Key Cumberland Trail Expansion Secured Near Wartburg
Nashville, Tennessee (October 16, 2025) — In April 2025, TennGreen Land Conservancy acquired approximately 58 acres near Wartburg to expand the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park and 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.
“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,” said Alice Hudson Pell, TennGreen’s Executive Director.
The newly 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 provides vital habitat for high-priority species including green salamanders (Aneides aeneus) and cerulean warblers (Setophaga cerulea).
This park expansion also lies within one of TennGreen’s strategic focal areas—the Emory watershed—and was made possible through a generous grant from The Nature Conservancy, via Justin P. Wilson.
“The Nature Conservancy is proud to support the expansion of the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park,” said Laurel Creech, State Director for The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee. “Thanks to Justin Wilson’s vision and generosity, we’ve helped protect vital lands in the Appalachian Region, one of the most resilient and biodiverse regions on Earth. We’re grateful to TennGreen Land Conservancy for advancing this shared conservation mission.”
CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS CONTINUE TRAIL EXPANSION
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. The newly acquired property marks another milestone in this ongoing effort.
“At Tennessee State Parks, our mission is to protect, preserve and share Tennessee’s special places to help all our visitors fall in love with our state,” State Parks’ Deputy Commissioner Greer Tidwell added. “While we work tirelessly to uphold this responsibility, our greatest accomplishments are only possible through the collaboration of our nonprofit partners like TennGreen. Together, we can achieve remarkable things for Tennessee’s lands and people.”
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.
If you or anyone you know stands ready to protect land along the Cumberland Trail or anywhere in Tennessee, please contact us at land@tenngreen.org.
Learn more about the Cumberland Trail by clicking here.
TennGreen Land Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit and the oldest accredited statewide land conservancy in Tennessee. TennGreen’s mission is to conserve land where people and nature can thrive. Through sound science and partnerships, TennGreen identifies and conserves land across Tennessee for wildlife corridors, critical habitat, and public benefit. TennGreen protects, cares for, and connects people with Tennessee’s natural world by providing meaningful outdoor experiences, establishing conservation easements, supporting restoration efforts, and acquiring (or assisting in the acquisition of) privately held land.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 81 countries and territories (40 by direct conservation impact and 41 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners.
