Description: Labor Day Weekend FPSHP 2026
Location: Fort Pillow State Park
Fort Pillow State Historic Park
Saturday, September 5, 2026
1:00 pm: Welcome Campers! Be on the lookout for Seasonal Ranger Chris as he will be delivering goodies to our campers and informing them of the upcoming events that will be held over the weekend.
3:00 pm: Bike Safety: Join seasonal ranger at the campground to learn about bike safety, including laws, road rules, and designated/approved locations to ride your bike in Fort Pillow State Historic Park.
5:00 pm: Civil War Bingo: Join seasonal ranger at the campground to play Civil War Bingo for small prizes!
6:45 pm: Park Tour and Lantern Hike to the Restored Fortification: Meet the rangers at the butterfly garden for an adventure by riding through the park with several stops along the way to look at what the park has to offer, as well as a chance to tour through the museum. Afterwards, there will be an informative round-trip hike at night by lantern light up to the newly restored fortification where most of the battle at Fort Pillow took place. Along the way, hikers will cross the newly installed 120-yard-long suspension bridge, which is the longest in the TN State Parks. Ask about All-terrain wheelchairs that can be driven all the way to the Fort. Bring bug spray, water, and light if needed. The program will cost $7 plus tax for our programming fees and will have a 20-person cut off. Register online or call the park office to register.
Sunday, September 6, 2026
10:00 am: Park Tour and Guided Restored Fortification Hike: Join Park Ranger Stoney Hughes at 10:00a.m. at the Butterfly Garden Parking Lot on September 6th. We will start our adventure by riding through the park with several stops along the way to look at what the park has to offer, as well as a chance to go across the new suspension bridge in route to the Restored Fortification. The program will cost $5 plus tax for our programming fees. Register online or call the park office to make your reservations.
12:00 pm: Hike to the Restored Fortification: Meet the seasonal ranger at the museum for a short, informative round-trip hike up to the newly restored fortification where most of the battle at Fort Pillow took place. Along the way, hikers will cross the newly installed 120-yard-long suspension bridge, which is the longest in the TN State Parks. Ask about All-terrain wheelchairs that can be driven all the way to the Fort.
1:00 pm: Museum Tour and Video: Meet seasonal ranger at the museum for an informative tour through the exhibits, insight into what a soldier would have carried in his pack, and to view the film on the Civil War battle Fort Pillow.
4:00 Cornhole! Meet seasonal ranger at the campground for an invigorating game of Cornhole.
7:00 pm: Sunset Lake Float: Meet seasonal ranger at the dock at Fort Pillow Lake for a kayak/canoe float on the lake to see the sunset and experience twilight critters at dusk. All equipment is provided. Please bring water and any needed sun protection. There is a $5 program fee with this event. You must sign up online at tnstateparks.com/fortpillow or at the park office (731)738-5581. There is a 20-person limit.
Monday, September 7, 2026
7:00 am Birds!!! Join Seasonal Ranger at the Butterfly Garden for an early morning birding adventure. Listen and identify birds by their calls and get your own Guide to Birding in Tennessee program booklet.
9:00 am Sound Map: Meet seasonal ranger at the Butterfly Garden to celebrate National Self-Care Awareness Month and make a sound map, which is a simple way of noticing and noting the sounds in a local area by drawing or labelling them on a blank card. Sound maps confront a bad habit that most of us have developed - we are so intent on getting somewhere that we miss much of what we are travelling through. Or a place is so familiar we fail to notice the details that makes it special. And yet in woodlands, nature reserves, parks, gardens and countryside trails, it is the moments of pause that can offer up the richest opportunities to absorb the places we are in.
10:00 am Trash and Litter Scavenger Hunt: Meet seasonal ranger at the campground for a final "micro-trash" sweep of the entire campground. Turning in a bag of collected trash will earn children a park sticker or other prize!
12:00 pm: Museum Tour and Video: Meet seasonal ranger at the museum for an informative tour through the exhibits, insight into what a soldier would have carried in his pack, and to view the film on the Civil War battle Fort Pillow.
Event Document:
Download Information
Program Host: Fort Pillow State Historic Park
Contact Email: tyson.weller@tn.gov
Contact Phone: 731-738-5581