Stewart Creek Gorge
Adjacent to Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Pickett CCC Memorial State Park, Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area (SNA) contains incredible landscapes, biodiversity, and adventurous hiking trails for explorers. In spring 2022, TennGreen Land Conservancy and partners expanded Pogue Creek Canyon SNA through the acquisition and transfer of 227 acres along Stewart Creek Gorge.
The Allardt Land Company generously donated the Stewart Creek Gorge property to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s State Natural Areas program. This significant land contribution, spearheaded by TennGreen, not only expands the popular Pogue Creek Canyon SNA but also protects sensitive habitat and increases outdoor recreation opportunities. Several rare plant species can be found in the area, including Cumberland sandwort, which was delisted as an endangered species in 2022. The donated Stewart Creek Gorge property also has a fascinating history and, at one time, was owned by writer Mark Twain.
This success adds to TennGreen and its partners’ conservation impact in the area. In 2005, The Nature Conservancy acquired Pogue Creek Canyon to conserve the Gorge and transferred it to the State in 2006. Since that time, TennGreen and partners have expanded and protected additional lands adjacent to the 3,000-acre SNA, including land sold at discounts or donated by Doyle Newburry & Ron Bickenese, Charles Allan Musto, and Mary Lynn Dobson.