Rocky Fork State Park - Flag Pond, TN

09/05/2026

🏔️🌲 TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAM: PEAK VISOR HIKES! 🌲🏔️

What can you see from the top of Whitehouse Cliffs? 👀⛰️ Ranger Jeff explores the beautiful cove forest along the trail, discovering the flora, fauna, and fascinating natural features along the way.

And when you reach the top… the views are just the beginning! 🏔️ Peak Visor Hikes highlights the distant mountain peaks visible from Whitehouse Cliffs, including views that stretch across two states, two national forests, the Appalachian Trail, and so much more! 🌄🥾

It’s a hike that offers a wonderful opportunity to experience the incredible landscape that makes Rocky Fork State Park so special.

🏆 AND NOW WE NEED YOUR HELP! Rocky Fork State Park has been nominated in the Johnson City Press Readers’ Choice Best of the Best in the Nature Program category! We need YOUR help to make sure Rocky Fork gets the recognition it deserves! 🙌
🗳️ VOTE EVERY DAY!
📱 FOLLOW THE LINK TO VOTE!
📲 SHARE THIS POST!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!

Every vote matters. Every share matters. YOU matter! ❤️
👉 VOTE HERE: https://johnsoncitypress.com/live-content/jcpbest/

🌲❤️ LET’S COME TOGETHER AND SHOW SOME LOVE FOR ROCKY FORK STATE PARK! ❤️🌲

Our history. Our mountains. Our community. Our Rocky Fork. ⛰️❤️

09/04/2026

09/04/2026

🌲❤️ TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAM: REMEMBERING FLINT CREEK HISTORY

Take an easy walk through time with Ranger Cory as he explores one of Tennessee’s most storied mountain hollers, Flint Creek, and more than 230 years of history written into this rugged Appalachian landscape. From the ancient Indigenous lifeways of the Middle Archaic era, to the tragic events of the Flint Creek Massacre; from early Cherokee and settler interactions to the timber boom and the birth of Rocky Fork State Park, every chapter has helped shape the place we know and love today. 🌿📖

These mountains hold stories that deserve to be remembered, shared, and protected for generations to come.

This is just another reason Rocky Fork State Park is such a special place! Rocky Fork isn't just about beautiful trails and breathtaking views. It's about history. It's about heritage. It's about community. It's about the stories that connect us to these mountains. ❤️

And now, we need our Rocky Fork community to come together! Rocky Fork State Park has been nominated in the Johnson City Press Readers’ Choice Best of the Best in the Nature Program category! We need YOUR help to make sure Rocky Fork gets the recognition it deserves!

🗳️ VOTE EVERY DAY!
📱 FOLLOW THE LINK TO VOTE!
📲 SHARE THIS POST!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!

Every vote matters. Every share matters. YOU matter!

👉 VOTE HERE: https://johnsoncitypress.com/live-content/jcpbest/

🌲❤️ LET’S COME TOGETHER AND SHOW SOME LOVE FOR ROCKY FORK STATE PARK! ❤️🌲
Our history. Our mountains. Our community. Our Rocky Fork.

09/03/2026

🌙✨ TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAMS: NIGHTTIME HIKES & AFTER-DARK PROGRAMS 🌌🦉

Rocky Fork After Dark is an ongoing series of guided hikes and programs that reveal the incredible nocturnal world of Rocky Fork State Park - showcasing species, sounds, and natural phenomena that most visitors rarely experience.

🌟 SPRING EMERGENCE Discover the magic of spring after sunset! Look for the season’s first fireflies, nocturnal salamanders, the ghostly glow of foxfire, fluorescent lichens, fungi, and other fascinating organisms. Listen for the call of the whip-poor-will, owls, and other nighttime wildlife. 🦉🦋🌿

☄️ PERSEID METEOR PROGRAMS Experience one of East Tennessee’s darkest night skies during the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower! With minimal moonlight, Rocky Fork provides an incredible opportunity to see countless stars, the Milky Way, summer constellations, and if conditions are right, multiple bright meteors streaking across the sky. 🌌☄️ Interpretive Ranger Amanda will help participants identify prominent constellations and celestial objects while discussing how protecting dark skies benefits wildlife AND people. 🌎✨

🪲 THE HIDDEN WORLD OF ROCKY FORK’S NIGHTTIME INSECTS There’s an amazing world hiding in the darkness! 🔦🦋 Interpretive Ranger Amanda uses special black lights to attract a fascinating variety of moths, beetles, and other nocturnal visitors. Learn about these often-overlooked creatures and the important roles they play in the forest ecosystem. 🌿🐞

🌑 PROTECTING THE NIGHT SKY Rocky Fork State Park is working toward Dark Sky certification! During nighttime hikes and programs, our Rangers use a dark sky meter to measure the quality of the night sky and help visitors understand the importance of protecting natural darkness.

🌌This is just another reason Rocky Fork State Park is such a special place! Now, let’s make sure everyone else knows just how special Rocky Fork is! 🙌
📱 FOLLOW THE LINK TO VOTE!
🗳️ VOTE EVERY DAY!
📲 SHARE THIS POST!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!
👉 VOTE HERE: https://johnsoncitypress.com/live-content/jcpbest/

❤️🌲 LET’S SHOW SOME LOVE FOR ROCKY FORK STATE PARK! 🌲❤️

09/02/2026

🏺🧺 TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAM: ROCKY FORK STATE PARK FOLK SCHOOL! 🌿

Rocky Fork State Park’s Folk School is inspired by the traditional folk schools of Southern Appalachia and is designed to connect park visitors directly with skilled artisans who practice traditional Appalachian crafts.

The goal is simple: bridge the gap between teacher and student while creating opportunities for people to learn, practice, and carry these unique traditions into the future. With small class sizes and hands-on instruction, participants can learn traditional skills in an inviting, approachable setting-and hopefully continue exploring each craft long after the class is over.

Some of the Folk School programs offered at Rocky Fork have included:
🧺 Basket Weaving
🧹 Broom Making
🔥 Blacksmithing
🍁 Maple Sugaring
🪶 Cherokee Basket Making
🌿 Natural Dye
🌳 Bark Baskets
🪨 Stone Masonry
🏺 Introduction to Pottery
…and much more!

These programs are about more than learning a new skill-they help preserve Appalachian traditions, celebrate local craftsmanship, and pass these special skills from one generation to the next.

This is another reason Rocky Fork State Park is such a special place! Now let’s make sure everyone else knows just how special Rocky Fork is!
Follow the link to vote!
VOTE EVERY DAY!
SHARE THIS POST!
TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!

https://johnsoncitypress.com/live-content/jcpbest/...

Let’s show some ❤️ for Rocky Fork State Park! 🌲🏺🧺

09/01/2026

🌸 TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAM: WILDFLOWER & MOUNTAIN LAUREL HIKES! 🌿

Looking for an easygoing way to slow down, explore, and enjoy the beauty of Rocky Fork? Ranger Jeff’s Wildflower and Mountain Laurel Hikes are relaxed, laid-back programs designed for everyone and offered during the spring and early summer months.

🌼 WILDFLOWER HIKES
During each Wildflower Hike, Ranger Jeff leads a slow-paced hike along the Rocky Fork and Flint Creek trails, stopping along the way to explore the many wildflower species growing throughout the forest. As you hike, you’ll have the opportunity to see native wildflowers at different stages of growth and discover the incredible variety of plants found throughout Rocky Fork. 🌸🌱

🌺 MOUNTAIN LAUREL HIKES
Ranger Jeff’s Mountain Laurel Hikes take you up the White Oak Flats Trail to the overlook, where blooming Mountain Laurel and other wildflowers put on a beautiful seasonal display. Along the way, Ranger Jeff stops to give hikers time to slow down and explore the forest floor for wildflowers, fungi, and other plant surprises hiding along the trail. 🍄🌿

Sometimes the best discoveries are the ones you find when you simply slow down and look around!

This is another reason Rocky Fork State Park is such a special place! Now let’s make sure everyone else knows just how special Rocky Fork is!
Follow the link to vote!
VOTE EVERY DAY!
SHARE THIS POST!
TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!

https://johnsoncitypress.com/live-content/jcpbest/...

Let’s show some ❤️ for Rocky Fork State Park! 🌲🌸🌺

08/31/2026

🎣 TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAM: FLY FISHING 101! 🎣

A program everyone enjoys at Rocky Fork State Park is Ranger Cory’s Fly Fishing 101 program! 🎣

Ever wanted to unlock the mystery of fly fishing and learn how to pursue the wild trout of Rocky Fork? 🐟 Ranger Cory can help! This 3–4-hour workshop is designed specifically for beginners, so you don’t need any previous fly-fishing experience. And the best part? You don’t even need a fly rod! One will be provided for you to use during the workshop. 🙌

During the program, Ranger Cory will teach you:

🎣 Basic fly-casting techniques
🪰 How to select the right fly
🎒 What fishing gear you need
🐟 How to pursue the Rainbow and Brook Trout found in the creeks of Rocky Fork State Park

Whether you’re completely new to fly fishing or have always wanted to give it a try, Fly Fishing 101 is a great way to learn, get outside, and experience Rocky Fork from the water!

This is another reason Rocky Fork State Park is such a special place!

Now let’s make sure everyone else knows just how special Rocky Fork is! 🙌
📱 Follow the link to vote!
🗳️ VOTE EVERY DAY!
📲 SHARE THIS POST!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!
https://johnsoncitypress.com/live-content/jcpbest/ #/gallery?group=552027

Let’s show some ❤️ for Rocky Fork State Park! 🎣

08/30/2026

🍄 TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAM: FUNGI 101! 🍄🌲

One of the special programs offered at Rocky Fork State Park is Seasonal Interpretive Ranger Amanda’s Fungi 101 Hikes, held during the summer. 🌿🍄

Join Amanda on a hike to discover some of nature’s coolest creations! She shares information about common fungi found right here in Rocky Fork and East Tennessee, teaches visitors how to identify mushrooms, and shares interesting facts along the way. 🔎🍄

September is National Mushroom Month! And with all the rain Rocky Fork has received lately, the forest floor has been putting on quite the show! From colorful mushrooms to fascinating fungi, there is always something new to discover when you slow down and take a closer look.

This is just another reason Rocky Fork State Park is such a special place!

Now let’s make sure everyone else knows just how special Rocky Fork is! 🙌
📱 Visit the Johnson City Press Best of the Best Voting Page and follow these steps: https://johnsoncitypress.com/live-content/jcpbest/ #/gallery?group=552027

➡️ Click Entertainment & Recreation
➡️ Find Nature Program
➡️ Select Rocky Fork State Park
➡️ CAST YOUR VOTE! 🗳️

🗳️ VOTE EVERY DAY!
📲 SHARE THIS POST!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!

Let’s show some ❤️ for Rocky Fork State Park!

08/29/2026

🌕 TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAM: FULL MOON HIKES! 🌕🥾

One of the special programs offered at Rocky Fork State Park is Ranger Jeff’s Full Moon Hikes, held during each full moon. 🌲🌕

The hike begins at dusk with a moderate trek up to the White Oak Flats Trail, where hikers can take in the beauty of the full moon from the White Oak Flats overlook, along with breathtaking views of the distant mountain peaks. ⛰️✨

Along the way, Ranger Jeff makes stops to share the wonders of Rocky Fork Trail after dark and help visitors experience the park in a whole new way. 🌙

This is just one of the many reasons Rocky Fork State Park is such a special place!

Now let’s make sure everyone else knows just how special Rocky Fork is! 🙌
📱Visit the Johnson City Press Best of the Best Voting Page and follow these steps:

https://johnsoncitypress.com/live-content/jcpbest/ #/gallery?group=552027

➡️ Click Entertainment & Recreation
➡️ Find Nature Program
➡️ Select Rocky Fork State Park
➡️ CAST YOUR VOTE! 🗳️
🗳️ VOTE EVERY DAY!
📲 SHARE THIS POST!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY! Let’s show some ❤️ for Rocky Fork State Park! 🌕

08/28/2026

🎉 WE’RE IN THE TOP 5! 🎉

Rocky Fork State Park has made it into the Top 5 Voting Round of the Johnson City Press Readers’ Choice Best of the Best in the Nature Program category! 🌿🏆

Now we need YOUR help to bring home the win! 🙌

🗳️ VOTING BEGINS AUGUST 28 AND RUNS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 13! You can vote ONE TIME PER DAY, PER EMAIL ADDRESS, so be sure to vote every day!

📱Follow the link below and scroll down to find the Nature Program section to cast your vote. You can also SCAN THE QR CODE in this post to vote! Or visit the Johnson City Press Best of the Best Voting Page.

https://johnsoncitypress.com/live-content/jcpbest/ #/gallery?group=552027

If you follow the link: Once you're there:
➡️ Click Entertainment & Recreation
➡️ Find Nature Program
➡️ Select Rocky Fork State Park
➡️ CAST YOUR VOTE! 🗳️

Rocky Fork State Park has some amazing programs! From Full Moon Hikes, Fungi 101 hikes, Fly Fishing 101, Wildflower Hikes, Sunrise Hikes, SIR Programs, Folk School Programs, Jr. Ranger Programs, Remembering Flint Creek History Hikes, Off-Trail Adventures, and so much more...

✨ And, of course, our famous Blue Ghost & Synchronous Firefly Nights! ✨

Now let's make sure everyone else knows just how special Rocky Fork is!
🗳️ VOTE EVERY DAY!
📲 SHARE THIS POST!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!

Let's show everyone what makes Rocky Fork State Park so special! 🌿🦋🥾