Cumberland Trail State Park

Established in June 1998, Cumberland Trail State Park is the state's first and only linear park, running for 230 miles through ten Tennessee counties and connecting the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park to Signal Mountain in Chattanooga. The park will be developed and opened in stages; in 2001 there were 65 miles of the Cumberland Trail open, including the Grassy Cove area in Cumberland County, Cumberland Mountain segments in Campbell County, and the Obed Wild and Scenic River segment in Morgan County.

Along with the natural resources and scenic views provided by the trail, several important historic sites will be preserved and incorporated into the park. The Nemo Bridge (1929-30) at Morgan County's Catoosa Wildlife Management Area is where the Cumberland Trail crosses the Emory River. The bridge is of statewide engineering significance as one of the handful of remaining steel truss bridges in Tennessee. Designed by the Atlantic Bridge Company of Greensboro, North Carolina, it has considerable architectural significance due to the beauty of its triple camelback truss construction. A compelling historical artifact of the transformation of the state's infrastructure, transportation, and economy in the early twentieth century, the bridge opened new opportunities for local residents as it also opened doors for the industrialization of the Cumberland Plateau. This historic structure, along with many others, will become better known to Tennesseans and visitors as the park continues to develop in the twenty-first century.