Rebecca Hawkins Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek

The closest restrooms and water can be found at the visitor center in the park.

The Rebecca Hawkins Trail can be accessed by hiking out the Limestone Creek Trail or the John Crockett Trail. If you hike out the Limestone Creek Trail, the Rebecca Hawkins Trail breaks off the left after about half a mile and starts to climb above a limestone outcrop up the hill and turns to the left and arrives at the Collett Grave Site.

This is the only known grave in the state park and honors William Newton Collett, a member of the 1st Tennessee Calvary who died in 1890. The trail continues past the intersection with the John Crockett Trail and enters the fields of the park. The trail is marked by a red marker if you have a question if you are on the right trail. As you make your way through the field, a small side trail breaks off to the right and climbs uphill to 2 overlooks, one where there is a bench and one where there is a picnic table.

There are some nice views of the park and surrounding mountains from here. The main trail continues to weave through the fields, passes through another intersection with the John Crockett Trail and enters a forest of pine trees. This is a different type of woods/forest than you went through earlier. The trail narrows to a singletrack through this section as it weaves through the woods and eventually meets up with the David Crockett State Park Storybook Trail.

You'll see the signs with the story of Brother Eagle, Sister Sky by Susan Jeffers on them. The trail intersects at the middle of the story, but you can follow along. The David Crockett State Park Storybook Trail breaks off to the right as the story continues, but you can go straight ahead and end up emerging from the woods close to one of the playgrounds and swimming pool in the park. From here, you can cut through the grass back to where your car is, or retrace your steps back to your vehicle.

A variety of birds that call the woods and fields of the state park home. In the woods, you'll see a lot of squirrels running around.