Footbridges, fall leaves and a piece of frontier history
Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park near Flag Pond, Tennessee, protects about 2,000 acres of the Rocky Fork watershed against the Cherokee National Forest. It became Tennessee’s 55th state park in 2012 and was renamed in 2019 for former senator Lamar Alexander, who helped secure the money to buy the land.
We went in late October 2023 at the height of fall color. The trail follows Rocky Fork past cascades and over a long footbridge, then turns up Flint Creek.
🥾 The Flint Creek battle site
The Flint Creek Trail leads to the site of a 1788 fight on the frontier, marked with a simple sign in the woods by the creek.
🥾 Trail facts
- Trail: Flint Creek Trail, about 1.4 miles one way to the battle site (REI; other sources say 2 miles)
- Park: about 2,076 acres; designated in 2012, opened in 2015, renamed in 2019
- Managed by: Tennessee State Parks
Trail facts checked October 2026. Sources: Tennessee State Parks: Rocky Fork, tn.gov, 2012, tn.gov, 2019. Trail lengths are from secondary sources. Trails and roads change, so check with the managing agency before you go.
