Tennessee’s ‘High Forest’: A Hidden Gem with Roaming Elephants and a Scenic Wine Trail Nearby

When you think of Tennessee, you most likely think of Nashville’s music scene, crawling with bachelorette parties, or the Great Smoky Mountains, home to uncrowded, charming towns with orchards. Elephants and wine probably aren’t the first things that come to mind, which makes the quaint town of Hohenwald so unique. About an hour and a half drive southwest of Nashville, you’ll find beautiful wineries, a scenic wooded retreat, and one of the best elephant sanctuaries in the U.S. (as told by reviewers).

The city’s name means “High Forest” in German, and its reputation backs it up with scenic hiking trails and cascading waterfalls, like Fall Hollow Falls in Natchez Trace. Its proximity to the Natchez Trace Parkway is a highlight for visitors, as you not only pass waterfalls, but also other historic sites like Meriwether Lewis’ burial site from the Lewis and Clark Expedition. You can also stop by the Lewis County Museum of Natural History to view artifacts and check out the cabin where he mysteriously passed.

Although picturesque and educational, the town’s most surprising treasure isn’t found in the hiking trails, but rather in the vineyards and the Elephant Sanctuary. After all, how many places can you go to in Tennessee, where you can say you tasted varietals like you were in Europe and saw animals native to Africa and Asia?

For the last 30 years, Hohenwald’s Elephant Sanctuary has transformed the “High Forest” into a safe haven for Asian and African elephants who had insufficient care to carry out the rest of their lives. The animals are transported to Hohenwald’s beautiful landscape, which is now a conservation habitat and home for them.

While sanctuaries like these can sometimes have a bad reputation, this one is left with sparkling reviews from visitors. On Google, people have rated the sanctuary nearly 4.5 stars, and the low reviews are tailored toward personal experience at the facility rather than animal treatment. Guests have called the organization “incredible” and “informative,” as they can see the animals from a distance and educate themselves about the species.

This is not an elephant sanctuary that you might see in parts of Asia, where travelers can get up close and touch the creatures. In Hohenwald, you can only see them through their live cameras, called EleCams, for the safety and well-being of the animals. While the elephant habitats are private and not open to the public, the Elephant Discovery Center features interactive exhibits and educational programs that dive into the complexities of elephant care, the challenges they face in the wild, and the sanctuary’s mission. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime, and you don’t even need a passport.