To paraphrase William Shakespeare, what’s in a name? For Rocky Fork State Park, the name’s so catchy that two states — Tennessee and Ohio — have used it to designate popular but vastly different parks.
“I became aware when I was googling Rocky Fork and found that it wasn’t just our park that came up in the search results,” said Rocky Fork State Park Manager Cory Cover. “The Ohio Rocky Fork State Park comes from the name of the main feeder creek for the park.”
According to Deputy Communications Director Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Kim Shofinski, the full name of the state park in Tennessee is, to be precise, Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park.
“We are aware of the park in Ohio and staff do occasionally field phone calls from park visitors who have accidentally contacted the wrong park,” Shofinski said. “Rocky Fork State Park was named after the largest waterway in the park, Rocky Fork Creek. It also sits in the community of Rocky Fork, and our Ranger Station is across the street from the old Rocky Fork School.”
Shofinski also noted that, as of January 2019, Rocky Fork State Park in Tennessee was named after former U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander.
Though the Tennessee park was designated a state park in October 2012 and officially opened in May 2015, the Ohio park is just a bit older.
“Our park opened in 1950,” Cover said.
“Rocky Fork was the dream of Col. Walter H. Hutchins in the early 1900s,” Cover added. “He visited the area frequently. At the time, it was better known for the Rocky Fork Gorge and the Seven Caves area. In 1940 the Department of Natural Resources acquired the property that is now Rocky Fork State Park. It became a State Park in 1950 and it wasn’t till 1953 that water first ran over top of the dam.”
Both Cover and Shofinski explain how their respective parks are special to the state they are a part of.
“Rocky Fork State Park is the highest elevation state park in Tennessee, with ridges and knobs that reach close to 5,000 feet in elevation,” Shofinski said.
“We also provide access to the Cherokee National Forest, Sampson Mountain Wilderness, and the Appalachian Trail,” Shofinski added. “Our namesake, Rocky Fork Creek, is a notable tributary of Nolichucky and is a top brook trout fishery in the state.”
Cover said that the Ohio Rocky Fork has the feel of a vacation destination, and also hosts many events.
“It is located in many residents back yard.,” he noted. “Visitors can relax on the beach, rent a boat, rent a facility for a family gathering, camp, go for a hike, or attend a naturalist program,” Cover said.
“The two largest events that the park hosts annually are Kamp Dovetail and Rumble in the Hills,” Cover said.
Kamp Dovetail is a week-long camping retreat for children of all disabilities. The children have the opportunity to fully enjoy the camping experience.
Rumble in the Hills is a weekend of powerboat racing.
“The event takes place on the East end of the lake with the track laid out in buoys around the island,” Cover said.
Shofinski said the events that Rocky Fork in Tennessee provide include multiple guided hikes monthly – with some bigger events sprinkled in.
“Our large annual events include the Upper East Tennessee Fiddlers Convention, synchronous and blue ghost firefly tours and our haunted hikes,” Shofinski explained.
“Rocky Fork State Park is still very much so a wilderness area,” Shofinski pointed out. “With the exception of our new Ranger Station, there are no facilities or utilities in the park. With around 20 miles of trails, you can fly fish, waterfall chase, rock climb, mountain bike, view beautiful rare wildflowers or just escape the hectic-ness of everyday life in a beautiful mountain ecosystem.”
Being a part of Rocky Fork State Park in Ohio has been an enjoyable learning experience for Cover, who said the best part of being a park manager is the creative freedom in trying to improve the outdoor experience for visitors.
“Guests to Rocky Fork State Park can expect to have several different recreational opportunities at their fingertips,” he said. “We have hiking trails, beaches, disc golf, boat launch ramps, fishing access and playgrounds all free to use. For a fee, visitors can camp, rent a boat, rent a facility or get a dip of ice cream.”
To learn more about these parks and what they have to offer, visit:
Tennessee: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/rocky-fork
Ohio: https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/rocky-fork-state-park
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