FILMING IN TENNESSEE STATE PARKS
Tennessee State Parks offer a huge range of potential film + photography locations, from waterfalls and lakes to forests, historic sites, cabins, overlooks and rural landscapes.
If you're planning a commercial film, video or photography production in a Tennessee State Park, you'll need to coordinate with the park and potentially other state agencies before filming.
WHERE SHOULD YOU START?
Start by contacting the individual Tennessee State Park you're interested in filming at.
Each park has different facilities, environmental considerations, visitor traffic and restrictions, so approval can depend on the specific location and scope of your production.
For general Tennessee State Parks questions:
Tennessee State Parks
Phone: 1-888-TN-PARKS
CONTACT THE TENNESSEE ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION
The Tennessee Entertainment Commission (TEC) is also a useful resource for productions looking to film on state-owned property.
TEC works with productions filming throughout Tennessee and helps coordinate with state agencies when state property is involved.
TENNESSEE ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION
WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD YOU HAVE READY?
When contacting a park, be prepared to provide basic production information such as:
Project type
Requested park + specific filming area
Shoot dates + hours
Crew and talent size
Equipment
Production vehicles
Parking requirements
Prep + wrap needs
Drone activity
Special effects or unusual activity
Areas that need to be restricted or controlled
Insurance information
The larger or more complicated the production, the earlier you should begin the conversation.
COMMERCIAL USE + INSURANCE
Tennessee State Parks regulates commercial activity within its parks and state natural areas.
For commercial activities that fall under the State Parks Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) program, Tennessee currently requires general liability insurance of at least:
$1,000,000 per occurrence
with the State of Tennessee named as an additional insured.
However, the current CUA program lists specific categories of commercial services and does not list film production as a standard CUA category. Productions should therefore confirm the appropriate approval process directly with Tennessee State Parks rather than assuming a CUA is the correct permit for a film shoot.
TENNESSEE STATE PARKS COMMERCIAL USE INFORMATION
NATURAL + SENSITIVE AREAS
Some state parks contain environmentally sensitive areas, historic resources or protected natural features.
Productions should be prepared for restrictions involving:
Vehicles off established roads
Large equipment
Ground disturbance
Set construction
Pyrotechnics
Special effects
Generators
Drones
Wildlife
Water access
Blocking trails or visitor areas
A location may also be part of a State Natural Area, which can introduce additional protections and restrictions.
DRONES
If your production plans to use a drone, discuss it with the park before your shoot.
FAA authorization addresses federal airspace requirements, but it does not automatically give a production permission to launch, land or operate from State Parks property.
PLAN AHEAD
State parks remain public recreational spaces while productions are working in them.
When evaluating a park location, consider:
Public access
Seasonal crowds
Trails
Parking
Weather
Environmental restrictions
Equipment access
Crew size
Restrooms
Holding
Power
Cell service
Emergency access
A beautiful location isn't necessarily a production-friendly location, so these logistics are worth investigating during the scout.
OFFICIAL RESOURCES
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT + CONSERVATION