Stewart County – Nature, History and Scenic Drives
Accommodation in Stewart County
Stewart County combines nature experiences, Civil War history and self-guided scenic drives into a diverse travel destination. You can plan a day with waterfowl and kayaking, explore historic sites or drive through the countryside on winding roads. When choosing a vacation rental or holiday home, it is therefore worth first determining the pace of travel you want: Would you mainly like to observe nature, explore history or combine several excursions by car?
Nature by the Water and Active Experiences
Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge lies in the floodplain of the Cumberland River, which now forms Barkley Lake. The refuge provides wintering habitat for large numbers of waterfowl, including 30 different species. Visitors can kayak there. This area is therefore especially suitable for travelers who want to combine wildlife observation with an active stay. If you are traveling with children, you can plan the day around different interests: observing nature by the water and kayaking appeal to different preferences than visiting a historical museum.
Stewart State Forest also combines nature with regional history. An orienteering course there offers the opportunity to practice using a compass, pacing, GPS and maps. The forest's historic and cultural sites also include hundreds of areas where charcoal was produced, as well as an iron ore mine. Those who enjoy hands-on discovery and are interested in landscapes and former ways of working will find a distinct focus for planning their day here.
Fort Donelson and the History of Dover
Fort Donelson is an important historical landmark. The capture of Fort Donelson was the North's first major victory. The Fort Donelson NB Auto Tour Route is a self-guided tour with 11 stops in Fort Donelson National Battlefield and the town of Dover. At the temporary visitor center at 120 Fort Donelson Park Road in Dover, you can obtain brochures and view exhibits; National Park Pass stamps and restrooms are also available there. The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. CST, except on Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1.
The historic complex also includes Fort Donelson National Cemetery. The cemetery covers 15 acres and is surrounded by a limestone wall. The grounds contain the remains of 670 United States soldiers and civilians from the Civil War. It remains open to pedestrians from sunrise to sunset. The Dover Hotel adds a civilian perspective to the region's history: it was built between 1851 and 1853 to accommodate steamboat travelers before and after the Civil War. During the Battle of Fort Donelson, General Buckner and his staff used the building as their headquarters.
Quilt Tour and Historic Museums
The Quilt Tour is a self-guided driving tour of painted quilt blocks in Stewart County. It consists of four separate driving tours; you should allow at least three to four hours to see all the blocks. Many of the remaining 90 quilt blocks are located at shops, churches and private homes. The tour therefore suits an itinerary in which you want to combine different impressions on one drive without dedicating the entire day exclusively to a single museum.
At the Stewart County Historical Museum/W.D. Sykes Museum, artifacts, photographs and exhibits illustrate the county's history from early settlement through the Civil War. Homeplace Working Farm presents living history: interpreters in period clothing carry out daily tasks on a working farm. The Brandau/Sykes House is a large historic wooden house built in the style of a 19th-century river steamboat. These sites offer different ways of approaching the past—from the museum and everyday work to distinctive architecture.
Scenic Drives for Trip Planning
Dover is the starting point for two notable scenic byways. The Woodlands Trace National Scenic Byway runs through Kentucky and Tennessee along the entire length of the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. The Tennessee River Trail Scenic Byway also begins in Dover and stretches for 440 miles along winding two-lane roads on both banks of the Tennessee River. If you choose your accommodation as a base for several days of driving, you can choose between a shorter themed drive such as the Quilt Tour, a historic route and longer scenic-byway stages.
For further orientation, you can also include Bumpus Mills in your selection of destinations. This leaves room to discover Stewart County not only through individual attractions but also through different places and types of excursions.
For the broader travel overview: Tennessee.
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