[1] The first expansion was almost 20 years later with the government purchasing 1,100 acres and the opening of the 6,790 yard Bear Trace Tims Ford Golf Course designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1999.

[1] Since the year 2000, the park expanded further with the addition of approximately 2,000 additional acres to its current 3,546 acres[1] Geologically, the park is located in the Highland Rim province, a hilly, slightly dissected area characterized by karst topography and scattered knobs.

Tims Ford Lake, from which the park takes its name, was formed by a TVA hydroelectric dam over the Elk River.

The park is open year round and is managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

The park includes 11 hiking trails,[5] two campgrounds, two pavilions, a marina, and an 18-hole golf course called The Bear Trace, designed by Jack Nicklaus.