Design Work Underway On White County’s New State Park

TDEC’s Deputy Commissioner said changes being made to what will eventually be Scott’s Gulf Wilderness State Park in White County would be noticeable this time next year.

Greer Tidwell said the state park system is currently hiring park rangers. He said TDEC would also be adding amenities to the area like a visitor’s center, bathrooms, and ranger stations as well as upgrading and maintaining parking lots and roads.

“We’re pushing ahead on design reviews for those buildings and locations and they’ll be an opportunity for some public input in terms of design and location and plans for the park as we go further along,” Tidwell said.

Earlier this year, the state announced $27.8 million would go toward combining Virgin Falls, Dog Cove, and Lost Creek State Natural Area to create the new park. Tidwell said a land transfer between TWRA and TDEC was completed over the summer.

“This exciting transfer of jurisdiction between TWRA and State Parks exemplifies the kind of collaboration and team work that I think Tennesseans deserve among state agencies,” Tidwell said. “It was great working with TWRA on that.”

The TWRA received land south of Virgin Falls and Lost Creek and will use it to expand hunting areas by 5,000 acres.

“It made sense both for the mission of the Wildlife Resource Agency as well as the mission for State Parks to pull that land that involved that gulf along the Caney Fork River over into being a part of the future Scott Gulf’s Wilderness State Park,” Tidwell said.