Volunteer Vacation - Sherwood Forest State Natural Area, TN

Join American Hiking Society for a week of building & maintaining trails in exciting locations across the country. Volunteer Vacations foster public land stewardship and provide volunteers the opportunity to give back to the trails they love, meet new people, and have a great time doing it! Crews consist of 6-15 volunteers accompanied by a crew leader. Volunteer Vacations involve backpacking or day hiking and accommodations vary from primitive campsites to bunkhouses or cabins. Tools and supervision are provided by the host agency or organization. Experience nature up close. Travel to new destinations. Meet other outdoor enthusiasts. Take a vacation that nourishes your body & your spirit. Get Out. Give Back.

Project Specifics:

Experience the joy of building a new trail for outdoor recreationists to enjoy for many years to come! Join this project at Sherwood Forest State Natural Area, a 3,075-acre designated State Natural Area, located near South Cumberland State Park. Home to the federally endangered Morefield’s Leather Flower and the federally threatened painted snake coiled forest snail, this area is a haven for enjoying a variety of plant and animal species.

This project will be centered around the continued construction of the new Head of the Crow trail at South Cumberland State Park. Starting atop the rolling flats of the Cumberland Plateau, this trail soon dips down onto the steep sides of the adjacent gorge. It is here, on the rocky, beautifully wooded slopes, where the work begins. Taught by master trail builders, this Volunteer Vacation is sure to provide new skills and experience, and a sense of comradery and accomplishment. The hike to the worksite will include 200 feet of elevation change on rocky logging roads. Hiking distance traveled one-way could be up to 3/4 mile.

During this trip, Sherwood Forest State Natural Area’s average high temperature is 82°, and average low temperature is 63°.

Accommodations: Volunteers will stay in a bunkhouse outfitted with 8 bunk beds (divided in 2 rooms), with plenty of space outside for hammocks or tents. There are 3.5 baths and a full kitchen including outdoor grill. WIFI available. Volunteers need to bring their own sleeping bags or linens, towels, and personal toiletries.

Trip Cost: $425 per person

Volunteer Experience: While trips do not require prior trail maintenance experience, all of our projects require participants to be in good physical condition and will involve 30-40 hours of physical labor during the week.

Find More Information & Register Here: https://americanhiking.org/volunteer-vacation-trip/sherwood-forest-state-natural-area-tn-volunteer-vacation-2024/