The Appalachian Conservation Institute (ACI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit protecting nearly 11,000 acres in Tennessee’s Little Sequatchie Cove, announced the opening of the Mountain Laurel Trail, a brand new hiking trail that runs through one of the region’s most biodiverse landscapes and features waterfall views. Access to the Mountain Laurel Trail as well as the rest of ACI’s nearly 11,000 acres is free through their online permitting system at aci.recaccess.com.

“With the Mountain Laurel Trail, we want to give people a chance to get out on the land and walk it, feel it, experience it,” said Rick Huffines, Executive Director of the Appalachian Conservation Institute. “The 11,000 acres we protect belong to the whole community, not just a few.”

Founded in 2023 by Michael and Karmin Pace, ACI was started with the mission of providing a new model for conservation philanthropy. The Paces privately acquired most of the land that ACI now protects, and they have been donating it to ACI over time to protect it into perpetuity. From day one, free community access has been central to ACI’s conservation efforts. 

“Land protection, conservation, and research has always been a mission we support, and one that we were able to help actualize through the establishment of ACI,” said Michael Pace, ACI founder and Board member. “We bought this land to protect it from development and ultimately, to give it back to the community. We envision this to be a place of discovery and learning, and an important part of that is making sure it’s accessible to the public.”

The Mountain Laurel Trail is ACI’s first-ever dedicated hiking trail, an approximately 3-mile moderate loop through the South Cumberland Mountains in Marion County, Tennessee. The loop runs between Avary Point and a nearly 60-ft waterfall that swells to a roar after big rains. A picnic shelter situated at the top of the waterfall gives hikers a scenic place to eat lunch while enjoying the views. Mountain laurel blooms in the late spring along the path, giving the trail its name.

The trail was entirely community-funded. A grassroots giving campaign in December 2025 raised $7,730 from 68 individual donors, reaching 154% of its original $5,000 goal. That funding paid for the trail, the picnic shelter, and the waterfall overlook platform. The entire build was completed in just three weeks by ACI’s facilities crew. The trail opened to the public in late May 2026, following a private ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by more than 40 of the donors who made it possible.

“Sixty-eight people funded this trail because they wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves,” said Huffines. “At ACI, we are companions to this land, and we invite the community to join us in our efforts. It takes all of us.”

The Mountain Laurel Trail is the first in the planned build-out of ACI’s public trail network. To find the trail, navigate to 1900 Pryor Ridge Road, Tracy City, TN, and follow the signs to the trailhead.

Alongside its public access mission, ACI conducts scientific research across its property, as well as large-scale land restoration projects. Little Sequatchie Cove has rare cave systems, unique geological formations, and ecologically significant habitat that several threatened and endangered species depend on. The land ACI protects is some of the most scientifically and ecologically significant in the southeastern United States.

Visitors can access the Mountain Laurel Trail and all of ACI’s property by obtaining a free permit at aci.recaccess.com. Permits are available online, free of charge, and are required for all visitors. ACI property is open for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, hunting, and climbing.