Cumberland Gap TTA

We went to explore the Cumberland Gap and hike with the Plateau Chapter of TTA. We left a day before them. We stopped in Clinton TN for lunch on the way up and then camped at Wilderness Road campground. After we set up we hiked the Lewis Hollow trail up the side of the mountain from the campground. We checked out Skylight cave and continued to the top and intersection of Ridge trail.

Friday we went to Wilderness Road SP just down the road. They were having a reinactment day at the Martin's Station where we got to talk to one guy that was in on the original building of the station at the park. He told us that while they were building, the park hired indians to attack them while they worked. It was a really interesting park to explore.

After the SP we went into Cumberland Gap. We got a tour of the historic church there and then hiked up the mountain to the Furnace, Gap Cave, Cumberland Gap, Ft. Foote, Tri-State Peak, and Ft. Farragot. We met some of the TTA hikers on the trail. After that we went back to Cumberland Gap and walked around town and hiked the trails to rails trail to the old train tunnel and back. That night we met the TTA at Nineteen19 Bar and Grill for dinner. Really good food!

Saturday we met with the TTA and hiked the Cumberland Trail from Eagle Bluff to Tank Springs. It was a good hike with friends. After we collected our cars from the shuttle we met them at the Sundquist WMA at the Hatfield Knob Elk viewing tower. THEY said follow the GPS. So we along with a lot of road buggies traveled some horrendous four wheel drive roads up to the tower. Afterwards of course we found a good road to drive back on.

Sunday we headed home stopping in Spring City for lunch at the park.

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TTA annual meeting at Natchez Trace State Park

We camped at Cub Lake for the meeting. The hikes and meeting place was the Pin Oak lodge. By the time we got our camper set up and got to the trailhead, we were a half hour late. We hiked the Northern loop of the Red Leaves trail from Pecan Road. The trail for us started at the site of the 3rd largest pecan tree in the world, which is no longer with us. We hiked to Maple Creek Lake and then looped back to the Pecan Tree. We caught up to our group just before finishing. After dinner at the camper, we went back to the Lodge for visiting followed by an after party at Libby and Nancy's cabin.

Saturday we got up and joined the group for a hike on the Southern part of the Red Leaves trail going to Browns Creek Lake and Pin Oak Lake. Nice views and got to see a snake as well. Group pictures. After dinner at the camper, we headed over for the annual meeting and auction. Afterwards back to the after party.

Sunday we got up and hiked around Cub Lake before heading home. Great weekend with great people.

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Gilbert Gaul Trail TTA

 

We had 11 hikers to hike the Gilbret Gaul Lake Trail at Fall Creek Falls State Park. The fall leaves were beautiful around the lake, and it was a cool morning to start our hike. We hiked the loop trail counterclockwise, so we had views of the lake almost the entire time. 

After the hike we met in the new lodge restaurant for a planning meeting and tour of the facility. The Highland Rim and Murfreesboro chapters are hosting the 2024 Annual Meeting there October 25-27. 

The hikers were Jay Brain, Jean Breuer, Anna Lina Buckley, Joe Campbell, Joan Hartvigsen, Craig McBride, Lora McBride, Sara Pollard, Georganne Ross, J. C. Saunders, and Cindy Watson. Meeting us in the restaurant for lunch and attending the meeting coordinated by Patty Deen were Eleanor Gilchrist, Susan Gonzalez, and Clare Zisk.

After the hike, Lora and I hiked around the falls.

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Virgin Falls Anniversary Hike

Our anniversary hike today was Virgin Falls which we have not hiked in a few years. It's was also the longest hike that we have hiked most of the summer. It was beautiful even though the water level was down. It was the first time that I have ever seen the Caney Fork River low enough to ford.

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