Things to Do in Sewanee, Tennessee
The best things to do in Sewanee, Tennessee, are hiking the University of the South’s Perimeter Trail, watching the sun set from the bluff overlooks and walking the Gothic campus. Sewanee is a community of 2,535 people in Franklin County, on the western edge of the Cumberland Plateau.
The University of the South, which everyone calls Sewanee, was established in 1857 and held its first classes in 1868. Its campus, known as the Domain, covers 13,000 acres of mountaintop woods. In 1863 Union soldiers blew up the school’s six-ton marble cornerstone, and a large piece of it is now set in a wall of All Saints’ Chapel.
The Perimeter Trail and the Domain
The Domain holds more than 50 miles of hiking trails. The signature Perimeter Trail is a 20-mile loop around much of the plateau, marked with blue blazes, while side trails use white. Every junction has a numbered sign with distances and difficulty. Part of the loop near the village follows the Mountain Goat Trail.
★ Good to know To hike the whole loop in a day, the university suggests parking at the Sewanee Visitors Center in the village, where you can also pick up a printed trail map.
Green’s View, Morgan’s Steep and Memorial Cross
These three bluff-top overlooks are Sewanee’s classic views. Green’s View looks wide across the valley. Morgan’s Steep is known for sunsets, and a short hike leads to Memorial Cross, one of the mountain’s best-known landmarks.
★ Good to know The Office of Admission hands out a directional card if you’d rather not rely on your phone.
Point Disappointment and Piney Point
Two short hikes show off the bluffs without committing to the full loop. The Village Connector to Point Disappointment is 2.2 miles round trip from the visitors center, with two lookouts over Lost Cove. Piney Point is a 2-mile round trip from the University Gates.
★ Good to know Allow about 1.5 hours for Piney Point so you have time at the view.
Abbo’s Alley
With several entry points along University Avenue, Abbo’s Alley follows a creek past footbridges, a wooden gazebo and an inlaid labyrinth. It’s an easy stroll between stops on campus.
★ Good to know Ask at the Office of Admission for directions to the nearest entrance.
Lake Cheston
Students come here to swim, fish and paddle. A 0.75-mile loop circles the lake, and there’s a small beach.
★ Good to know The loop takes about 20 minutes, and the university suggests bringing a swimsuit.
Sewanee Village and the Mountain Goat Trail
The small village along U.S. 41A has locally owned restaurants and shops, the University Bookstore and Mountain Outfitters, a specialty outdoor store. The Mountain Goat Trail, a rails-to-trails path, runs east from the village toward Monteagle.
★ Good to know Woody’s Bicycles in the village rents bikes for the trail.
Fiery Gizzard State Park
Just east in Monteagle, this state park covers about 7,811 acres in Grundy and Marion counties. It’s known for some of the region’s best hiking and backcountry camping, with areas including Fiery Gizzard, Denny Cove and the historic Grundy Lakes.
★ Good to know Start at the park office and welcome center on U.S. 41 in Monteagle for maps and trail conditions.
The Caverns
Down in the Pelham Valley at the base of the plateau, this music venue is set in a natural underground amphitheater. It books concerts through the year and runs cave tours on weekends and concert days.
★ Good to know Buy show tickets ahead; cave tours have their own tickets.
Also in town
The Course at Sewanee is a golf course renovated by Gil Hanse in 2013, next to the Sewanee Inn; the University Art Gallery and Tennessee Williams Center host rotating shows; and the Ralston Listening Library in duPont Library holds more than 15,000 LPs. The Sewanee Review, published here since 1892, is the oldest continuously published literary magazine in the country.
Can the public hike the trails at Sewanee?
Yes. The university publishes trail guides for visitors and suggests parking at the Sewanee Visitors Center in the village. Printed maps are available there.
How long is the Sewanee Perimeter Trail?
About 20 miles as a loop around the Domain. It’s blazed in blue, and every junction has a numbered sign with distances to the next junction.
Where is the best sunset in Sewanee?
Morgan’s Steep, a bluff overlook the university singles out for sunsets. Green’s View is another classic, with wide views across the valley.
What is the Domain at Sewanee?
It’s the name for the University of the South’s 13,000-acre campus on top of the Cumberland Plateau. See more mountain towns in our small towns in Tennessee.
Where to find them
- Sewanee Visitors Center (Perimeter Trail) Sewanee Village, Sewanee, TN 37375 Website Directions
- Green's View, Morgan's Steep and Memorial Cross University of the South, Sewanee, TN 37383 Website Directions
- Abbo's Alley University Avenue, Sewanee, TN 37383 Website Directions
- Lake Cheston University of the South, Sewanee, TN 37383 Website Directions
- Fiery Gizzard State Park 11745 US 41, Monteagle, TN 37356 Website Directions
- The Caverns Pelham, TN Website Directions
Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book through them, Best Small Towns in America may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Where to stay in Sewanee
Keep exploring
Lynchburg, TNAbout 25 miles as the crow fliesJack Daniel's dry-county hometown and start of the Whiskey Trail.Things to do in Lynchburg →
Bell Buckle, TNAbout 36 miles as the crow fliesA railroad town of 410 known for antiques and MoonPies.Things to do in Bell Buckle →
Smithville, TNAbout 53 miles as the crow fliesFiddle-music county seat on the shores of Center Hill Lake.Things to do in Smithville →Also nearby: Pulaski · Leiper's Fork · Linden