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Big South Fork National River & Recreation AreaEyeball Arch, one of hundreds in the park.
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Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Hiking
Hikers stopping to look at wildflowers along a trail in Big South Fork.
National Park Service
Hikers on the trail to Charit Creek stop to admire wildflowers blooming in the spring.
 

Hiking in Big South Fork is one of the most popular and rewarding activities within the park.  Big South Fork has a large system of trails designed to take you  away from your vehicle and into the very heart of park.

Within the trail system there are a full range of opportunities available, from a short easy hike along the Big South Fork River to long and strenuous multiple day hikes.  There is even a section of the John Muir National Recreation Trail which passes through the park.

The information presented on the hiking trails in Tennessee and the hiking trails in Kentucky, only scratches the surface of what is available in Big South Fork.   As you plan your hiking adventure in the park, please contact the staff at either of the visitor centers for complete and up-to-date information on these and other trails in the park.  In addition, trail maps and guide books are available from Eastern National.

In an effort to make the trail system more user friendly for the wide variety of users at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area the park is implementing a new system of trailhead and trail markings.

Big South Fork has developed a new trail map depicting the authorized trail system as it currently exists on the ground which is available for download.

Black bear now live in and around Big South Fork.  

Did You Know?
In the mid-1990's black bear were released in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area to study relocation techniques and to determine whether adequate habitat existed in the area. There are now an estimated 40 - 50 bear living in and around the park.
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Last Updated: August 18, 2006 at 14:06 EST