Most people blowing down Interstate 24 through south-central Tennessee have no idea what they're passing. About 45 miles west of Chattanooga, near the hamlet of Sherwood, Franklin State Forest covers more than 8,800 acres of the Cumberland Plateau — and it remains one of the state's least crowded outdoor escapes.
The forest hasn't always looked this good. The land was hammered by logging and wildfires before Tennessee bought it from the Cross Creek Coal Company in 1936. The Division of Forestry took over in 1940 and spent decades restoring it. In 2008 the state rounded out today's footprint by swapping land with the University of the South for the larger northern section and buying acreage from Sherwood Mining Company. Now hickory and pine woods shelter deer, raccoons, coyotes, turtles, and a healthy bird list — woodpeckers, chickadees, hawks and other raptors are all regularly spotted.
There are more than 30 miles of hiking trails, plus biking routes, fishing lakes, and designated horseback trails popular with local riders on weekends. Off-roading, once common here, is now restricted to marked unpaved roads.
Two hikes are worth planning around. The moderate 2-mile Tom Pack Falls Loop crosses several streams and ends at a waterfall spilling over a dramatic rock shelter — go shortly after rain for the best flow, and expect some overgrown stretches. For something longer, the 6-mile East Rim Loop follows a forested ridge with wide views over the rolling peaks and valleys. The North Rim Trail gets mixed marks for maintenance but earns praise for its overlooks and stream crossings; you may well have it to yourself.
Practicalities are simple but worth knowing. The forest is open during posted visiting hours, and backcountry camping needs a written permit from the district forester — no drive-up campsites here. If you'd rather sleep in a bed, several towns lie within 20 miles, including Kimball, which bills itself as the Gateway to the Sequatchie Valley.
The real appeal is the positioning. Franklin sits roughly halfway between Chattanooga and Lynchburg (home of the Jack Daniel's distillery), making it an easy leg-stretcher on a road trip — or a full day's outing if you're based in Chattanooga, which was named America's first National Park City and makes a natural bookend to a day in the woods.
For travellers tired of queueing at Tennessee's headline attractions, this is the kind of under-the-radar spot where you trade crowds for stream crossings and ridge views — just bring decent footwear and a bit of patience with the trail maintenance.
