Morgan County

Wartburg Castle Chapel

Project Partners

The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

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In 2025, TennGreen Land Conservancy acquired approximately 58 acres near Wartburg to expand the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park (the Cumberland Trail). This important acquisition strengthens the long-term vision of connecting Tennessee’s first linear park from the Morgan County Visitor Center to Frozen Head State Park.

The acquired property lies within several significant conservation planning areas, including the Catoosa, Frozen Head, and Upper Cumberland Areas of Interest (as designated by the Heritage Conservation Trust Fund) and the Catoosa/Emory River Conservation Opportunity Area. It also lies within one of TennGreen’s strategic focal areas—the Emory watershed—and provides vital habitat for high-priority species including green salamanders (Aneides aeneus) and cerulean warblers (Setophaga cerulea).

For decades, TennGreen has participated in the Cumberland Trail Acquisition Task Force, a collaborative group of conservation partners dedicated to ensuring the completion and connectivity of the Cumberland Trail. Acquiring this property marks another milestone in that ongoing effort. TennGreen is grateful to The Nature Conservancy for making this conservation win possible through a generous grant via Justin P. Wilson.

The Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park stretches more than 300 miles across eastern Tennessee and is envisioned to one day run from Cumberland Gap National Historical Park to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Each land protection project helps bring this vision closer to reality, while also preserving Tennessee’s diverse natural heritage for future generations.

TennGreen has long been committed to advancing the vision of the Cumberland Trail, and this acquisition represents an important step in enhancing trail connectivity while protecting ecologically rich lands.

Alice Hudson Pell, Executive Director, TennGreen Land Conservancy