Gateway to the Cumberland Plateau

Monteagle and the Plateau Near Manchester

From Manchester, the Cumberland Plateau is the long ridge you see rising to the southeast. Monteagle sits on top of it, where Interstate 24 and US 41 climb onto the mountain on the way to Chattanooga. Buyers searching around Manchester often ask about homes up on the Plateau, so here is a plain guide to Monteagle and its neighbors.

Where Monteagle is

The Town of Monteagle calls itself the Gateway to the Cumberland Plateau and describes the town as sitting atop the southern rim of the Plateau, between Nashville and Chattanooga, just off Interstate 24. Fiery Gizzard State Park lists Exits 134 and 135 on Interstate 24 for the area.

From Manchester, the drive follows Interstate 24 southeast toward Chattanooga, or US 41 through the Coffee County community of Hillsboro, which sits on that highway between Manchester and Monteagle. The mailing ZIP code for the town is 37356.

One town, three counties

Monteagle is unusual because it crosses county lines. The U.S. Census Bureau lists the town in Grundy, Marion and Franklin counties, and the town itself says it straddles all three. The 2020 Census counted 1,393 residents in the town: 816 in the Grundy County part, 517 in the Marion County part and 60 in the Franklin County part, according to the Tennessee State Data Center at the University of Tennessee.

That split matters when you buy, because the county decides who assesses and collects property taxes, where deeds are recorded and which school system serves the address. More on that below.

A little history

The town's own history says Monteagle was first called Moffat Station, after its founder John Moffat, an organizer in the temperance movement who bought 1,146 acres of forest land on the Plateau. The Welcome to Monteagle historical marker adds that the Mountain Goat Railroad was built up the mountain from Cowan to Sewanee and on through Monteagle to Tracy City, that the stop later became Mont Eagle, and that the town was officially incorporated in 1962 as work began on the first section of Interstate 24 in the area. The same marker notes that the DuBose Conference Center began as Fairmount College for Women in 1878.

The town also points out that the writer Andrew Nelson Lytle did much of his work in Monteagle.

The Monteagle Sunday School Assembly

The best known landmark in town is the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly. The Tennessee Encyclopedia explains that it was organized in 1882 by Tennessee Sunday school workers and patterned after the assembly in Chautauqua, New York, and that more than one thousand people attended its first season in 1883.

The Monteagle Sunday School Assembly Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 25, 1982. Its nomination describes:

A 96 acre enclosed grounds inside the Monteagle city limits in Grundy County, about half a mile from Interstate 24, entered through a stone gatehouse
162 mostly frame cottages and 23 other buildings and structures, dating mostly from 1882 to 1930 and used mainly in the summer season
Victorian architecture with Queen Anne and Carpenter Gothic details
A park setting laid out from an 1883 plan by William Webster of Rochester, New York, simplified in 1907 by F. A. Butler of Nashville
About 239 more acres of forest owned by the Assembly, with trails out to Warren's Point and a view over Pelham Valley

If a cottage on the Assembly grounds interests you, ask early about any rules the Assembly sets for owners and buyers, since those are separate from a typical home sale.

State parks on the Plateau

For years the parks around Monteagle were known together as South Cumberland State Park. Tennessee State Parks says that as South Cumberland grew to more than 30,000 acres, it was divided into three parks: Savage Gulf, established in 2022, Fiery Gizzard, which adopted the name of its well known trail in 2025, and Head of the Crow, which opened in October 2025.

Fiery Gizzard State Park covers about 7,811 acres in Grundy and Marion counties and includes Fiery Gizzard, Denny Cove, Foster Falls and the historic Grundy Lakes. Its visitor center is on US 41 in Monteagle and has information on all three parks, plus a Storybook Trail and an aviary.

The Mountain Goat Trail

The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance explains that the Mountain Goat Railroad carried coal and passengers between Palmer and Cowan from 1856 to 1985. The old rail bed is being turned into a trail for walking and biking. The Alliance says the paved section between Sewanee and Monteagle is almost six miles long, and six more miles are open between the DuBose Center in Monteagle and downtown Tracy City. One trailhead is at the Fiery Gizzard visitor center.

Sewanee next door

Sewanee, home of the University of the South, is a short drive from Monteagle and is a census designated place in Franklin County. The university describes its land, called the Domain, as about 13,000 acres at the southern end of the Cumberland Plateau, including the campus, commercial and residential areas and large natural lands with more than 50 miles of trails.

A key point for buyers: the university says it owns all the land on the Domain and leases parcels to people who own homes or businesses there. A home on the Domain is a different kind of purchase than a home on land you own outright, so read the lease terms closely and ask your lender and attorney how they handle it.

Interstate 24 and the mountain

The stretch of Interstate 24 over Monteagle Mountain is famous. The town notes it inspired songs, from Jerry Reed's "The Legend" in Smokey and the Bandit to Johnny Cash's "Monteagle Mountain." TDOT has described a 6 percent grade with two emergency runaway truck ramps and dozens of signs about truck speed, the grade and the inspection station. The town adds that in bad winter weather traffic is sometimes rerouted to old US 41.

What this means for daily life: if you will commute down the mountain to Manchester, Tullahoma or Chattanooga, drive the route at your real commute time, and in winter, plan for weather days. TDOT is also planning a rebuilt Exit 134 interchange at US 41 with roundabouts and an extension of the Mountain Goat Trail, with construction estimated to begin in spring 2027.

Know the county before you buy

Because Monteagle and the Plateau around it cross county lines, check these items on every home:

County. Confirm whether the address is in Grundy, Marion or Franklin County. Two homes a short drive apart can be in different counties, and none of them are in Coffee County.
Property taxes. Taxes are assessed and collected by that county, plus the town for homes inside the town limits. Ask for current tax figures on any home you consider, and see my property tax guide for how Tennessee assessments work.
Schools. The town lists Monteagle Elementary on East Main Street. Which school system serves a home depends on the address, so confirm the assignment with the district before you buy.
Zoning and permits. The town has its own zoning information and a regional planning commission. Outside the town limits, ask the county.
Water and sewer. Monteagle Public Utilities operates the town water system. On rural tracts, ask whether the home uses a well and a septic system. My septic guide explains what to check.
Leased land. On the Sewanee Domain, homes sit on land leased from the university, as noted above.

Buying a home on the Plateau

Older and seasonal homes. Some homes, especially historic cottages, were built for summer use. Ask how a home is heated and insulated, and plan inspections suited to an older house. My home inspection guide covers what a standard inspection includes.
Land and acreage. If you are looking at a wooded tract, my land buying guide walks through septic, surveys and road access. The county offices for that tract handle permits.
Compare with Coffee County. Many buyers tour the Plateau and the Manchester side on the same day. Hillsboro, at the foot of the mountain, keeps you in Coffee County with US 41 running straight up to Monteagle.

I help buyers compare Monteagle and the Plateau with Manchester, Hillsboro, Tullahoma and the rest of Coffee County. Start with the buyer guide or send me a message.

Selling a home on the Plateau

If you own a home in or around Monteagle and are thinking about a move, I will prepare a price recommendation based on recent comparable sales and walk you through the Tennessee seller disclosure. Request a free home value report to get started.

Keep reading:

Common questions

What county is Monteagle TN in?

Monteagle crosses three counties. The U.S. Census Bureau lists the town in Grundy, Marion and Franklin counties, and the largest share of its residents live in the Grundy County part.

What is the population of Monteagle TN?

The 2020 Census counted 1,393 residents in Monteagle: 816 in Grundy County, 517 in Marion County and 60 in Franklin County, according to the Tennessee State Data Center.

What is the ZIP code for Monteagle TN?

The town of Monteagle uses ZIP code 37356.

What is the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly?

It is a summer assembly founded in 1882 and patterned after Chautauqua, New York. Its 96 acre grounds of cottages and public buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Is South Cumberland State Park still open near Monteagle?

The area once called South Cumberland State Park is now managed as three parks: Savage Gulf, Fiery Gizzard and Head of the Crow. The Fiery Gizzard State Park visitor center is on US 41 in Monteagle.

Can you own the land under a home in Sewanee?

On the University of the South Domain, the university says it owns all the land and leases parcels to people who own homes or businesses there. Review the lease with your attorney and lender.

Matt Sargent is a Tennessee licensed affiliate broker with Keller Williams who helps buyers and sellers in Manchester and Coffee County. Call (615) 497 1658 or send a message.