Hundreds of acres on Bluff Mountain now shielded from development

Hundreds of acres of beautiful, practically untouched land will now stay that way forever. On Friday, Sevier County resident Marian Oates donated 510 acres of land atop Bluff Mountain to the Foothills Land Conservancy and Legacy Park Foundation.

"I'm a half a tree-hugger," Oates said. "I think we have to have building, development, and so forth, but also we've got to save a lot of land."

That's exactly what she and the organizations intend to do. Under the easement, there will be no hunting allowed. Also, visitors will not be able to skydive or bungee-jump off the cliffs.

Additionally, while there will be about ten lots available for sale, no overnight rental cabins are allowed.

Bill Clabough, the executive director of the conservancy, says Oates does not want any "partying."

He calls the donation "one of our crown jewels."

"The fact that Ms. Oates has said, 'I'm going to save my mountaintop so it can't be developed,' it has to rank in the top five," Clabough says of the donation.

He says, unlike before, this donation will mark the first time the conservancy will take over land and keep it forever. Typically, the group buys land then gives it away.

"Together, we collectively can make a difference in protecting the land through an organization like Foothills Land Conservancy, put some restrictions on how it can be used in our lifetime and after our lifetime for future generations to enjoy," said Billy Minser, vice president of the conservancy's board.

Oates says, on a clear day, there is a 2,000-plus square-mile view that includes, on one side, Seymour through Knoxville and Kingston. On the other, one can see the Smokies, Mount LeConte, and Clingman's Dome.

"You've only got two other property owners between this piece of property and the Three Sisters tract. If we could talk those people into doing a conservation easement, this entire ridgeline would be protected, and when you come out 441 or Chapman Highway, you wouldn't see a whole bunch of houses," Clabough said.

Hotel guests were some of the first people to enjoy the view atop Bluff Mountain at the turn of the last century.

Then, in 1946, Oates' father, Frank, began buying up parts of the land. He would buy some, sell some, and then use the money to build roads to the area.

At one point in time, the family owned more than 2,200 acres.

Oates herself moved to the land in 1986 and says that's when she began thinking about donating it.

"Our young people are just not going to have the opportunity to enjoy this kind of atmosphere, if it's all developed, and so, that's why I wanted to keep it like it was," she said.