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Located in Southern Middle Tennessee off the Tims Ford Reservoir, Tims Ford State Park is perhaps best known for its 10,700-acre lake, but that is just the beginning of what the 3,546-acre state park has to offer for visitors.

Established Sept. 1, 1978, Tims Ford State Park traces its origins to the construction of Tims Ford Lake by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

“It was land that was going to be set aside to create a state park and so that is how the original 300 acres of Tims Ford kind of came to be,” Park Manager Sean Settle said. “Since the park opened we are nearly 10 times the size that we once were.”

Located at 570 Tims Ford Drive in Winchester, Tennessee, the park features a host of amenities ranging from the Lakeview Marina, a Jack Nicklaus designed golf course, nature center and more than 20 miles of hiking trails.

“We are blessed with an abundance of hiking opportunities then you also have the lake, you have nice campgrounds, we are a clean park, all of our amenities if they are not world class yet we are getting there,” Settle said.

When it comes to hiking trails, Settle said the 1.3-mile Lost Creek Overlook Trail is a favorite of park goers.

“One of the nice things about that one is it has two suspension bridges and it takes you out to an overlook of the park,” Settle said. “From there you can take our 1-mile ADA accessible Overlook Trail that is all paved back up to the park office and make a loop.”

Those hiking along the Lost Creek Overlook Trail for the first time might be surprised when they pass by the remains of a 1950s Plymouth that had a long-ago run in with a tree.

Now rusted through its floorboards and stripped nearly bare, the car has called its location along the trail home since before the park opened.

Settle said he has had the opportunity to speak with the man responsible for putting the car where it has lived for decades.

“There is an old foundation up there that used to be a grocery store and the hill was a little more dramatic back then…so mom had gone into the grocery store to go get stuff and she left her two young boys in the car and two young boys did what two young boys always do and they bicker about who is driving the car and they knocked it out of gear and rolled it down the hill,” he said.

Settle said during the 1950s there were no tow trucks in Franklin County that could retrieve the car, and it has been there ever since.

One project currently in the works at Tims Ford State Park is a new ADA accessible dirt trail that will allow individuals with disabilities to enjoy the serenity of a dirt trail hike through the park.

Settle said Tennessee State Parks were approached by Georgia State Parks, which had partnered with the Aimee Copeland Foundation to provide all-terrain wheelchairs for use in its parks for those with disabilities.

Copeland sustained significant injuries after a zip-lining accident in 2012 left her battling a flesh-eating bacterial infection that resulted in the amputation of both her hands, right foot and left leg.

“One of the things that she kind of became an advocate for was she just wanted the simple joy of being able to go on a hike again so she started purchasing all these all-terrain wheelchairs and then found places that would build trails for them,” Settle said.

An all-terrain wheelchair has already been purchased for the park by the TVA, and a new ADA accessible dirt trail is expected to open sometime this year.

Settle said reservations for the chair, which are free of charge, will be accepted sometime after July 4.

“They will be able to go out and enjoy a dirt trail hike just like everybody else,” he said. “There will be bridge crossings and we are actually setting it up in an area where there will be public fishing areas along the way and we are going to make those where they can actually go up and utilize these fishing stations.”

“We are hopeful that it will open this year,” Settle said. “We have got over half done now we really just need to install the bridges and do some dress up and that program will be up and running.”

For those who enjoy their outdoor recreation on the water, Tims Ford Lake features eight public boat ramps and two marinas with boat rentals, fishing bait, camping supplies and gasoline. Over at the Holiday Landing Marina, boaters can also enjoy The Blue Gill Restaurant.

Those interested in casting a line can try their luck for smallmouth and striped bass, as well as largemouth bass, Crappie, catfish and bluegill.

Those seeking overnight accommodations at Tim’s Ford State Park can choose from both primitive and electric campsites as well as 20 cabins available to rent year-round.

For more information about Tim’s Ford State Park, visit https://tnstateparks.com/parks/tims-ford.