Tennessee Land Closures

I was on the phone with the SFWDA brass on the quarterly conference call. It sounds like two off-road areas in TN are precariously close to closing down.

Coppengers Cove, which is near Tracy City, is the first. Apparently the guy who owns the land and has opened it up for trail riding is getting fed up with trail riders leaving trash all over the trails and is considering berming up the access trail to keep people out. Pete Mier, who is a SFWDA member has been doing about 30 hours a month in trash clean up and the SFWDA just appropriated $2500 towards tools and a trailer to help with continued trail clean up/maintenance.

As I spoke with Pete, I asked about published trail maintenance days, and he said that he stopped posting them because people weren't showing up, or if they did, they were more interested in just riding and would get upset when they were called out for driving past piles of trash.

The other location is Golden Mountain in Sparta. As I understand it, the park was just purchased by a family that owns the adjoining farm, as an investment property. The family has no interest in running it as an off-road park, nor do they have much interest in upkeep of the facilities. SFWDA does do Dixie Run at Golden Mountain each September, and that event is generally what gets Golden our of the red. The indication is that Golden Mountain will cease to exist as an OHV location within the next 12-24 months.

Most people call the whole cove area Coppinger Cove when it is actually made up of many coves.

Does he own any of the other adjoining coves and gulfs next to Coppinger Cove?

If he doesn't that leaves Sewanee Gulf, Little Sequatchie Cove, Bearhole Hollow, Peter Cave Cove, Bearpen Gulf, Bryant Cove, Indian Cove, Dixon Cove, Alum Cove to ride on.

I didn't know Golden Mountain had been sold. It's seems the previous owners were from another state. I e-mailed them once for the Flog and the e-mail was from a different state. I have a friend that knows people that were helping run GM. I'll see what I can find out.

Anything that you learn, Ed, let us know. The owners are in Birmingham, AL.

I could swear that is where the last e-mail address was from.

Where is information posted that GMP is closing?

That would suck to see those two close. The cove needs organized work days once a month with people that understand if it isn't done we loose it. A speech at the beginning does wonders. FOU and those work days are the only reason URE is still open I believe.

GMP is not closed - yet. The indication is that in 12-24 months it very well could be, without intervention, due to the owners lack of interest in running it as an off-road park. The guy that works the farm next door (owned by the same family) "keeps his eye on it" but is more of a caretaker than anything. SFWDA is in conversation with the land owners, and is still going to be doing their Dixie Run at GMP in September.

I just got back from golden mountain. It is an awesome place to wheel, but had a reputation for being run oddly and it is difficult to get ahold of the caretaker. Does anyone know the back story of this place?

It has abandoned bumper boats, go cart track, dirt track with lights grandstands, lighted baseball field, volleyball courts, pavilions, and much more. It's kinda feels like you are in a zombie movie.

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A few pictures from gmp. An abandoned wedding overlook and some trails

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It does feel creepy up there. I found an article once and that was a place you took the family to go have fun. They had a putt putt golf course, volleyball, baseball, basketball fields and all kind of other stuff. You could take your family for a picnic and play.

It does look like the set of a zombie movie. Just let the grass grow a bit.

The owners are in Alabama and the man who owned the park passed away. His family is now deciding what to do with the property.

PacificEd said:

It does feel creepy up there. I found an article once and that was a place you took the family to go have fun. They had a putt putt golf course, volleyball, baseball, basketball fields and all kind of other stuff. You could take your family for a picnic and play.

It does look like the set of a zombie movie. Just let the grass grow a bit.

The owners are in Alabama and the man who owned the park passed away. His family is now deciding what to do with the property.

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It will likely go away. that is what happened with Callantee. Owner was old his kids lived in Florida and had no desire to operate an awesome OHV park.

From what was posted on Hardline, someone spoke with Anthony at GMP yesterday and he said that no one was currently buying the property. He also wasn't aware of a closure.

Its not closed - nor has it been announced that it will be. SFWDA is anticipating that to happen based on conversations with the owner of the property who lives in Alabama.

Ghost said:

It will likely go away. that is what happened with Callantee. Owner was old his kids lived in Florida and had no desire to operate an awesome OHV park.

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Funny story but according to FB the owners of callantee are looking to sell that property.

Cottontail said:

Its not closed - nor has it been announced that it will be. SFWDA is anticipating that to happen based on conversations with the owner of the property who lives in Alabama.

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Your original post sounded like it was sold and a done deal.

Snipes243 said:

Funny story but according to FB the owners of callantee are looking to sell that property.

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I've heard that as well.

The Callantee property has been for sale since it was closed. There was supposedly a developer looking at it back in 11 or 12 but apparently it didn't go through.

Another trusted source has spoken with a contact at Golden Mountain Park. She said that she hasn't heard of anything regarding the sale or closure of the park. So take that information for what its worth.

Cottontail said:

The other location is Golden Mountain in Sparta. The indication is that Golden Mountain will cease to exist as an OHV location within the next 12-24 months.

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Cottontail said:

GMP is not closed - yet. The indication is that in 12-24 months it very well could be, without intervention, due to the owners lack of interest in running it as an off-road park. SFWDA is in conversation with the land owners, and is still going to be doing their Dixie Run at GMP in September.

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Cottontail said:

Its not closed - nor has it been announced that it will be. SFWDA is anticipating that to happen based on conversations with the owner of the property who lives in Alabama.

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I'll take it for what it is worth, certainly, however, I never once said that it is scheduled to be closed, only the speculation and indications that were assessed by the SFWDA BOD in conversation with the land owners.

I hope it stays open for a good long time. It is a great park.

FWIW if SFWD is anticipating this then they should open up conversations with the land owner to buy it and run it. Especially since their main event is held there..... Just my .02!