The weather forecast for this hike was iffy at best. Scattered rain and thunderstorms were predicted for the area. However, just prior to cancelling the hike, the weather forecast changed to indicate the foul weather wouldn't take place until noon at the earliest. I calculated that we could finish the 4+ mile hike just short of noon, barring any unforeseen mishaps. As we left Food City in Ooltewah, the clouds were just forming over Chattanooga. We raced over to Reliance TN and staged our vehicles at Reliance and headed for the Lost Creek Campground. The trail distance was listed at 4.1 miles.
However the road from the Reliance campground to the Lost Creek camp ground was listed as 25 to 30 minutes over a gravel road. We made it to the trailhead and departed on the hike somewhere between 9:30 and 9:45. The sun was shining, the temperature was probably in the 70's, the humidity was bearable, and a slight breeze was blowing – perfect hiking weather for the 1st part of June. We followed the creek for about 3 miles, then proceeded inland and up a steep incline and the rapid descent to almost a tenth of a mile to the end of the trail. As we made our final creek crossing, the rain shower began. Not particularly heavy but enough to dampen our clothes. Part of our group waited about an hour at the local camp ground store, while the rest made the one hour round-trip to get the staged vehicles at the Lost Creek Campground. All in all it was a great hike to welcome in the summer hiking season.
If you would like to see some excellent photos taken during this hike, click here click here.
A minute varies depending on which side of the bathroom door you are on.
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