Standing Stone State Park is located in Standing Stone State Forest on the Cumberland Plateau. The park takes its name from the Standing Stone, a 12 foot tall rock standing upright on a sandstone ledge, which was supposedly used as a boundary line between two Indian nations. When the rock fell, the Indians placed a portion of it upon an improvised monument to preserve it. The stone is still preserved in nearby Monterey, Tenn.
In the 1930s, Standing Stone was an area plagued with soil erosion and sub-marginal lands. With the assistance of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Work Projects Administration (WPA), the Resettlement Administration and U.S. Forest Service, the area was made productive again. They were able to relocate area farmers to better land, stop soil erosion, reforest and develop recreational opportunities. The site became a Tennessee State Park in 1939.
Standing Stone State Park has more than eight miles of day-use hiking trails, providing access to some of the park’s loveliest areas. Trails range from easy to strenuous and pass into virgin woods through vivid wildflowers and over-flowing streams and around beautiful Standing Stone Lake.
The park has 36 campsites, each with grill, picnic table, water and electricity. There are also 17 historic WPA cabins and seven more modern cabins available that can be reserved up to a year in advance. All cabins are completely equipped for housekeeping including appliances, microwave oven, cooking utensils and linens. The park has three group lodges ranging in size and accommodations.
The Tea Room at Standing Stone is a conference-style meeting room that can accommodate up to 80 people and is approximately 800 square feet. The Tea Room includes a large back deck and five picnic tables. Great views of the lake and natural scenery make it an ideal location for wedding receptions, family reunions and small conferences.
The famous National Rolley Hole Marble Tournament is held here every September. The largest of its kind, the tournament has been an annual event at the park for more than 30 years. This traditional marbles contest draws some of the country’s best players to a tournament where players match wit and skills with special flint spheres on a smooth dirt surface. The festival includes kids’ games, marble making, swap meet, tournament play, demonstrations, music and food. (Registration is required for the Rolley Hole Tournament.) This one of a kind family experience has been featured by ESPN, Sports Illustrated, CBS, CNN, Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic and Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic strip. Watch the great video our friends at Wild SideTV made about this internationally recognized tournament.
Activities
SWIMMING
Standing Stone opens Memorial Day and closes no later than Labor Day. The pool is open seven days a week, except during August and early September. The park has an Olympic-sized pool with one low dive and a wading pool for children.
HIKING
Standing Stone State Park has more than eight miles of day-use hiking trails, providing access to some of the park’s loveliest areas. Trails range from easy to strenuous and pass into virgin woods through vivid wildflowers and over-flowing streams and around beautiful Standing Stone Lake.
BOATING
Canoes, kayaks and aluminum fishing (row boats) may be rented year-round. Patrons may bring their own electric trolling motor and battery for the fishing boats. Pedal boats are rented seasonally. The only private boats allowed on Kelly Lake are canoes and kayaks.
FISHING
Kelly Lake (69 acre) provides excellent fishing for bass, bluegill, catfish and trout. Black Bass must be a minimum of 15 inches. Trout are stocked during the winter. There is a three pole limit per angler from boat and six pole limit per angler from the bank.
Dale Hollow Lake is ten minutes from the park and provides fishing and other water recreation activities.
BIRDING
Kelly Lake supports many red-eared sliders and painted turtles, great blue herons, and migrating waterfowl. Barred owls area regularly heard around the cabin area.
Campground
Standing Stone State Park’s campground offers 36 tent and trailer sites, each equipped with a picnic table, charcoal grill, water hookups, and 20, 30, 50 amperage electrical hookups. RVs are limited to 45 feet. The campground is served with two central bathhouses and a dump station. Although the campground is open year round, only one bathhouse serves the campground during the winter season.
The maximum stay limit is two weeks. The Park honors Golden Access Cards or passport for disabled and/or senior citizens discount. The campground provides accessibility to persons with disability. Dogs, cats and other pets are prohibited unless they are on a leash or under physical restrictive control at all times. Pack animals are not allowed in the park. Backcountry camping is not allowed in park.