Trails & Trilliums turns 10

Sunday, January 1, 1905

photo A mule-drawn wagon is one of many family-friendly activities available during Trails & Trilliums, which takes place at the historic Monteagle Sunday School Assembly.

Trails & Trilliums, an event founded a decade ago to promote the purchase of native plants and offer guided wildflower hikes on the Cumberland Plateau, will celebrate its 10th anniversary this weekend.

Sponsored by the Friends of South Cumberland State Park and held at the historic Monteagle Sunday School Assembly grounds in Monteagle, Tenn., Trails & Trilliums now attracts hikers, wildflower enthusiasts, park supporters and families from four states.

A complete schedule of the three-day event can be found at trailsandtrillums.org, where advance registration is under way. The website also contains a list of hundreds of native plants that will be sold by three select vendors Friday through Sunday, April 12-14.

General admission is $10, and a $20 donation provides entry to all hikes and workshops as well as Gardens Gone Wild events. Children's events are free.

A highlight of the 2013 event will be a keynote address by David Haskell, author of "The Forest Unseen," on Saturday night. Haskell, who also will lead guided walks Saturday and Sunday, will be honored as the recipient of the Yeatman Environmental Education Award.

Perennial festival favorites include 15 guided hikes, with difficulty that ranges from easy strolls to all-day treks. Workshops on gardening with native plants, nature photography and nature journaling are offered. The Cumberland Wild Forum focuses on environmental education, while live music, vendors and food add to the festivities.

The Brush With Nature preview party and art sale on Friday night is the kickoff event, with more than 100 selected paintings, photographs and sculptures from top regional artists.

Saturday, the focus is on family fun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CDT. Ramble, the Tennessee state parks' raccoon mascot, will be on hand along with activities that will spark kids' interest in the out of doors, such as animal encounters, hayrides, hikes on the bluff, a giant swing and kinder gardening.

New this year is a van tour of the park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT Sunday. Stops include Foster Falls, Stone Door and the Visitors Center, and all are handicap-accessible.

Proceeds from Trails & Trilliums support land preservation group Friends of South Cumberland. For more information, email info@trailsandtrilliums.org or call 931-924-2623.