Savage Gulf Day Loop 7.5.2022

 It was hot, but not too hot on this 4.4 mile hike.  It was a perfect day for a hike and 16 of us started off.  I would consider this an easy hike as there were no significant up or downs.  Since it was a beautiful day, we enjoyed the intense green foliage along the way.  Unfortunately, since it had been very dry recently, there was not much in the way of water features.  Some of the group hike down to Savage Falls and this added 0.6 miles to the hike.  The rest of us continued on and waited at the tables near the ranger station. The duration of the hike was 2hr 45min.  Everyone had a very nice time.   

If you would like to see a few photos taken during this hike including maps and altitude graph, click here.

Pot Point Loop Trail 7.2.2022

 It wasn't dark and stormy, but is was hot and stormy!  Saturday, July 2 found three brave souls testing themselves in the heat and humidity in Prentice Cooper on the Pot Point Loop.  The original plan was to do only 8 miles of the loop, but some people wanted to do more...so we ended up doing 11 or 12.  About 2/3rds of the way through we encountered a nice thunderstorm, but we were all already soaked from sweat so a little more water didn't have much impact.  A pretty trail with a few great views.  

If you would like to see some photographs taken during this hike, click here.  

Richie Hollow 6.28.2022

 What a beautiful day for a rugged hike.  In the sun, the temperature was about 83F but in the forest, the temperature was only in the mid to high 70 's for this 12 person hike.    The humidity was very high however and everyone was a bid on the damp side.  This moderate hike was an out and back hike up a mountain to the Blowing Wind Falls.  Unfortunately, due to the dry spell we have been having, there was only a trickle of water flowing in the falls.  At this point we had gone 1.75 miles, which was my initial destination, and since it was an uphill hike thus far, we decided to start our much easier return.  This time of year the forest is very green and lush and I think everyone enjoyed the beauty.  Following the 3.5 hour hike, 9 of us decided to stop at the River Drifters café for lunch and chatting.  The lunch was very good!

If you would like to see some pictures including map and altitude graph, click here.

 Saturday found our small group of hikers traversing from Little Soddy creek trailhead on Hotwater road to Big Soddy creek on Back valley road.  The walk was 8 miles with an elevation gain of 1076 feet.  We took turns slipping on the wet rocks from an overnight rain.  It was really humid!  An overgrown section of the trail challenged our trail finding – we “imagined” our way through the wet weeds.  Deep creek and Big Soddy creek held little water.  We crossed over BSC on dry rocks. 

If you would like to see some beautiful pictures taken during this hike, click here.  

Sherwood Forest, 6.21.2022

 There were only 9 of us on this beautiful hike.  We easily found our way to Sherwood Forest, looking all the way for Friar Tuck, but alas, no friar.   All of us enjoyed this loop hike around and through the forest.  It was really a nice day for this hike.  We had feared that it might be too hot, but it was only 76 when we started the hike and it warmed up to 83 during the hike.  Of course we were in the shade the whole time and up in the mountains.  I think everyone enjoyed the Crow Creek Arch which you can see in the pictures.  Note that we later went to another arch, Sewanee Natural Bridge, near Sewanee, TN.  There you can see pictures of us from above the bridge and again with everyone standing on the bridge from a distance. The distance of the hike was three miles and it took us just about two hours.  After the hike we all tried to go to the Mountain Goat Café, but it was closed so we went to Papa Ron's and had a very nice lunch.   

If you would like to see a bunch of photos taken during this hike, including maps and altitude graph, click here.