National Parks

In Morgan County you will find two national parks: the Obed Wild & Scenic River and the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. 

Obed Wild & Scenic River
This 5,000-acre national park includes the Obed River, Clear Creek, Emory River, and their tributaries. It includes miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, and is rich with natural and historic features. It offers a wide range of activities, the most notable of which are rock climbing and whitewater paddling.

Big South Fork NRRA
The Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is a sister park to the Obed, meaning they’re under the same National Park Service management (along with the Manhattan Project National Historic Park in nearby Oak Ridge). The physical characteristics of the two parks are quite alike in many aspects. The BSF is much larger, however, encompassing 125,000 acres. Because of differences in the geological makeup, the rock climbing isn’t as good in the BSF as it is in the Obed. But the two areas share excellent whitewater paddling traits, and the BSF garners a wide attraction from horseback riders and mountain bikers.

Nemo Bridge at Obed Wild & Scenic River (Photo: Sumer Newport).