Henry Horton State Park

Henry Horton State Park is an American state park located near Chapel Hill, Tennessee. It was constructed in the 1960's on the estate of the former Governor of Tennessee Henry Horton. The park offers various outdoor recreational activities.

Henry Horton State Park
Sign at the entrance of Henry Horton State Park
TypeTennessee State Park
LocationChapel Hill, Tennessee
Area1,523 acres (6.16 km2)
Operated byTennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Statusopen year round
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

History

Henry Horton State Park was officially dedicated to Tennessee's 42nd Governor, Buford Ellington, on Labor Day in 1962. Situated on the shores of the Duck River, the park includes an area of approximately 1000 acres, previously owned by the park's namesake, Henry Horton, who was the 36th Governor of Tennessee. The park is managed and maintained by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.[1][2]

Facilities

Lodging
  • Horton Park Inn - 65 rooms and 4 suites
  • Cabins - 8 total cabins with walking distance to Inn
  • Campgrounds - 75 campsites, some located near the Duck River

Meeting/Conference
  • Recreation Building - 3,150 sq ft (293 m2) of meeting space is located in a separate building near the inn, capable of holding up to 300 people.

There are additional meeting rooms in the inn and restaurant.

Picnic

There are 83 picnic sites and 4 large group picnic pavilions (that can hold up to 125 people) located nearby the shores of the Duck River. Accommodations such as restrooms are in proximity.

Camping

Henry Horton State Park has 75 campsites situated on the Duck River; 19 of these are primitive tent sites while the remaining 56 sites are RV sites. The RV sites accommodate tables, grills, water spigots and electrical hook-ups.[2] A large group tent camp site is also available. Two bathhouses are available seasonally.

Professional Trap and Skeet Range

There are five skeet fields, two trap fields, and a lodge building with concessions, gun rental, and ammo. A picnic shelter is available for large shoots or related gatherings.

Sports Fields

Facilities for baseball, basketball, disc golf, tennis, and volleyball are available.

Swimming

The park has an Olympic-sized pool with bathhouses and a concession stand. There is also water access to the Duck River via a small ramp.

Fishing

Duck River anglers can catch largemouth and smallmouth bass, red-eye, and catfish, but a valid Tennessee fishing license is required.

Trails

The park features four relatively flat, easy hiking trails, some with views overlooking the Duck River.

  • The 1.3 mile Hickory Ridge Loop is located near the campground and traverses habitats ranging from oak-hickory forest to cedar glades.
  • The 0.7 mile Wilhoite Mill Trail follows the Duck River among second growth woods covering an early mill community.
  • The 1.7 mile Turkey Trail loop is the longest trail in the park. It winds through woods and old fields.
  • The 4.2 mile Duck River Trail is the newest trail in the park, completed in 2011.

Golf

The park contains the Buford Ellington Golf Course.

References
  1. "Gov. Ellington Dedicates Henry Horton State Park". Kingsport Times. Vol. XLVII, no. 177. Kingsport, Tennessee. Associated Press. September 4, 1962. p. 9. Retrieved April 5, 2023 – via NewspaperArchive.
  2. "Henry Horton State Park". tnstateparks.com. Tennessee State Parks. Retrieved April 5, 2023.

35°35′35″N 86°42′5″W

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