Hicks Gap State Natural Area
🏆 Cherokee National Forest Border — High-elevation gap with rare plants on the TN/NC border
Hicks Gap State Natural Area protects a high-elevation mountain gap habitat along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, adjacent to the Cherokee National Forest. The gap’s unique topographic position creates conditions supporting rare plant species adapted to high-elevation wind exposure and acidic soils.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | TN/NC border (Unaka Mountains) |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Habitat | High-elevation gap, rare plants |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mountain gap?
A gap (or notch) is a low point in a mountain ridge. Gaps channel wind and moisture, creating unique microclimates that support plant species not found on surrounding slopes.
About Hicks Gap
Hicks Gap State Natural Area in Sequatchie County protects forest and rock outcrops along the Cumberland Plateau’s western escarpment. The area preserves habitat at the dramatic Plateau edge — where the flat Cumberland Plateau drops hundreds of feet into the Sequatchie Valley, one of the most striking geological features in Tennessee.
Things to Do
Hiking along the plateau escarpment, viewing the dramatic Sequatchie Valley geology, birdwatching, wildflower viewing, and rock outcrop ecology observation.
About Hicks Gap
Hicks Gap State Natural Area in Hamilton County protects a section of the eastern Cumberland Plateau near Chattanooga. The area preserves a sandstone cliff ecosystem with rare cliff-dwelling plants including the Tennessee coneflower — a species once thought extinct before being rediscovered in cedar glades near Nashville. The Cumberland Plateau is one of the most biologically diverse plateaus in the temperate world.
Things to Do
Hiking, rock climbing, studying rare cliff-dwelling plant communities, birdwatching, nature photography, and exploring the biodiversity hotspot of the eastern Cumberland Plateau.
⛰️ Visit Hicks Gap SNA
High-elevation mountain gap — rare plants on the Tennessee-North Carolina border.
Park Location
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