Falling Water Falls

12.15.15   What a great day for a hike!  And we had a good turn out as can be seen in the picture of the hikers.  I would rate this approximately five mile hike as moderate.  After the hike everyone met at Karen's house for a little holiday get together.  Everyone brought something to eat so you can imagine how good everything was.  Karen had everything thing wonderfully organized and everyone had a great time.  If you would like to see a bunch of pictures of this hike, click here or on the Falling Water Falls tab above.

Rock Creek Bridge 12.12.15

This hike surprised everybody!  It was HOT!  In the mid 70's.  Everybody had dressed warmly for a mid December hike.  Clothes were being continually stripped off as the hike progressed.  There were 8 hikers on this relatively difficult hike of approximately six miles.  The grouped was thoroughly drenched at the completion of this hike and it was not from rain.  If you would like to see some pictures of this hike click here or on the Rock Creek Bridge tab above.  

Harrison Bay S.P. 12.8.15

Originally this hike was scheduled for Elsie Holms, but changed to Harrison Bay State Park.  On this hike there were 10 hikers.  I would rate this hike as moderate.  The hike started out in very foggy and damp weather, but by the end of the hike it had completely cleared up.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Harrison Bay S.P. tab above.

Piney River 12.5.15

On this beautiful hike there were five hikers.  The distance was approximately 8-9 miles.  I would rate this hike as strenuous. The weather was perfect for the 41/2 hour hike.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Piney River tab above.

Woltever Greenway 11.17.15

It was a great day for a hike.  All of the hikers except two are in the pictures.  Two hikers were late to arrive and therefore were not in the picture.  If you would like to see the pictures, click here or on the Woltever Greenway tab above.

Greenway Farms 11.10.15

Nice cool day for a hike.  On today's hike there were fifteen happy souls.  The hike distance was approximately four miles.  I would rate the hike as easy.  If you would like to see a bunch of good pictures click here or on the Greenway Farms tab above.

Lula Lake 10.31.15

On today's hike there were six hikers.  The hikers were Sarah, Boodie, Larry Janet, Mike and George.  It was a little overcast on today's approximately four mile hike.  I would rate it as moderate.  The leaves were turning which made for an exceptionally beautiful hike.  The water was flowing full force which made the streams especially exciting.  If you would like to see lots of nice pictures, thank Larry our photographer.  Click here or on the Lula Lake tab above to see these pictures.

Cumberland Mtn. S.P. 10.27.15

Today's hike was wet!  On this hike there were five hikers, Sarah, Karen, Gail, Phil, George and Anna from Knoxville.  The distance was approximately 5.5 miles.  I would rate this hike as moderate.  Following the hike the plan was to eat at Cumberland Mtn. Restaurant.  If you would like to see a couple of pictures click here or on the Cumberland Mtn. S.P tab above.

Heiss Mtn. 10.24.15

This hike was a strenuous ten mile hike from the Retro Hughes trail head on the Cumberland Trail to the Heiss Mtn trail head.  The direction of the hike is considered more strenuous by many due to the significant "up" on the west side of Little Possum Creek.  The hikers were Boodie, George and John.  The weather was good.  It was cool in the morning, cloudy most of the day with a few sprinkles in the late afternoon.  On the trail they met several hikers and a couple of hound dogs.  If you would like to see a few pictures click here or on the Heiss Mtn. tab above.

Sluder Lane 10.20.15

Absolutely beautiful day for hiking.  Everyone had a great time.  The distance was approximately five miles and I would rate the hike as moderate.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Sluder Lane tab above.

Snow Falls 10.17.15

Today's hike was to Snow Falls and return.  The weather was absolutely beautiful.  The distance for today's hike was about 10.2 miles.  I would rate the hike as moderate since only about about a fourth of the hike was uphill.  The hikers for today were Greg, Boodie, George and John.  The group did manage to get their feet wet as the crossing of Morgan Creek was a little deeper than anticipated.  Since the weather was so nice, there were a lot of people out hiking.  The group counted over 30 cars in the parking lot when they finished the hike.  If you would like to see some nice pictures, click here or on the Snow Falls tab above.

Stringer's Ridge 10.13.15

The hikers finally saw some sun on this hike.  It had rained overnight so there were some slippery places on the trail.  Luckily, there were no mishaps.  There were 11 hikers on this four mile easy/moderate hike.  Almost everyone had done this walk many times so we didn't spend too much time looking around.  We made pretty good time.  It was a very enjoyable hike.  This time of year you don't get too many days as nice as this one was.  Afterwards seven of the hikers went to Nicki's for lunch.  If you would like to see some pictures click here or on the Stringer's Ridge tab above.

Edwards Point 10.10.15

The rain had stopped before the hike began, but it was still very foggy and damp.  Only three hikers on today's hike.  The scheduled hike was to be at Fall Creek Falls, but due to the low turnout, the destination was changed.  The hike started at the football field then to Edwards Point then to Mushroom Rock and finally back to the football field.  The total distance was about 9 miles.  I would rate this hike as strenuous.  If you would like to see a few pictures, click here or on the Edwards Point tab above.

River Walk

This was an easy hike on a very nice day.  The total distance was seven miles.  Kathy and Larry had not hiked with us for some time.  Hopefully they were not too tired or sore the next day.  If you would like to see a few pictures, click here or on the River Walk tab above.

Rainbow Lake

9.15.15    Again, there were only three hikers!  What's up with that?  Any way the weather was good and the distance was 4.9 miles.  The first couple of miles was rated as moderate, but the rest of the hike was easy.  If you would like to see a few more pictures, click here or on the Rainbow Lake tab above.

Raccoon Mtn. 9.12.15

This was a great day for hiking.  It's too bad that there were only three hikers.  The hike was started near the boat ramp and then went up the ridge to laurel point.  From there they followed the road to the east rim train and onto a gravel road that returned them to the car.  The distance of this hike was approximately 12 miles and is rated as strenuous.  For a couple pictures, click here or on the Raccoon Mtn. tab above.

Craven's House

9.8.15   Great day for a hike.  The hike distance for today was only four miles, but it was a lot of up and down.  As you can see from one of the pictures, the trail was badly blocked at one point, but this did not stop the hikers.  I would rate this hike as moderate because of the up and down nature of the hike.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Craven's House tab above.

Pigeon Mtn.

9.5.15    This hike was a tough one!  The distance was a strenuous ten miles.  Luckily they went the tough way first or they might not have made it.  If you would like to see some pictures of the hikers, click here or on the Pigeon Mtn. tab above.

Little Cedar Mtn.

9.1.15    Great day for a hike!  A great time was had by all.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Cedar Mtn. tab above.

Oswald Dome 8.29.15

There were seven hikers on today's hike.  The weather was perfect for a good long hike.  I would rate this hike as strenuous.  If you would like to see some pictures of today's hike click here or on the Oswald Dome tab above.

2015 BBQ

We had to postpone the BBQ for a week because of the weather.  And it turned out to be for the better. We had beautiful weather for a BBQ. Patricia was gracious enough to open her home for us and the Nelsons did a fantastic job of cooking some "Out of this world" BBQ.   Ed,Karen and Bill put in their kayaks 2 miles up stream and arrived at Tricia's house via the water.  Tricia was nice enough to take a group of us out on a boat ride. Others rode around on the kayaks and most of us did lots of good eating. Their was definitely 23 happy people that day.
If you would like to see additional pictures from the BBQ, click here or on the BBQ tab above.

Sterchi Farms 8.25.15

Today was a large group of 15 hikers.  Everyone had a good time on this 7.5 mile hike on a really nice day.  If you would like to see some pictures of the hike click here or on the Sterchi Farms tab above.

Chickamauga Battlefield

8.22.15     This hike was a lot drier than some of the more recent hikes.  Today's hike was approximately 9 miles which is a couple of miles longer than the planned seven miles.  I would rate this hike as moderate simply because of the distance.  If you would like to see a few additional pictures, click here or on the Chickamauga tab above.

Harrison Bay S.P. 8.18.15

There were only four hikers on this very wet hike.  About half way through this 41/2 mile hike the skies opened up and everybody got soaked.  Not much fun.  If you would like to see a couple more pictures of the wet hikers, click here or on the Harrison Bay S.P. tab above.

Raccoon Mtn.

Today there were 11 hikers plus one dog.  The hike was about five miles in length and every one did well until near the end when there was an uphill climb in the sun.  At the end of the climb everyone needed a rest including the dog.  I would rate this hike as moderate.  If you would like to see a bunch of pictures, click here or on the Raccoon Mtn. tab above.

Heiss Mtn. 8.8.15

This hike started at Jones Gap Rand with the hikers following the fence line for about a mile until they reached the woods. It was a cool morning for a change and they hiked a total of about eight miles.  It would have only been seven miles but the took a one mile side trip.  I would rate this hike as moderate.  If you would like to see one additional picture of a hiker, click here or on the Heiss Mtn. tab above.

Mowbray Pike 8.4.15

This hike was brutal.  It was a fairly strenuous hike to begin with but added to that was the heat!  There was not a breath of wind stirring which made this hike doubly strenuous.  There were some really beat hikers at the conclusion of this five mile hike.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Mowbray Pike tab above.

Nickajack Connector

On this particular hike there were only three hikers.  This was probably due to the extreme heat we have been having.  Most of the time there was a steady wind which help cool the hikers.  The distance for this hike was about 10 miles and I would rate the hike as moderate.  If you would like to see a couple more pictures of the hikers, click here or on the Nickajack tab above.

Elsi Holmes

This was a short hike because it was so HOT!  The total distance was only two miles.  After only one mile everyone was soaked with perspiration and it was decided to go back.  No rating today because normally this is an easy hike, but not today.  If you would like to see a few pictures of very tired hikers, click here or on the Elsi Holmes tab above.  

Mullins Cove Loop 7.25.15

This hike was approximately 10 miles on the Prentice Cooper Mullins Cove Loop. This trail is also part of the Cumberland Trail. This hike is rated as strenuous. Today's muggy and hot weather contributed to this rating.

The three hikers today were Boodie, George,  and John.

If you'd like to see a few pictures, click here or on the Mullins Cove Loop tab above.

Raccoon Mtn. 7.21.15

On today's hike there were twelve hikers.  The youngest was Chase who was only 8.  He did the 6 mile hike with ease.  It was an overcast day and not too warm.  Mountain Man George led the hike.  After the hike most of the group refueled at the Fireside Cafe.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Raccoon Mountain tab above.

Rock Creek 7.18.15

Today's hike was from the Retro Hughes Road Trailhead on the Cumberland Trail to the Rock Creek Overlook (where we lunched) and a return to the Trail head. The hike distance totaled 9.2 miles and is rated as strenuous.

The three hikers today were Joyce, Gary, and John.

The weather today was very hot and humid with absolutely no breeze. Drinking water was in great demand.

If you would like to see a couple of pictures of the hikers, click here or on the Rock Creek tab above.

Roaring Creek 7.11.15

This hike was 9.2 miles at Roaring Creek (part of the Cumberland Trail). The hike is rated as strenuous.

There were three hikers today Gary, Boodiee, and John. We hiked to Gilbreath Creek, ate lunch, and returned to the trail head. The only wildlife we saw besides a few birds was a small box turtle.

The weather today was calm and muggy. Views from the overlooks were limited due to the hazy conditions.

If you would like to see a few pictures of this hike, click here or on the Roaring Creek tab above.

Flipper Bend 7.4.15

It was a small group this time, but boy did they cover ground!  They did 9 miles in 4 hours.  The overlooks were fogged in so only a couple of pictures this time.  Also, they were moving so fast that there just wasn't enough time to take pictures.  At the end of the hike it started to rain getting everyone a little wet.  If you would like to see a couple pictures, click here or on the Flipper Bend tab above.

Signal Mtn.

It seems that I have more pictures than I do hikes.  If anyone finds or sees my error, please drop me a note with corrections.  This was a great hike but a little humid.  A good time was had by all.  If you would like to see pictures, click here or on the Signal Mtn. tab above.

Signal Mtn. H.S. 6.23.15

I don't have any details on this hike except to say that it was hot and humid.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Signal Mtn. tab above.

Heiss Mtn. to Little Possum Creek 6.20.15

Today'shike was from the Heiss Mtn trail head to the Little Possum Creek bridge and return. The hike is approximately 7 miles and is rated as strenuous.

We had five hikers today. They were Gary, Boo die, George, John, and Herb Cobb visiting from Springfield, Tenn. Herb is getting ready for a hike at Mt. Sterling in the Smokies soon.

The weather today was nice but a little humid. A few pictures of the hikers can be seen by clicking here or on the Heiss Mtn. tab above.

Retro Hughes to Rock Creek 6.16.15

It took 4 hours to hike this five mile moderate hike.  Everyone was drenched by the time the returned.  If you would like to see the pictures from this hike, click here or on the Retro Hughes tab above.

Savage Gulf

6.13.15    This was a hot and humid hike, but the hikers kept going and completed the 10 mile hike in four hours and twenty minutes.  There were a total of seven hikers this time.  To see a bunch of pictures, click here or on the Savage Gulf tab above.

Snoopers Rock to Natural Bridge and Return

6.6.15    There were 9 hikers on this moderate hike.  The weather was a little warm but otherwise it was a beautiful day.  This hike was approximately 6 miles and took a little longer than normal since there were several rest stops.  If you would like to see some pictures click here or on the Snooper's Rock tab above.

Signal Mtn. HS to Poplar Springs and return

5.30.15    This was a strenuous 10 mile hike.  Even though though there were only three hikers, one of them, the hike leader, didn't make it the entire distance.  It is very unusual for the hike leader to not complete the entire hike and doubly so since the hike leader was a very good hiker!  It must have been a very strenuous hike.  The flower in the picture is a Trillium I think. Further more, the hike leader took additional pictures but had trouble uploading them to his computer.  Therefore, you will only see five pictures this time.  If you would like to see them click here or on the Signal Mtn. tab above.

Cumberland Mtn. State Park

5.23.15    Another beautiful day for a hike.  We have been getting a lot of those lately.  This hike was approximately 8 miles and I would rate it as moderate.  I don't know the name of the flowers, but George says that the trees are Mountain Laurel.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Cumberland Mtn. State Park tab above.

Glen Falls 5.19.15

I guess this is one of the main reasons we live in Chattanooga.  It was an absolutively perfect day for a hike.  As you can see from the pictures the flowers were out in force and everyone enjoyed them immensely.  The trail did need a little maintenance on this five mile hike but everyone enjoyed it none the less.  This hike was rated moderate.  If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Glen Falls tab above.

Falling Waters

5.12.15   Today there were 11 hikers!  It was the perfect day for hiking.  There were many flowers blooming.  Among them were the beautiful Catawba Rhododendron, and Flame Azalea.  This five mile hike was rated as moderate.  If you would like to see some pictures of the hike click here or on the Falling Waters tab above.

Sluder Lane to Deep Creek

Hike was on the Cumberland Trail from Sluder Lane to Deep Creek  and the Big Soddy Creek Bridge project. We returned to Sluder Lane via the rock climbers parking lot. The hike was 8 miles and rated as strenuous.. The hikers were Gail, Joan, Boodie, and John. The day was on the warmish side , the flowers were blooming, and the creeks were flowing. A few great pictures can be seen here or on the Deep Creek tab above.

Craven's House 5.5.15

The weather was perfect for this approximately 4 mile hike.  There were 12 hikers and everyone enjoyed the hike, especially the overlooks.  If you would like to see a bunch of pictures, click here or on the Craven's House tab above.

North Chick to Steven's Branch

5.2.15  This hike was approximately 9 miles and rated strenuous.  Everyone had a good time but returned very tired.  To see some pictures of the hike click here or on the North Chick tab above.

Soddy Greenway 4.21.15

It was a great day for a hike.  The only problem encountered was that the water was too high to cross the creek.  The group split up and and some hiked the greenway twice and the remainder hiked over to Sluder Lane and then back to the main trail.  I would rate the hike as mostly easy.  If you would like to see a bunch of pictures, click here or on the Soddy Greenway tab above.

Soak Creek Wildflowers

4.18.15    This was a beautiful five mile hike.  Two rangers accompanied the hikers and named the various wildflowers seen along the way.  Soak Creek was roaring with water and that made a pleasant sound during the hike.  There were 12 hikers from our local club and 7 from the Plateau Chapter.  All in all it was a great day.  If you would like to see a bunch of pictures, click here or on the Soak Creek tab above.

Signal Mtn. to Edward's Point

It was another glorious day for a hike. There were 5 of us on this 10 (not 8) mile hike. We started at Signal Mt High school and took the yellow trail to Edward's Point were we stopped and had a snack. The trail was easy,although we had a lot of muddy areas that you had to walk around.  From
Edward 's Point we took the Cumberland Trail to mushroom rock,then back to the high school It was rated as strenuous because of the mileage.  If you would like to see a few pictures, click here or on the Signal Mtn. tab above.

Snow Falls

4.4.15    Today's hike was at Snow Falls near Dayton. There were 4 participants (Gary, George, Paul, and John.).

The weather was excellent though the trail was a little damp in places due to heavy rains the previous night.
The hike was about 11 miles including a side trip to Buzzards Point. When we reached Morgan's Creek just above Snow Falls we found the creek too deep to wade and thus did not get to see the falls on what would have probably been their full glory.
We enjoyed the hike and noticed there were plenty of hikers out today.  I would rate this hike as strenuous.
If you would like to see some pictures, click here or on the Snow Falls tab above.

Enterprize South 3.31.15

The group started out with 14 people on this easy to moderate hike.  When we finished I only had 6 people with me! We lost one person before we got started.  Had to go home to take care of business.  Mostly it was easy enough that everyone did there own pace and we ended breaking off into groups. The weather was perfect The ground was dry. Those that didn't want to eat lunch walked ahead or took a short cut off the trail. We did 6 miles today  If you would like to see a group photo, click here or on the Enterprize South tab above.

Fall Creek Falls

What a perfect day for a hike. Weather in the high 60's. There were 6 of us that hiked a 6 mile moderate hike at Fall Creek Falls. We started at the Nature Center. We went across the swinging bridge to the main falls, stopping at the overlooks. We've had enough rain that all of the falls were really beautiful.  At the top of the falls we took the upper loop for a mile or so.  Then we decided that we were ready to turn around to have enough time to get lunch at the lodge.  If you would like to view some pictures, click here or on the Fall Creek Falls tab above.

North Chick to Boston Overlook

3.17.15    Today's hike included 12 hikers plus a dog. The weather was great. The hike was about 5 miles from the North Chicamauga Creek Wilderness area to the Boston Branch Overlook and return. This section is now a part of the Cumberland Trail State Park.
The trail was in good shape with most of the blow-downs having been removed from the trail. Everyone seemed to enjoy the hike and the weather.  If you would like to see the pictures, click here or on the North Chick tab above.

Roaring Creek

Boodie, Gary, Karen, Don, Kathy, Louis and John.    Today's hike was 11 miles on the Cumberland Trail segment at Roaring Creek.  The hike was 5.5 miles in to the trail's end and a return to the trailhead after lunch.  The weather was perfect.  The views from the overlooks were excellent as the day was bright and sunny.  We lunched on the large rocks at Gilbreath Creek after crossing the creek and hiking to the end of the presently completed trail and returning.  On our return trip to the trail head we met up with several members of the Plateau Chapter who were also doing the Roaring Creek hike.  Today's hike was strenuous.  If you would like to see a few pictures, click here or on the Roaring Creek tab above.

Savage Gulf Three Day Hike

Just finished up with a three day hike in and around the Collins Gulf area of the Savage Gulf State Natural Area (South Cumberland SP). The total mileage was approximately 28 miles and I had two great hiking companions by the names of George Bonneau and Tom Long. We began our hike at the Collins West trailhead parking lot on Wednesday morning. I was envious of George and Tom since they didn't see the need in carrying a change of clothes for each day of our hike so their packs weighed in at 20 to 30 something where mine as usual was about 45 lbs.. The first day took us to Suter Falls and then later to Horsepound Falls (not sure of the origin of that name) before we made it to our destination of the Sawmill Campground. This portion of the trail is often closed due to ice buildup along the trail around Suter Falls. We had some of the rocks leading down to our first bridge crossing just below the falls covered in ice which made it a little dangerous so early in our trek. After setting up our tents and snacking a bit George and I decided to head towards Hobbs Cabin on the North Rim but due to the time of day we knew we wouldn't be able to complete our journey but it was still new trail to us so we hiked approx. 2 miles or more where we crossed the dry stream of Savage Creek until George wanted to head back since he didn't want us to get caught on the trail after dark. That gave us a total distance for day 1 of about 9 to 10 miles. On day two it was somewhat easier since I lightened the load of my pack to non-essentials so it was a manageable 15 to 20 lbs. - felt great to me! We decided to head towards the Stone Door since I had never been there before. This was 4.1 miles each way but once we arrived at the Stone Door it was well worth the time and effort in getting there. This is a significant feature of Savage Gulf, it being a 10 ft. wide by 100 ft. deep crack, forming from the top of the escarpment into the gorge below. It looks like a giant door left ajar and was once used by Indians as a passageway. While on top of the escarpment we had a sudden snow shower and decided we had better head back quickly to prevent any problems with the many rock gardens we experienced along the way. On the way back we crossed the dry bed of the Collins River running near the campsite and headed to Schwoon Spring for a resupply of water. This was another wonder to behold, a beautiful feature with a natural spring emanating from a cave mouth, including a partially exposed, half-underground waterfall. Thank goodness this water source was nearby since the river was as I had mentioned bone dry. After arriving back to our base camp at Sawmill I decided to forego any supper and retire for the evening since the temp was dropping fast. I had checked the weather and it called for a low of 14 degrees that night but not sure if it made it but when I checked the digital readout on my thermometer the next morning around 7 am it was reading 21 degrees, Brrrrrrr! We packed up the morning of day 3 and headed back towards the parking lot via the 1.6 mile segment of the Stagecoach Historic Trail. Imagine back in the 1800's they were running a stagecoach line between Chattanooga and McMinnville along this very path! Well the Stagecoach Trail intersected our Collins Rim trail so I figured some easy ups and downs for the remainder of the day on the trail but was I so wrong. The worst part was once we crossed the Collins River with its' long suspension bridge and huge boulders we had to traverse a lengthy portion of the trail with huge boulders underfoot and all around us and then ascend very quickly to the top where it led back towards the parking lot. At times I like to hike alone but this is not one of those trails, depending on the time of year there are just too many places that you could get in trouble very quickly but I have to admit that I will be seeing a lot more of Savage Gulf and all that it has to offer this year! (Ps, I found all of the trails to be well blazed and maintained.)
If you would like to see a bunch of pictures click here or on the Savage Gulf tab above.

Nickajack 2.10.15

Everyone enjoyed this 5.5 mile hike that I would rate as easy.  For some pictures click here or on the Nickajack tab above.

Chickamauga Military Park

2.7.15  It was a cool but beautiful day for a hike.  The distance was 8.5 miles and I would rate it as easy.  If you would like to see some pictures click here or on the Chickamauga tab above.

Brainerd Levy Hike

2.3.15  It was a cold blustery day for a hike on the Levy.  The hike was rated as easy and only 4 miles.  A great lunch was had by all following the hike.

Prentice Cooper 1.31.15

This was a long strenuous hike.  The distance was 12 miles on a somewhat overcast day.  There were only three hikers.  They started at 9:45A and did not finish until 3:15P.  You could see that it was winter and we were short of rain by looking at the foliage.  They also found a skeleton that can be seen in the pictures.  If you would like to view the pictures, click here or on the Prentice Cooper tab above.

Signal Mountain Loop 1.27.15

The Loop!  The day started out overcast and grey, but the sun soon came out and it turned into a very nice day for a very nice hike.  Everyone enjoyed themselves on this 4.7 mile hike.  I would rate the hike as moderate.  If you would like to see a few pictures, click here or on the signal mountain tab above.

Oswald Mtn. 1.24.15

1.24.15     The weather was fine on this eight mile hike in the snow.  After the first mile the group ran into about one inch of snow.  This made the hike a little treacherous.  One of the hikers had never hiked in the snow before.  I would rate this hike as strenuous.  For a few pictures, click here or on the Oswald Dome tab above.

Cedar Mountain

1.13.16  This hike was rated as moderate.  I don't have any additional information except that the distance was about four miles.  To see some pictures, click here or on the Cedar Mountain tab above.

Rock Creek 1.17.15

Today's hike was 7.5 miles on the Cumberland Trail starting at the Lower Leggitt Road trailhead and going to the Retro Hughes Road trail head (using the lower side of the loop). It started as a cool morning and ended up being a clear, warm afternoon. We had nine hikers(George, Rex, Boodie, Gary, Don, Larry, Carolyn, Gregg, and John), but some participated in portions of the hike.

We lunched at the Rock Creek bridge, and as can be seen in some of the photos the water was flowing well. I would rate the hike as strenuous. For a few pictures click here or on the Rock Creek tab above.

Cumberland Mtn. S.P.

1.10.15  Today's hike was cold and lots of ice.  Maybe this is the reason there were only two hikers this time.  The distance for the hike was eight miles and the hike would be rated as moderate.  If you would like to see a bunch of pictures, click here or on the Cumberland Mtn. S.P. tab above.

Mowbray Pike to Sluder Lane

1.6.15  Today's hike was 5 miles on the Cumberland Trail starting at the Mowbray Rd trailhead and ending at the Sluder Lane parking area. It was cool, but otherwise it was a perfect sunny day for hiking.  The nine hikers were Nancy, Kathy, Lewis, Don, George, Sarah, Donna, Ed and John.  I would rate the hike as moderate.  After the hike everyone enjoyed a meal at a local Soddy Daisy restaurant.  For a few pictures, click here or on the Mowbray tab above.

Little River 1.3.15

There were only three hikers on this difficult hike.  The trail is 15 miles long but today the hikers only went in 1.5 miles and then turned around and hiked back out.  It took three hours for the tough trip.  By looking at the pictures you can see that the conditions were not good.  If you would like to see a bunch of pictures, click here or on the Little River tab above.

Stringer's Ridge

12.30.14    There were only five hikers on this relatively short hike of 3.7 miles.  It had been raining during the week so the trail was treacherous.  Luckily there were no rocks to have to climb over, but everyone had to be very careful.  Following the meal, everyone enjoyed a delicious meal.  I would rate this hike as moderate only because of the slippery conditions.  If you would like to see a few pictures of the hike just click here or on the Stringer's Ridge tab above.