"Replacing the support beams and exterior siding and installing new flashing and gutters in the very near future will be necessary to correct this problem and prevent much more significant damage." That sentence comes from the draft Edgar Evins State Park Strategic Management Plan. It describes the visitor center, where the roof beams are rotting from water that gets past inadequate gutter flashing.
Of all the facility needs in the plan, that repair is the only one rated high priority. The rest of the five-year blueprint follows the same pattern. The work the park calls urgent is on roads, drains, roofs and campsites that people in Silver Point already use. The lakeview event venue and the new standalone cabins come later. Tennessee State Parks is taking public comment on that order right now, and the in-person meeting is Monday, Nov. 16, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. CST at the Edgar Evins Interpretive Center, 3877 Edgar Evins State Park Road.
The repair list, in the park's own order
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation announced the meetings on Oct. 13. Edgar Evins is one of 12 state parks getting new five-year plans. Each plan is built on four parts: resource stewardship, visitor experience, facilities and amenities, and operational excellence. For Edgar Evins, the facilities section reads like a punch list.
| Facility need | Priority | What the plan describes |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor center roof and support structure | High | Rotting beams and exterior walls from water exposure |
| Maintenance building storage bay | Medium | Needs a new roof and exterior walls |
| Campground drainage | Medium | About 1,000 feet of tile and bulkheads to stop erosion |
| ADA upgrades | Medium | Buildings, restrooms, shelters, sidewalks and parking lots |
| Park roads and parking lots | Medium | Repave and reline to fix potholes, cracks and depressions |
| Drain tiles under roadways | Medium | Tiles under the main road "beginning to collapse" |
| Boat ramp | Medium | Graded banks on both sides of the concrete ramp |
| Campground sewer sites | Low | Add sewer hookups to 10 more existing sites |
| Horse trailer lot | Low | Pave the gravel access road off TN-342 |
| Sewage treatment system | Low | Replace existing system |
A few of those rows have a backstory. The plan says the campground drainage "was poorly designed and installed during the capital renovation in 2014," and that runoff is now eating into the asphalt RV pads and the campground road. The sewer request comes from demand. The campground has nine premium sites with sewer, and the plan says they are "frequently booked to capacity" and earn more than the other sites.
None of these items has a dollar figure. The plan sets priorities without cost estimates or funding, so every row is a recommendation, not a scheduled project.
Five days after the meeting, runners will cover those roads
The road problems will get a close-up test on Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Dam 5 Miler. The race starts at Center Hill Recreation Area, crosses Center Hill Dam and finishes its outbound leg at the park's Visitor Center Office. The park's event page warns of "challenging points due to road inclines" in both directions. Race start is 8 a.m. CST, and walkers are welcome too.
That route runs along the main park road the plan flags twice. Its surface needs repaving and relining, and the drain tiles underneath are collapsing under "extreme pressure." Many of the bulkheads beside them are broken, and the plan says replacements are needed "to prevent the roadway from subsiding or collapsing."
Runners will also pass a native pollinator corridor that lines the roads into the park. The plan lists expanding that corridor as one possible yearly resource project. Other candidates are signage at Dunham Cemetery, work at the Lon Christian homeplace, habitat for the rare Western Wallflower, and cleanup of the pre-impoundment home at the park entrance.
On the trails, maintenance comes before expansion
The park lists seven hiking trails covering about 12 miles. Most of the trail notes in the plan are about upkeep.
- Merritt Ridge Trail is the park's long ridge loop, with winter views of the lake, two acres of wild hyacinths in spring, and a wall of massive stacked stones on a bluff. The plan calls it the hardest trail to keep clear of debris. As of this writing, the Edgar Evins park page says the trail is temporarily closed because of storm damage and impassable sections.
- Millennium Trail follows an old roadbed that once led to the Wolf Creek Community, past two old homesteads and stone walls. The plan says it needs bridge replacement in two places.
- Mountain Bike Trail is the one trail the inventory rates "Poor," marked as a work in progress.
- Dunham Cemetery Trail is a short climb to the historic cemetery. The plan says it needs signage about the Dunham family.
The plan also proposes picking two trails to make accessible for track chairs or off-road hiking chairs, and adding colorblind viewers on the observation tower. The only new trail mileage it mentions is a long-term idea to "Clean up Indian Creek area and add some hiking trails."
The bigger ideas sit five years or more out
The plan sorts its recommendations into three time frames, and the most visible additions are in the last one.
Under a year: expand Wi-Fi throughout the campground, build a fire pit seating area "where the old volleyball court is," finish an ADA project around the bird of prey exhibit, move an upgraded fish display into the main room, and keep the camp store open longer.
Two to five years: energy-efficient lighting at the marina and boat ramps that cuts light pollution in the night sky, ADA fishing access at the shelters and on the peninsula, an ADA restroom and changing room at the pool for cabin guests, and more outdoor seating with a fire pit behind the cabins.
Five years and beyond: a large indoor venue with a full kitchen and restrooms for meetings or receptions, a new Trex-style courtesy dock with an open-air gazebo to replace the old dock and building, and a new information kiosk at the park office. The new-assets table adds 10 standalone cabin units on top of the park's existing 34 cabins.
Programming gets its own goals. The park wants to bring back the History Hayride in late summer or early fall, create three new programs each fiscal year, and possibly work with an outside partner on kayak trips down the river and lake rentals. The five-year interpretive targets include 10% more attendance at programs that don't involve the water and 10% more volunteers. Staffing requests come later: a full-time cabin custodian and a ranger position in 2029, and a full-time maintenance lead in 2030.
Three ways to weigh in before Dec. 31
TDEC is accepting spoken comments at the meeting and written comments through the end of the year.
- Read the draft. The full Edgar Evins plan is posted on TDEC's draft management plans page. The page shows it was last updated Oct. 15, 2026.
- Attend Nov. 16. The meeting runs 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. CST at the Interpretive Center and is in person only. Tennessee State Parks leadership will present the statewide Comprehensive System Plan, and park staff will walk through the Edgar Evins plan.
- Submit in writing. TDEC's online comment form is open through Dec. 31, 2026. TDEC says comments will be considered as the plans are finalized.
What's on the park calendar this November
The meeting falls in a busy stretch at the park. Here's what's coming up after Thursday:
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 9 to 10 a.m.: Wood Round Turkey at the Interpretive Center is a free program about wild turkeys with a wood-round craft. Registration is required, and children 12 and under need an adult with them.
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 11 a.m. to noon: Leaf Rubbing Nature Book is a free ranger-led activity, also at the Interpretive Center.
- Sunday, Nov. 8, 10 to 10:30 a.m.: Missssunderstood Reptiles is a free program that meets at the park office.
- Sunday, Nov. 8, 1 to 3 p.m.: The Fall Color Pontoon Tour leaves from the marina. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. It's a chance to see the boat ramps and courtesy dock from the water before the plan's ideas for them come up for comment.
- Monday, Nov. 16, 5:30 p.m. CST: Public meeting on the strategic plan.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 8 a.m. CST: Dam 5 Miler from Center Hill Recreation Area. Registration is on RunSignup.
We'll be following the Edgar Evins plan as it moves from draft to final. If you have questions about Silver Point or the land and homes around Center Hill Lake, Tammy & Lindsey are always glad to talk.
