Wild Flower Hike 3/30/19

We got a couple of days with the parents. We got some projects done and did some wildflower hunting in the Smoky's.

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Frozen Head SP

Wayne invited us to join him and others on a backpack at Frozen Head State Park. There were six of us and we started out at the Lookout Tower West trailhead. It was a beautiful day for hiking and we had lots of visiting to do as well. We took the Lookout Tower West trail to the Bird Mt. trail. At the connection with the Cumberland trail we stopped and ate lunch. From there we took the Cumberland trail to the Coffin Springs trail and spent the night at the Coffin Springs campsite. None of us had ever stayed there before. Where the spring comes out there is a coffin shaped rock structure.

The Park Ranger said that it would get down to 23 degrees tonight so we gathered enough wood to stay warm to that temperature. We had a nice warm fire as we sat around and visited into the night. It never got below freezing or anywhere close that night.

The next morning we got up and continued the trail around to the Lookout Tower West trail and then took the Cumberland trail back to the North Bird Mt. trail and headed West. I believe that Lora and I were the only ones on this trail before. This trail finished Sara's list of hiking all the trails in the park.

We ate lunch at Phillips Creek and then climbed over Bird Mt. back to the cars. It was a strenuous but great hike with good friends.

It was about 6.5 miles in and 8.5 out.

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TTA Big Frog Mt.

Joan planned a great TTA hike in the Big Frog Wilderness. 5 ladies for this one. Joan, Rebecca, and Celia from Highland Rim, Betsy and me from Soddy Daisy.  The trailhead is on FS 221. According to the Tim Homan book Hiking Trails of the Cohutta & Big Frog Wilderness, this is the only footrail that reaches the Big Frog summit from the North, easy to moderate climb from 2,160 feet to 4,220 feet. There are hardwood coves, steep slopes and ridges, streams and it's the highest mountain in the combined wilderness. The upper section shares treadway with the Benton MacKaye trail.  It was a beautiful day, cool start, blue skies and no wind. Perfect for hiking

We did some clearing along the way, Betsy remembered to carry clippers and took out some nasty greenbrier. The views were great all along the upper part of the trail, looking into the Tennessee Valley to the west and the Cohutta Wilderness to the South (according to the trail description). Joan decided to stop when the views stopped and the rest of us wanted to hike to the top, and the trail junction. The top flattens out into a great area for camping. This is where Craig and I camped on our night in 12 inches of snow in 2010. We got pictures at the trail junction and started back down to where Joan was NOT waiting. It took us a little while to catch up with her. We had the trail to ourselves until we started down. A father/son from Cleveland, then two young lads with a dog wanting to know how far to the top. They didn't make it and returned to their car as we got to ours. They were from Ohio exploring the area and said they thought the trail was great. I agree.

This trail is supposed to have a wonderful wildflower display (JUNE) so the only flowers we saw were yellow violets.

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TTA Collins Gulf Loop

15 hikers met at the Collins Gulf Trailhead as a TTA joint hike with Highland Rim led by Marietta, Nashville led by Doug, and Murfreesboro led by Wayne.

We shared the trail today with trail runners there for the Savage Gulf Marathon. Can’t imagine running on the trails here, rugged and rocky, it’s tough enough to hike it.

It was a sunny day but a cool 31 degrees to start off. The M’boro folks along with one from Nashville started first. That was the last we saw of them. We gave right of way to the marathon runners, between that and admiring all the wildflowers, it took us a while to get to Horsepound Falls which was really flowing today. We were able to rock hop the water crossings and didn’t have to change into our water shoes. Found a pile of critter hair, that looked bad for whatever critter got in a fight. We saw the Rangers handing out trail magic to the runners, but since we weren’t running…. we had to climb out of the gulf and find a warm sunny spot to eat lunch.  

The forest along the rim had a mess of storm damage. Can’t imagine how many Rangers with chain saws it took to clear the trail. The snickers & twix  got us out of the Gulf before dark so the headlamps didn’t get any use today.

Wildflowers: Sweet Betsy trillium, yellow and long spurred violets, Bloodroot, Hepatica, Trout lily, Star chickweed, Spring beauties, Anemone, Toothwort, Dutchman’s britches, and Harbinger of Spring, and Golden ragwort, thanks to Nancy and Marietta for finding and naming.

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Franklin State Forest/Sherwood Forest

Sara and I wanted to hike on a non rainy Sunday so she planned an exploratory hike and brought Wayne, Jan, Jay and Beth to Franklin State Forest. I met them at the trailhead for the CCC Lake and Tom Pack Falls. There was some muddy trail and some tricky creek crossings, but the sunshine more than made up for that. I never could find Tom Pack Falls, and the trail blazing system is confusing, so we explored. We had a map that helped a little (very little) We were on a loop trail that we couldn't find the rest of the loop, saw flagging that went nowhere? But did see 4 wheelers.
The views along the bluff were beautiful.

We did an out and back and then drove to the Sherwood Forest segment of South Cumberland State Park. Thanks to Marietta for directions to the trail. There is a big gravel parking lot and a nice kiosk. The trail is well marked, even the flagging on the unfinished trail was easy to follow. The State Forest folks should ask for some advise on maps and trail blazing from the State Park folks. :) The views from the overlooks on the trail are breathtaking. There's a natural bridge with a stream flowing under it, you can walk across or go around. We found a Ranger working on the trail. He was doing a great job but wasn't able to recruit any of us to help him.

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Greenbrier Ridge Trail

Day One: 8.6
Middle Prong trail 4.1
Greenbrier Ridge trail 4.2
AT 0.3
Day Two: 8.6
Total Miles: 17.2

Working on that trails list, we embarked on another adventure. We started on the Middle Prong trail with quite a few people out enjoying the beautiful day. After we got on the Greenbrier Ridge trail we had the woods to ourselves. We found an old shelter or storage building just before we got to the AT. Once on the AT we headed to the Derrick Knob shelter for the night. We had this all to ourselves as well. It was a challenge to keep a fire burning with all the damp wood, but we managed.

After a peaceful night we got up and while we were eating our breakfast it started to sprinkle. About a hundred yards down the trail, it stopped and we made it back to the car with only a few sprinkles here and there. On the way down we saw a young doe and we stopped by the falls.

Another beautiful hike and now only two more trails for Lora!!

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