teach students how to take a qualitative sample of aquatic invertebrates, identify them, and make predictions about water quality from their samples. To reinforce the importance of data collection and record keeping in science, we also record water temperature, stream flow, and the stream profile.
Night Hike
When the sun goes down the night comes alive! Many animals that sleep during the day come out to forage at night. A quiet walk in the dark around the golf course is a great way to observe nightlife. The golf course pond usually reveals a plethora of amphibian and reptile life. The groups frequently encounter deer, raccoons, owls, etc.
Forest Ecology/Geology Hike to the base of Fall Creek Falls
Enjoy a three-mile hike from the Nature Center to Fall Creek Falls and back. While on the hike, one can observe the two types of forest indigenous to the Cumberland Plateau, native herbs, and geological features common to the area. We will discuss environmental problems facing the Cumberland Plateau today, as well as the results of land usage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We will observe plant, animal, and fungal communities on the plateau top; and witness the change in community structure as we descend into the rich, moist environment of Fall Creek Gorge.
Native Americans and Pioneers
We will canoe to our Indian Rock House and find out about the Native Americans and Pioneers that used this area. This program discusses how these settlers survived with the materials and resources of the Cumberland Plateau. If the water level is too high for canoeing, we can hike along the creek bank to our program site.
Alternate Night Activities
(please check for availability well in advance)Programs are:
Campfire – Myths of Native Americans, folklore of early Pioneers, and spook tales of the Fall Creek Falls area. If raining, it may be done indoors at Group Lodge One.
Constellations – Looking up at the night sky to decipher and hear stories of the stars, if the night is cloudy, then a slide show is shown with discussion.
Reptiles, and Amphibians – The reptile program may be used as a night program if you wish.
Tennessee Curriculum
Our programs emphasize many of Tennessee’s Science Curriculum Standards “Accomplishments” for grade levels 4 – 8. We will adapt our programs to your school’s specific needs if we are given prior notice. A list is provided that shows a few examples of the topics we cover that relate directly to the Tennessee Curriculum for your grade level. Because some grade levels have more life science and ecology scheduled into their curriculum (5th and 6th grade), older groups may find it helpful to review topics from earlier years. We try to present topics that build on the knowledge that students acquired in previous grade levels so that all students will find their trip challenging and educational.The bold face topics shown for each grade correlate directly with the headings listed on the State of Tennessee’s education website. If you need activities covering headings that are not listed here, contact the E. E. Coordinator for assistance.
