Pickwick Landing State Park Honored for Excellence in Visitor Experience

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has honored Pickwick Landing State Park in Hardin County with the Excellence in Visitor Experience Award as part of the annual Tennessee State Parks Awards of Excellence.

“With its picturesque lakefront views, Pickwick Landing State Park is a beloved outdoor escape for many visitors, but it is the outstanding service and expanded programing that’s earned the park this honor for providing an excellent visitor experience,” said TDEC Commissioner David Salyers.

Pickwick Landing has long been a gateway to Pickwick Lake for water enthusiasts and anglers, but the park’s staff has targeted extensive programming to the local community, creating partnerships that have fostered deeper community engagement.

"I am proud that the leadership team at Pickwick Landing State Park embraced the idea of creating local connections and ran with it," said Brian Clifford, TDEC's deputy commissioner for the Bureau of Conservation. "Expanding the programming and educational opportunities has resulted in long-lasting relationships with the local community that will benefit the park for years to come."

This past year park staff introduced four summer camps along with a growing lineup of creative offerings such as the Scarybook Trail, Fireside Chats, Ranger Book Club, and the Pickwick Dam Triathlon. Educational outreach through regular programs strengthened relationships with homeschool networks, schools, libraries, and churches, while partnerships with Hardin County Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce, TN RiverLine, and UT Extension extended the park’s reach even further. Along with improvements to captive animal exhibits and expanded boating programs, the focus on enhancing visitor experience helped park staff forge lasting connections with members of the local community.

The Excellence in Visitor Experience Award recognizes a park for distinguished achievement in strengthening the quality, accessibility and breadth of experiences available to guests of all abilities. The evaluation considers significant enhancements to visitor access, the development of new or expanded recreational opportunities and the integration of visitor-serving features that advance strategic goals for inclusive, high-value park experiences.

TDEC announced the following awards for parks in other categories:

• State Park of the Year: Roan Mountain State Park
• Excellence in Resource Stewardship Award: Johnsonville State Historic Park
• Excellence in Operations Award: Panther Creek State Park
• Excellence in Amenities Award: Pickett CCC Memorial State Park