Public Access Birding Sites in Morgan County, Tennessee

 

If you have information about other public access birding sites in this county, please send details to me at this e-mail address:

    Morgan County covers an area of 1353 km2 (522.4 mi2). A map of the county—with the some sites noted below coded on it—is available via the following link:

 

Frozen Head State Natural Area (FHSNA) located near Wartburg, TN, is one of the finest parks within the Tennessee state park system.  With elevations up to 3300 feet, this park harbors a diverse array of breeding species, including several that occur nowhere else within the Upper Cumberland Region.  To get to the park, go to the intersection of Rts. 27 and 62 in Wartburg and take Rt. 62 east toward Oliver Springs; in about 2 miles turn left toward the park on Flat Rock Rd.  The pond on the right about 0.25 km (0.15 mi) after you turn onto Flat Rock Rd. can sometimes harbor waterfowl during winter, and it is a good place to check for Willow Flycatcher during the breeding season of that species.  There is a pair of ponds in another 1.25 km or so that is worth checking out for shorebirds and long-legged waders in season.

    Many miles of trails offer fine birding opportunities to the visiting birder, especially during spring and early summer.  The North Old Mac Trail, the South Old Mac Trail, the Bird Mountain Trail, and the jeep trail leading from the campground up to the fire tower are all fine trails from which to look and listen for birds.  Veeries, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Black-throated Blue Warblers, and Canada Warblers are all regular breeders above 2800 feet.  Winter Wrens have been noted in some recent years along the the North Old Mac Trail, and Blackburnian Warblers are sometimes present along the upper reaches of the jeep trail.  There is as yet no official check-list of the birds of this park, but you may access an unofficial list by clicking on the red word near the beginning of this sentence. 

    Further information about this site may be found via this link:

 

Most river miles within the Obed Wild and Scenic River (OWSR) are located in Morgan County.  Access to the main rivers of the system, Clear Creek and the Obed River, occurs at several sites, including the Jett Access Point on Genesis Rd. (Rt. 298), the Lilly Access Point, the Nemo Access Point, Obed Junction (OBJ), and Devil's Breakfast Table (DBT); the latter two sites are partly or entirely within the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area.

    Birding along the river is somewhat restricted due to the semidifficult nature of the rivers, but if you have good canoeing skills, you can profitably bird these rivers.  Swainson's Warblers are thinly distributed but regular breeders within the OWSR. Further information about this site may be found via this link:

 

Part of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (BSFR) lies within Morgan County. In particular the area around the English village at Rugby, Tennessee, features access to the Big South Fork.  One of these areas is known as the Gentlemen's Swimming Hole, located almost in Rugby; it includes a 3.5-km [2-mi] loop trail that follows parts of Clear Fork and White Oak Creek.  In Rugby look on the north side of Rt. 52 for the road to Laurel Dale Cemetery and take it 1 km [0.6 mi] to the trailhead near the cemetery.  This trail has some steep parts and is moderately difficult walking in those areas.  Best birding opportunities are in the spring and early summer when many breeding Neotropical migrants are in the area.

    Access to the BSFNRRA also occurs at the Rugby and Peters bridges on Clear Fork.  The stretch of river from Peters Bridge to Rugby Bridge is quite placid at most flow rates and offers extremely fine birding opportunities to the canoe-birder.  The run from Rugby down to Burnt Mill Bridge (in Scott County, Tennessee) is a bit more peppy, but it, too, offers some fine birding opportunities at lowish flow rates.  To get to the Rugby Bridge, take Rt. 52 west from Rugby about a mile to the R. M. Brooks General Merchandise store on the right and go right just before the store; go 0.3 mi and park at the dirt barricade; walk down the road to the river and old bridge.  Fentress County is on the other side of the river.

Scene along Clear Fork near Gentlemen's Swimming Hole close to Rugby; low flow in river; photo by SJS.

    The Peters Bridge on Clear Fork may be accessed from the Morgan County side, but the easiest access is from Fentress County.  Take Rt. 52 west from the Rugby Bridge about eight miles to Peters Ford Rd. on the left and take that road 4.7 mi to the bridge over the river.  Property of the Big South Fork in Morgan County borders both sides of the road for 0.6 mi past the bridge.  There is a picnic area on the Morgan County side of the river at the bridge and a unofficial and very primitive trail up the river for a ways on that side also.

    To get to Burnt Mill Bridge, see the Scott County section of this website.  Further information about this site may be found via this link:

 

    Please send details about any birds you record in these parks—or any public access site in Morgan Co.—to me at the e-mail address noted above. sjs.

 

Quick links to other sections of this website: