Big Hill Pond State Park in Tennessee, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-29. Check linked official notices before travel.

Big Hill Pond State Park near Pocahontas, Tennessee, is a day-hiking and birding destination with wooded trails and river-bottom habitat. Plan around a major distinction: Travis McNatt Lake is closed for infrastructure work. The smaller namesake Big Hill Pond is a separate water body.

Wooded trails and river-bottom habitat

Choose a walk that fits your group instead of assuming every lake attraction operates. The 0.4-mile paved trail offers a short option. Rocky Knob is listed as a moderate, 2.4-mile route near Highway 57. The wetlands and oxbows beside Cypress Creek and the Tuscumbia River provide habitat for waterfowl.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Plan for woodland hazards and weak signals

Watch for roots, cypress knees and falling branches on wooded trails. Cell coverage is limited around Big Hill Pond, the Tuscumbia River and the hunting area south of the railroad. The park has no Wi-Fi. Download your route before walking and tell someone your plan. Report feral pig sightings to park staff.

Respect closures and shared routes

Follow posted closures rather than using a general activity listing as permission to enter a work area. Rocky Knob crosses the entrance road twice and shares part of a horse trail, so pause at road crossings and give other users room. Ask staff about the Dismal Swamp boardwalk before choosing a route that depends on it.

Book a gathering space separately

Reservable park pavilions can be booked online or by calling the park. Paid online shelter reservations can be made up to a year ahead. Use the official day-use booking page for the particular shelter and its terms. This guide focuses on a day visit.

Finding the visitor center and trails

The park office is at 1435 John Howell Road in Pocahontas. Start there for route advice, especially during lake work. Large RVs and horse trailers should ask about the approach: Park Entrance Lane has a large hill, and the park identifies John Howell Road as a possible better option.

Use the park’s trail descriptions to distinguish paved and mixed surfaces. Fox Hollow starts at the visitor center and runs beside Travis McNatt Lake; confirm how the work affects your intended walk before selecting that shoreline route.

Other state parks in the area

Pickwick Landing State Park lies east toward Counce, with its office at 116 State Park Lane. Chickasaw State Park lies north toward Henderson, with a visitor center at 20 Cabin Lane. They are separate road trips, so select the actual park entrance when checking your onward route.

Build a day around walking and birding

• For a brief walk: consider the 0.4-mile paved trail.
• For a longer woodland route: check the 2.4-mile Rocky Knob trail and its shared-use sections.
• For birding: bring binoculars for the hardwood bottomlands and river-edge habitat. Do not count on a particular sighting.

Day-use facilities

The visitor center gift shop is a place to obtain a map and local information. Pavilion facilities differ. The 1800s Chimney Shelter has a grill, running water and electricity, but no restrooms at that site. Confirm the selected shelter’s facilities before organizing a group picnic.

About Big Hill Pond

Railroad earthworks became a pond

Railroad construction in 1853 supplied the origin of the namesake pond. Workers removed earth for a levee across the river bottoms, leaving a 35-acre pond. The area later became a state park in 1977.

Wetlands and nesting birds

The floodplain has small oxbows and swampy areas used by waterfowl, fish and other wildlife. Bald eagles nest along Cypress Creek and the Tuscumbia River. Watch quietly from established visitor routes and leave nesting habitat undisturbed.

Contact Big Hill Pond

Call Tennessee State Parks staff at 731-645-7967 for local conditions and facility questions. The park highlights and visitor guidance explain the landscape and local access considerations.