Exploring Tennessee

#27
#27
kiddiedoc said:
A little over 4 miles each way, 2300 ft of elevation gain. I would considerate it "moderate," but that depends on your level of fitness/experience. LeConte and Cammerer are much more strenuous and my boys have done both (aged 9 and 12). Rocky Top is the toughest I've tackled around here.
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Yep Rocky Top is a bear. Did it in Halloween one year from the campground. I think it was around 13 miles round trip? You get to the top where the AT runs and you still have a few hundred yards to Rocky Top. That was rough.
 
#28
#28
Plano Vol said:
Go explore Cummings Falls State Park and report back. I believe it is a new park that was recently purchased from an owner whose family had held it for generations.

Tubing the Caney Fork river looks nice.
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I am Cummins Falls (family). My dad coughed up the deed to the waterfall and 25 acres to protect our side. His cousin coughed up his 175 acres. I am very intimate with it and have enjoyed it for 51 years. My back yard overlooks the falls. Our side, horseshoed in by the creek and the main road, is all still private.
Don't have to worry about the falls anymore, but the trade off is the high traffic and the idiots that think our driveway is either the park, or a scenic turnaround through our yard. It is quite spectacular though for what and where it is. One would not know driving by, or hiking in, that it is literally a stones throw over from the road. It is still rather rugged, and same said idiot drivers are probably the ones that don't respect how rugged that little area actually is. Injuries and deaths are still common to those that don't understand the local terrain. Rescue squad almost every weekend. We used to could climb down and possibly not see another soul all day.

Originally, about 450-500 acres of family land between 4 brothers. What's not in the park is still privately owned and occupied by my parents, myself, and my brother with my sister coming in the next year or so. Cousin in Nashville has 90 acres adjoining. The last 30 across from the park was sold out by family living in AZ before any of us, or the park had knowledge to try and buy. That one kinda irks me.
 
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#29
#29
bignewt said:
Yep Rocky Top is a bear. Did it in Halloween one year from the campground. I think it was around 13 miles round trip? You get to the top where the AT runs and you still have a few hundred yards to Rocky Top. That was rough.
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IIRC there is a Cherry Knob in the GSM we always thought was tough. Our longest day hike was 27 miles; left from Clingman's Dome (Sweat Heifer/Charlie's Bunion??) and came out at some campground in NC. Crossed 7 mountains I think. Not as bad as we thought it would be. There was another one that was a killer, lots of elevation gain, can't remember its name. TO and his brother did the trail planning. I always said they just put me on a trail and I hiked until I found the car😀.

As to local stuff, Cumberland Gap Park on the KY-TN line is nice. Might be too far for Middle Tennessee location though. And really local, try House Mountain in Knox County👍.
 
#30
#30
GVF - I apologize for misspelling the name. I will be respectful when I come visit.

Tubing the Nolichucky between Erwin and Jonesboro (old spelling I know) used to be fun when the water was up a bit. A very mysterious place, no matter how much beer we brought, we always ran out before the end of the run. Maybe the elephant got it.
 
#31
#31
Historic Rugby. The distillery tours at Jack Daniels and Dickel. Downtown Nashville has the free state museum and capitol tour along with other sites. Hohenwald is known for junk stores if you're into that. Military parks at Shiloh and Chickamauga.

When I was a baby lawyer I got sent to motion hearings all over the area you're asking about and almost every county seat has some thing to see, even if it's just a glimpse of a bygone era.
 
#32
#32
GVF said:
That is true. I love middle tennessee. Spent many years coming here because of the farm and family. Now, we live here, and need to get out in it and enjoy it. In my younger single days i would have never seen the indoors here except during work hours. Kept a sleeping bag and backpacking tent and golf clubs behind the seat of truck. Have acquired alum. boat for me and my son. Getting some use of that. I like fly fishing and trout fishing. He's gotten the bass bug, so i am entertaining that for him since that used to be a habit of mine.

Keep 'em coming. I'm taking notes to find these places. Big south fork not far from Cookeville, so definitely on list. The wife is not a seasoned outdoor hiker, so those ventures would have to be moderate to light hiking. And on the shorter side. Don't know how vigorous it would be but Roane Mtn. looks awesome in the pics as well.
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Bays Mountain Park and planetarium in Kingsport has a good mix of beautiful easy hikes and tough long hikes+ a lot of other cool stuff like Gray wolves and such. They have a website and are highly rated by trip advisor.
 
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#33
#33
kiddiedoc said:
A little over 4 miles each way, 2300 ft of elevation gain. I would considerate it "moderate," but that depends on your level of fitness/experience. LeConte and Cammerer are much more strenuous and my boys have done both (aged 9 and 12). Rocky Top is the toughest I've tackled around here.
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Did you use the Bote Mountain Trail out of Cades Cove up to Thunderhead, or along the Appalachain Trail from Clingman's Dome? Here's a good trail map for your phone or you can print it.

smokies map.pdf

National Geographic has put together the greatest thing with this free printable quadrangle map of your choice app. Download here, and learn how to use it. It's slicker'n deer guts on a doorknob!

National Geographic
PDF Quads - Trail Maps
http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-maps/pdf-quads
 
#38
#38
Orangedogsrule said:
Did you use the Bote Mountain Trail out of Cades Cove up to Thunderhead, or along the Appalachain Trail from Clingman's Dome? [/url]
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Cades Cove (Anthony Creek -> Bote Mt -> AT). We also detoured over to Spence Field for lunch.

That map site looks handy. I use Avenza maps because the app allows GPS location interaction with downloaded content, not requiring cellular/data signal. You do have to pay a nominal amount for most maps.
 
#40
#40
smashmouth98 said:
Carvers Gap, Roan Mountain TN. Spectacular views. Located on TN/NC border
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If you're into birding check out a little neighborhood called hummingbird hill. Every house has multiple hummingbird feeders. I've seen 3 different species there and we only have 1 species that is seasonal to that area.
 
#41
#41
Check out the Cherohala Skyway from Tellico Plains, TN to Robinsville, NC. 40 miles of curvy mountain limited access road perfect for a bike or roadster. Check out the Tapoco Lodge while you're in NC. The infamous "Tail of the Dragon" is close by as well.
 
#42
#42
Plano Vol said:
GVF - I apologize for misspelling the name. I will be respectful when I come visit.

Tubing the Nolichucky between Erwin and Jonesboro (old spelling I know) used to be fun when the water was up a bit. A very mysterious place, no matter how much beer we brought, we always ran out before the end of the run. Maybe the elephant got it.
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No problem. Name gets misspelled alot.

Haven't heard of the Nolichucky in years. Always heard it was good.
 
#43
#43
81Bubbavol said:
Check out the Cherohala Skyway from Tellico Plains, TN to Robinsville, NC. 40 miles of curvy mountain limited access road perfect for a bike or roadster. Check out the Tapoco Lodge while you're in NC. The infamous "Tail of the Dragon" is close by as well.
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I've done cherahola years back all the way to Robbinsville. Beautiful drive down on the NC side. Thought I'd never get there. We trout fish up there and that was one of my alternate routes home to GA. My wife has a touch of vertigo. After the first curve she'd be dizzy for two days.
 
#44
#44
Rishvol said:
No we haven't. It's mostly been the GSM. I'll have to look that place up
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Brevard itself is a neat place. And Dillard would be close by. Smokey Mountain Railway runs through there. Nice ride through the smokies.
 
#46
#46
Ulysees E. McGill said:
Bays Mountain Park and planetarium in Kingsport has a good mix of beautiful easy hikes and tough long hikes+ a lot of other cool stuff like Gray wolves and such. They have a website and are highly rated by trip advisor.
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That one sounds pretty cool. I'm gonna put it on the short list.
 
#47
#47
VolunteerHillbilly said:
Historic Rugby. The distillery tours at Jack Daniels and Dickel. Downtown Nashville has the free state museum and capitol tour along with other sites. Hohenwald is known for junk stores if you're into that. Military parks at Shiloh and Chickamauga.

When I was a baby lawyer I got sent to motion hearings all over the area you're asking about and almost every county seat has some thing to see, even if it's just a glimpse of a bygone era.
Click to expand...


The distilleries are on the list...when the 14 year old ain't with us.

Had suits and dress shoes from Howenwald when I was in college at Freed. didn't know that was still the attraction there.
 
#49
#49
81Bubbavol said:
Check out the Cherohala Skyway from Tellico Plains, TN to Robinsville, NC. 40 miles of curvy mountain limited access road perfect for a bike or roadster. Check out the Tapoco Lodge while you're in NC. The infamous "Tail of the Dragon" is close by as well.
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There's a nice ice cream place right outside tellico at the beginning (or end) of that ride.
 
#50
#50
Ulysees E. McGill said:
Bays Mountain Park and planetarium in Kingsport has a good mix of beautiful easy hikes and tough long hikes+ a lot of other cool stuff like Gray wolves and such. They have a website and are highly rated by trip advisor.
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Bays Mountain is a wonderful place. Lot's to see and do. During my formative years before the city made it more exclusive, all the scout troops in the area would pack up the mountain for a camporee. I have to hit the Bays every time I go home.
 
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