KNOXVILLE - Tennessee is getting its 55th state park.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation officially acquired 2,036 acres in the middle of the Rocky Fork tract located in the mountains of upper East Tennessee. Surrounding the state park's future site is 7,600 acres that have been added to the Cherokee National Forest.
More than 2,000 acres will comprise the new park. Plans are to make it a low-impact facility with development limited to access roads, a welcome center, picnic area, campground and trails
About $1.3 million has been earmarked in this fiscal year's budget to develop an infrastructure plan for the future park