Burgess Falls State Park Gaining New Visitor Center, Aviary, With Some Park Interruption for Construction

Tennessee State Parks officials are excited about improvements coming to Burgess Falls State Park, including a new Visitor Center and aviary, although work may impact the visitor experience until it is completed.

"We always want our visitors to be able to enjoy the park as much as possible, and we can't wait to see these new features," said Park Manager Nathaniel Garrison. "We recognize the work may be an inconvenience, and we want to inform everyone fully about the project. We ask for everyone's understanding while the work is being done."

Construction will mean much of the parking currently available at the park will be unavailable until the project is completed in 2026. The park currently has 84 parking spaces - 51 in the lower parking lot and 33 in the upper. The upper lot will become a staging ground for construction equipment and supplies. The park already has space limitations on parking, especially on weekends, holidays, or whenever school is on break. Parks officials are aware of the issues but have no way to avoid some necessary steps involved in the construction.

Work on the new Visitor Center will have an impact on several trees on park property close to the road that will need to be removed to make way for underground utilities, new entrance to the Visitor Center, and parking spaces. The initial phase of the project includes the construction of a new maintenance facility, which is expected to be completed this summer. The maintenance facility will house the park office until the new Visitor Center is complete. The old park office, ranger residence, and old maintenance building will be demolished to make room for the new Visitor Center.

Burgess Falls State Park experiences periods of high visitation. Visitors are asked not to park on roadsides or in non-designated areas and are encouraged to visit the park on weekdays or visit another nearby state park when crowds are large.