Displaying items by tag: obed national wild and scenic river

Hikers walk along Ramsey Creek during a dry time. Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning has assembled land to be turned over to the National Park Service to expand public lands at the Obed Wild and Scenic River.  Chuck Estes/Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning

There’s more room to roam in the Cumberlands thanks to Oak Ridge-based citizens group

WARTBURG — As East Tennesseans and tourists alike enjoy summer fun on the wild Obed River, enthusiasts are growing its amount of federally protected land.

Part of the U.S. National Park Service system, the Obed Wild and Scenic River in Cumberland and Morgan Counties on Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau offers swimming, hiking, picnicking, kayaking, fishing and climbing at the federally protected park. It currently includes about 45 miles along streams like the Obed and Emory Rivers. 

Residents of Oak Ridge, a little less than an hour’s drive away, created Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning (TCWP) and lobbied to create the federally protected area in 1976. Now, the same group, through fundraising and land swaps with anonymous private individuals, has gained 30 acres on which it plans to build a trail connected to the federal land.

The sandstone cliffs of the Obed Wild and Scenic River area provide sport-climbing opportunities rare for the Southeast. Visiting climbers inject an estimated $770,000 per year into the area economy.  Mark Large via National Park Service

Obed rock climbers spend $770k annually on area visits; gas and short-term rentals top spending categories

WARTBURG — Rock climbers visiting the Obed Wild and Scenic River, a unit of the National Park Service located between Knoxville and Crossville in the Upper Cumberland Plateau, annually spend about $768,000 at local businesses, according to a new study.

A recent analysis released by the Access Fund, the Southeastern Climbers Coalition and the East Tennessee Climbers Coalition evaluated tourism and spending in several prominent climbing locations in Tennessee, including the Obed.

The study reported 12,000 total estimated annual climbing visits to the Obed and the majority (62 percent) of those climbers stayed overnight while visiting the Obed. The economic impact of the spending sectors included short-term housing rentals (43 percent), gasoline (21 percent), dine-in restaurants (19 percent), fast food, groceries and snacks (10 percent), camping (4 percent) and hotels (3 percent). 

Demographics analysis of the overall study found that two thirds of the respondents self-identified as male, 85 percent identified as white, 88 percent had at least a four-year college degree and 66 percent had an average annual income of more than $50,000.

The Obed Wild and Scenic River protects 45 miles of river and steep gorges which contain rock formations that are excellent for climbing. The area contains more than 400 climbing routes and is also a destination for bouldering, climbing on large, exposed boulders.

A Youth Conservation Corps team performs trail maintenance at Obed Wild and Scenic River during a summer YCC program at the park.  National Park Service

WARTBURG — 2024’s Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) team at the Obed Wild and Scenic River spent their summer working to maintain and enhance hiking trails. The YCC is a paid summer work program for youth ages 15-18 on federally managed lands. Since its inception in 1970, the YCC has introduced young Americans to conservation opportunities on public lands. 

This year’s YCC team members include Lydia Barnett from Gateway Christian School, Emma Foust from Anderson County High School and Jimmy Hall, Haylee Morgan and Joshua Stedman from Wartburg Central High School.

Youth Conservation Corps members engage in activities that restore, rehabilitate and repair the natural, cultural and historical resources within federally preserved areas. The crew is led by National Park Service staff, who provide transportation, supervision, training and education. Students acquire basic trade skills and learn about cultural and environmental topics, fostering a sense of stewardship toward park resources. The program also includes instructor-led recreational activities, educational field trips and classroom instruction. 

The completion of this year’s YCC project will extend the lifespan of trail assets and  components, enhancing visitor satisfaction and safety. Participating youth will gain new skills, improve teamwork and develop a deeper understanding of environmental impact, contributing to the National Park Service’s mission.

Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning Executive Director Sandra Goss is nearing retirement after decades of tending to the environmental issues facing East Tennessee and the Cumberland Plateau.At cusp of retirement, Sandra Goss reflects on what she and others have saved

This is the latest installment of an occasional series, Hellbent, profiling citizens who work to preserve and improve the Southern Appalachian environment.

OAK RIDGE — I can see the view of Lilly Bluff Overlook at Obed Wild and Scenic River in my mind. The trees are bare save some evergreens. The stream I love to splash around in during warmer times is flowing between the slopes. 

I can see the cliff face in the distance. It would be a great place to interview Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning (TCWP) Executive Director Sandra Goss; after all she and her organization helped preserve the area. It’s also near the places she grew up. She cited the experiences as inspiring her conservation ethic.

Earlier this winter, the Christmas tree in Oak Ridge’s Jackson Square was on its side due to icy gusts and I’ve called off meeting with Goss in person at Panera to avoid torturing her or me with the elements. We could hike, but not stand around.

I’ve seen her at TCWP Christmas parties in Oak Ridge and on hikes though, so just like Lilly Bluff, I can imagine her silver-white hair, smile and glasses as I speak to her by phone. I hear her accent, more Southern Appalachian than the Yankee-ish Oak Ridge accent I speak, nodding to her origin in Crossville.

Goss is retiring Aug. 31, and she’s looking back on her work and forward to the break.

Volunteers are needed to improve and maintain climbing and approach areas at the Obed.  National Park Service

WARTBURG — The Obed Wild and Scenic River will host the park’s annual Adopt-a-Crag event on Saturday, Sept. 11 in cooperation with the East Tennessee Climbers Coalition.

Volunteers are needed to help with a variety of projects, including general trail maintenance and litter pickup. Participants should meet at the Lilly Pad Hopyard Brewery at 9 a.m. to register and receive a project assignment. Carpooling is suggested, and volunteers should bring their own lunch, water, hand tools and gloves.

When the work is done, volunteers are invited to spend the day climbing, kayaking or hiking. The ETCC plans a volunteer appreciation dinner that evening at the Lilly Pad.

For more information, contact the Obed Wild and Scenic River at (423) 346-6294.

2021 economic numbers prove small parks have big impacts

ONEIDA — Both the Obed National Wild and Scenic River and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area offer wilderness options free of the hassles associated with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country.

The Cumberland Plateau-area destinations continue to grow in popularity as more tourists seek solace in nature, a trend that began during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Those tourists also spend millions of dollars in nearby rural communities, some of which face chronic economic challenges.