Stewarding the Tennessee River Valley
With hundreds of thousands acres of land and water, stewarding the Tennessee River Valley takes intentional cooperation of agencies such as the TVA, non-profits, visitors, and communities along the waterways. In 2020, social distancing practices for the COVID 19 pandemic has resulted in more visitations to isolated and less trafficked destinations. With increased visitations human trash has also increased, spoiling these previously pristine locations. The remote nature of the trails, waterfalls, and vistas means that “trail fairies” are not able to keep up with careless people who leave bottles, cans, food wrappers, and human waste along the trails. Not only does trash contaminate the beauty of the scenery, but it also has a deleterious impact on native habits. Human waste can befoul streams and attract predators.
The TRV Stewardship Council routinely practices and promotes the principles of Outdoor Ethics and Leave No Trace. We ask people to practice the R’s of “Tread Lightly” while hiking, biking, or hunting. Always pack out what you pack in.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, Captain Bob Cherry cruised the 652 miles of the Tennessee River. While on the waterways, he joined in as a river steward by collecting floating debris and properly disposing of it. Several years prior, Nashville photographer, John Guilder rowed the same waters and recorded his journey through photos and narrative to document the beauty and risks to the river.
If every hiker, biker, and boater would step up and become stewards, then the Tennessee River Valley watershed will be building towards a sustainable destination for recreation, community drinking water, and animal habitat. Join our cause by helping to steward the Valley
See Where Our Trails will Take You- National Trails Day 2020
As early as the 1400s, people were living in and exploring the area, either by foot or on the waterways that connect the larger region. In the Tennessee River Valley, there are many types of trails, ranging from national historic trails to blueways. Trails are a way for people to engage with the region and to experience personalized adventures. See where our trails will lead you!
Foot travel pathways such as the planned 300 mile Cumberland Trail are providing modern day explorers opportunities for discovery unlike any other mode of transportation. The beauty of footpaths is that the trail route generally provides solitary hikes through a variety of terrain and scenic vistas. The North Chickamauga trails on Signal Mountain are conveniently located near Chattanooga and offer some of incredible views of the Tennessee River Valley Gorge. At the other end of the trail in Obed Wild and Scenic River, are waterfalls and rock pools to cool off after a day of hiking.
Along the shorelines of Muscle Shoals Reservation Trails are historical reminders of the Civil War and the industrialization of this region with the building of Wilson Dam. In 1921 prior to the TVA, Henry Ford and his partner Thomas Edison visualized building a model town and an automobile factory in this location. While that vision did not occur, Franklin Delano Roosevelt leveraged Wilson Dam and this area as the foundation of TVA and the New Deal. Today the seventeen miles of trail are held in conservation for native species and public recreation. The Muscle Shoals National Recreational Trail system is part of the northwest loop of the North Alabama Birding Trail. It has received Wildlife Habitat Council’s Conservation Certification for the enhanced wildlife habitat that the area provides.
Another history laden trail is the Natchez Trace which travels through Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and is advertised by the National Park System as 10,000 years of history. The trace served as an important travel corridor for Native Americans, early settlers, slaves and tradesmen between the two western frontier towns of Natchez, MS and Franklin, TN. The scenic byway trail is open for motorcycles, biking, hiking, and driving tours.
At mm 313 of the Natchez Trace, a shady picnic area with several picnic tables and grills sits next to Bear Creek near the Alabama-Mississippi state line. Bear Creek is one of the many paddling blueways in the Tennessee River Valley. Beginning in Tishomingo State Park, the float way provides a six mile paddle or float along the scenic boulder strewn river. Views of sandstone bluffs, forests of hardwood, and wildlife make for a serene paddle. The Valley is a destination for paddlers, from whitewater to flatwater, who recognize the miles and miles of blueways provide unhurried, uncrowded experiences.
Not all great hikes start in the woods. In center of Knoxville is the Cradle of Country Music Trail, an urban walking tour that honors the rich legacy of music history in the Tennessee River Valley. Long before Nashville became known as “music city,” singers and writers flocked to Knoxville to perform on WNOX’s Merry-Go-Round Show or on the Cas Walker’s Farm and Home Variety Show. Legendary performers including Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins, Jimmy Martin, Bill Monroe, and the Everly Brothers boosted their careers from their time performing on the shows. The Cradle of Country Music walking tour begins at the WDVX studios on Gay St. Daily, WDVX continues the long tradition of live music by hosting a live event, the Blue Plate Special. The self- guided walking tour will take you through the streets of Knoxville, where so many young performers came to seek music fame.
Say river cruise and most people think about massive crowded ships or expensive sternwheelers trips along the 652 miles of the Tennessee River from Knoxville to Paducah, KY. This same journey is possible for smaller pleasure crafts, sailboats, pontoons, cabin cruisers and even by jet skis. A tool to help you plan a customized bucket list trip on the river is Quimby’s Cruising Guide. Your trip will take you through nine locks and dams and past iconic cultural and heritage sites. Or explore one of the trails featuring local foods and beverages as another way to explore the region.
National Trails Day is more than a celebration; it is a way for people to embrace the opportunity to explore, learn, and understand the history and culture of a region or place.
Social and Cultural Experiences Lead Traveler Preferences in 2020
Have you ever read something that made you sit back and say “Yes, that is exactly it.” The story striking a chord with me was published in The Daily Californian for Earth Day 2020. In her blog titled Reevaluating how we wander the Earth: Tips to become a more conscious traveler, author, Sunny Sichi tells her readers to experience travel by being more mindful. She urges them to dig deep by “talking to locals and getting their recommendations once you’re there, or even before,” and that “recommendations from people who know the ins and outs of the place will ensure you (sic) have a fuller experience.”
We applaud the author’s perceptive understanding that the most memorable experiences will be those that include time invested in learning more about the culture and history of the destination and by traveling “like a local.” Geotourists as defined by National Geographic are Ms. Sichi’s “mindful” travelers. The principles of geotourism are not integrated in most mass tourism campaigns in spite of published studies indicating that travelers prefer authentic experiences. Recent data from the 2020 US Travel and Tourism statistics shows that there is marked traveler interest in booking activities that provide experiences in meeting new people and opportunities for “finding themselves” across most demographic groups. Also trending is solitary travel which includes solo experiences such as kayaking and volunteerism. Travelers are seeking trips that will allow them to immerse themselves into active experiences and connect with the destination’s unique geographic and cultural assets.
The ExploreTRV site is an online insider’s guide to places, events and activities recommended by locals. The mapguide encompasses a range of experiences including adventure and nature-based travel, eco- and agri-tourism, cultural and heritage travel. The indirect benefit of this guide is that it promotes a business ethic that places a high value on protecting the world’s distinctive places through wisely managed tourism and destination stewardship, while providing the visitor an authentic or in Ms. Sichi’s words, “fuller” experience.
We agree with the author and urge visitors to plan their future trips “in the most socially, culturally and environmentally responsible way” to protect the experiences for future generations.
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