You don’t have to listen very closely to hear the great outdoors calling your name in Scott County. With so much natural beauty all around you, it’s natural to want to get outside and enjoy it. And we have a place to go!
The Big South Fork NRRA consists of 125,000 acres, including the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its major tributaries and the gorge that encases the waterways. The BSF is maintained by the National Park Service. Activities include hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, wagon riding, whitewater paddling, hunting, fishing and camping. Concessionaires include the Bandy Creek Campground, a full-service campground that includes stables, pool, playground and more, Station Camp Horse Camp, and the Charit Creek backcountry lodge. For more information, call 423-286-7275 or visit www.nps.gov/biso.
Oneida City Park is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The 60-acre park features soccer and t-ball fields, a tennis court, outdoor basketball courts, a gymnasium, one-mile walking trail, a community center (including kitchen), 34-acre stocked lake, boat ramp (no gasoline motors allowed), fishing pier, amphitheater, three gazebos, playgrounds, picnic shelters and open-air picnic tables. For more information, call 423-569-6244 or visit www.townofoneida.com/playing/oneida-city-park
The Oneida Sports Complex at Bear Creek is a testament to hard work and a dedication to conservation. What was once an abandoned strip pit that was leaking polluted water into Bear Creek is today a multi-million dollar sports facility that serves all the youth of Scott County. The facility includes a quad of diamonds—including softball, middle school baseball and regulation high school baseball—and a pair of soccer fields, along with press boxes, concession stands and restroom facilities. The facility is used by Scott County’s AYSO soccer teams and Little League baseball and softball teams. For more information, call 423-215-9528 or visit www.townofoneida.com/playing/bear-creek-sports-complex
Situated on 44 acres inside the Winfield city limits, the Winfield City Park includes fields for soccer and softball, a basketball court, one-mile walking track, a community room with kitchen, playground, horseshoe pits, picnic tables and a horse arena. For more information, visit www.scottcounty.com/community/parks/winfield-city-park
The Flat Creek Park in Huntsville offers a softball field, playground, walking track and indoors racquetball court. It is maintained by the Town of Huntsville and sits adjacent to Flat Creek Reservoir, a 200-acre lake maintained by the Huntsville Utility District. The reservoir is a popular destination for local anglers. For more information, visit www.townofhuntsville.com
The North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area — comprised of the Royal Blue, Sundquist and New River units — includes 145,000 acres of land in eastern Scott County. It is a popular destination for hunters, wildlife viewers, bird watchers and ATV riders. Rocky Mountain elk and black bear make their home there in addition to Eastern wild turkey and whitetail deer, and the area is home to several rare species of songbirds and mussels.