Hawkins Cove State Natural Area
Things to do
Cowan, Tennessee, 37318
About Hawkins Cove State Natural Area
Hawkins Cove State Park
Hawkins Cove is a 249-acre natural area located in Franklin County. It was originally acquired by The Nature Conservancy of Tennessee and then sold to the State to protect a population of Cumberland rosinweed (Silphium brachiatum). Cumberland rosinweed is a type of sunflower found only on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. It was first described in 1800s by Augustin Gattinger in this same general vicinity.
The forest within Hawkins Cove consists mostly of oaks and hickories occurring on a north facing colluvial slope. A powerline right-of-way traverses the property and an old railroad grade forms the eastern boundary. There are a few small limestone cedar barrens found scattered on the property. These barrens and openings provide the best habitat for the Cumberland rosinweed. The natural area is part of the South Cumberland Recreation Area.