Located on the Cumberland Plateau approximately 30 miles north of Cookeville, the 855 acre Standing Stone State Park is noted for outstanding spring wildflowers, depression era history, natural scenery, and the annual National Rolley Hole Marbles Championship and Festival. The park surrounds Standing Stone Lake and encompasses Morgan Creek, a major feeder stream to the lake. Standing Stone State Park is on the National Register of Historic Places because of various WPA and CCC projects such as the stone dam, rustic cabins, boathouses, and group lodge.
Standing Stone State Park is surrounded by Standing Stone State Forest. This forestland is managed by the Tennessee Division of Forestry. There are no developed facilities within the forest but its 8490 acres supplement the state park’s outdoor recreational opportunities.
Together the state park and the state forest represent a success story for land reclamation and forest restoration. During the 1930’s the United States Department of Agriculture acquired the land for the purposes of relocating more than 60 farmers to better lands, restoring the highly eroded farm lands and depleted forests, and providing open space or outdoor recreational opportunities. Through the efforts of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Works Project Administration, the Resettlement Administration, and the U.S. Forest Service, erosion was halted, forests were restored, and recreational facilities were constructed. In 1955 the federal government deeded the Standing Stone lands to the State of Tennessee. The restoration of the natural environment within the park has been so successful that even the graveled shoulders of Beech Road sprout spring wildflowers.
Getting There
Take exit 288 (Hwy 111-Livingston/Sparta exit) from I-40. Go north to Livingston, then take Hwy 52 west to Hwy 136. Turn left (south) onto Hwy 136 to access the park entrance. The park can also be reached by taking Hwy 136 north from Cookeville. Hwy 136 bisects both the park and the forest. Buses and other vehicles over about 30 feet will not be able to cross a one lane bridge atop the dam in the center of the park and should use only the Hwy 52 entry.
Accommodations
There is no restaurant within Standing Stone State Park; the nearest town with a selection of restaurants is Livingston, Tennessee.
The park has 3 types of cabins available to visitors. The 14 Rustic Cabins have no heat and are available for rent only between April and October. The 3 Timberlodge and 4 Modern cabins have both heat and air conditioning and are available for rent throughout the year.
In addition to the cabins there are 4 group lodges which can accommodate between 12 and 48 people.
The Standing Stone State Park campground has 36 tent and trailer sites that are available on a first-come first-served basis. These sites offer a picnic table, grill, water hookup and electrical connections. RVs of 45 ft and under can be accommodated. Backcountry camping is not allowed in park. There are also no designated campsites within Standing Stone State Forest.
Recreation
The park has an Olympic size swimming pool open between Memorial Day and Labor Day. There are also facilities for volleyball, badminton, basketball, and horseshoes with equipment available at the park office.
Standing Stone Lake is open all year for fishing and boating. A Tennessee fishing license is required. Small aluminum boats with paddles are available for rent from the park office. Visitors may bring their own electric trolling motors and batteries for use with the boats. Canoes and kayaks are the only privately owned boats allowed on the lake.
The park has 8 miles of hiking trails. The best known and most traveled trail is the Lake Trail. This 5 mile trail encircles the lake closely following the shoreline on the north side of the lake and climbing to outstanding views from the hillsides on the south side. In the spring this trail is a spectacular display of wildflowers including hepatica, trillium, wood poppy, phlox, and bluebells. Hikers along the trail are often dismayed by the work of beavers to fell large trees. Also originating and ending in the park is the Cooper Mountain Trail. This 8 mile loop trail leaves the state park from the Lake Trail then enters the state forest. It travels up to the top of Cooper Mountain before descending to travel alongside Mill Creek and returning to the Lake Trail.
The state forest is interlaced with numerous little used, largely undocumented, and poorly maintained hiking trails that follow old roadbeds. These trails are gated to exclude horses and ATVs. For those seeking a natural hiking experience, these trails offer some of the most interesting natural and historic sites in the area. Hunting is a traditional use of the forest; hikers should be aware of big game hunting dates for deer and turkey.
Standing Stone State Park is surrounded by Standing Stone State Forest. This forestland is managed by the Tennessee Division of Forestry. There are no developed facilities within the forest but its 8490 acres supplement the state park’s outdoor recreational opportunities.
Together the state park and the state forest represent a success story for land reclamation and forest restoration. During the 1930’s the United States Department of Agriculture acquired the land for the purposes of relocating more than 60 farmers to better lands, restoring the highly eroded farm lands and depleted forests, and providing open space or outdoor recreational opportunities. Through the efforts of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Works Project Administration, the Resettlement Administration, and the U.S. Forest Service, erosion was halted, forests were restored, and recreational facilities were constructed. In 1955 the federal government deeded the Standing Stone lands to the State of Tennessee. The restoration of the natural environment within the park has been so successful that even the graveled shoulders of Beech Road sprout spring wildflowers.
Getting There
Take exit 288 (Hwy 111-Livingston/Sparta exit) from I-40. Go north to Livingston, then take Hwy 52 west to Hwy 136. Turn left (south) onto Hwy 136 to access the park entrance. The park can also be reached by taking Hwy 136 north from Cookeville. Hwy 136 bisects both the park and the forest. Buses and other vehicles over about 30 feet will not be able to cross a one lane bridge atop the dam in the center of the park and should use only the Hwy 52 entry.
Accommodations
There is no restaurant within Standing Stone State Park; the nearest town with a selection of restaurants is Livingston, Tennessee.
The park has 3 types of cabins available to visitors. The 14 Rustic Cabins have no heat and are available for rent only between April and October. The 3 Timberlodge and 4 Modern cabins have both heat and air conditioning and are available for rent throughout the year.
In addition to the cabins there are 4 group lodges which can accommodate between 12 and 48 people.
The Standing Stone State Park campground has 36 tent and trailer sites that are available on a first-come first-served basis. These sites offer a picnic table, grill, water hookup and electrical connections. RVs of 45 ft and under can be accommodated. Backcountry camping is not allowed in park. There are also no designated campsites within Standing Stone State Forest.
Recreation
The park has an Olympic size swimming pool open between Memorial Day and Labor Day. There are also facilities for volleyball, badminton, basketball, and horseshoes with equipment available at the park office.
Standing Stone Lake is open all year for fishing and boating. A Tennessee fishing license is required. Small aluminum boats with paddles are available for rent from the park office. Visitors may bring their own electric trolling motors and batteries for use with the boats. Canoes and kayaks are the only privately owned boats allowed on the lake.
The park has 8 miles of hiking trails. The best known and most traveled trail is the Lake Trail. This 5 mile trail encircles the lake closely following the shoreline on the north side of the lake and climbing to outstanding views from the hillsides on the south side. In the spring this trail is a spectacular display of wildflowers including hepatica, trillium, wood poppy, phlox, and bluebells. Hikers along the trail are often dismayed by the work of beavers to fell large trees. Also originating and ending in the park is the Cooper Mountain Trail. This 8 mile loop trail leaves the state park from the Lake Trail then enters the state forest. It travels up to the top of Cooper Mountain before descending to travel alongside Mill Creek and returning to the Lake Trail.
The state forest is interlaced with numerous little used, largely undocumented, and poorly maintained hiking trails that follow old roadbeds. These trails are gated to exclude horses and ATVs. For those seeking a natural hiking experience, these trails offer some of the most interesting natural and historic sites in the area. Hunting is a traditional use of the forest; hikers should be aware of big game hunting dates for deer and turkey.
Community Trips
