Volunteer Loop Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek

There are no services at the parking lot or along the trail, so if you need water or restrooms, you need to visit the visitor center back at Cove Lake.

The Volunteer Loop Trail meanders through the woods of Cove Lake State Park and nears the Powder Springs Beaver Pond. The trail starts at a parking area on Bruce Gap Road and links up with the Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail for a short distance. The trail is a narrow, dirt trail that wanders through the woods, which provide a great amount of shade in the spring and summer.

After 0.3 miles, the trail splits. You can either go uphill by going straight or follow the trail to the right. If you go to the right, the trail follows the ridge line before it drops downhill at the half mile point. The trail drops down for about 0.2 of a mile and approaches Powder Springs Beaver Pond and then climbs steeply uphill. At 0.8 miles, the trail meets up with Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail.

From here, you need to go left unless you want to follow the Cumberland Trail toward Triple Falls Trailhead which is to the right. You can hear and start to see Interstate 75 from the trail, especially when you get to the top of the ridge. The ridge line rolls for a short distance before dropping back down to the fork and then back to the parking lot.