Black Mountain to Ozone Falls

 

TTA Clarksville drove to Ozone Falls and picked up Carl from Scenic City TTA and me, shuttled to Black Mountian to start our hike. It wasn't too hot walking under a full canopy mostly in the shade. Lots of ferns, some huge, and Flame Azalea blooming all over the forest. Paul was a great leader, pointing out trees and explaining growth patterns, bark patterns and leaves. By the time we got to Ozone Falls there were lots of folks swimming in the creek and pool at the base of the falls. 7.2 miles. We said goodbye to Carl and I drove Cindy and Paul back to Black Mountain. There was a man with a young son in the parking lot locked out of their car. I loaned hima lug wrench to break out his back window. The yong son crawled thru the window and got the car unlocked. Seems like and expensive way to get into a car. 

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Black Mountain - TTA

Soddy Daisy TTA had a Christmas dinner at Olive Garden on Friday night. You would have thought we had all hiked to get there the way we scarfed down the breadsticks. John reminded me about a hike scheduled for the next morning so I thought I would go and try to burn off all that wonderful food.

I met the group that included Carolyn and Cheryl from the Plateau chapter, at the Black Mountain trailhead on Hwy 68. There’s a big parking area on the side of the highway now, you cross the road in a safer spot, and the State extended the trail entrance to there. We could see some more recent trail building along the road that still has a little way to go. 

We got to Windless Cave and our leader Boody wanted to hike a little further so the Plateau ladies had a party to attend and said their goodbyes. We hiked almost to the big rocks on the ridge and stopped for lunch.
We returned to our cars in the now thawed muddy entrance trail and stomped off most of the mud from our boots.

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Black Mountain

Brrr this morning! I met Crystal at the Brady Mountain/Black Mountain trailhead on Hwy 68 after driving thru beautiful Grassy Cove. We were checking out the trail to make sure we were at the right place because we couldn’t see any blazes or signs on the Black Mountain side of the road ??? We left her truck there and drove to the top of the mountain http://cumberlandtrail.org/maps-and-guides/trail-segments/grassy-cove/black-mountain-section/ to start our hike. We were bundled up for the cold air, toboggans and gloves and scarf. We checked out the spring house then the spectacular overlook of Grassy Cove. We couldn’t see much of the Smoky Mountains, it was hazy that far out, but the sky was as blue as could be. Nice to see after the smoky days from all the wildfires. We hiked to the northern overlook but the views are not very good there, looking thru the trees. Then we started the downhill thru the bluff walls and boulders, checked out the campsite. Lunch was at Windless Cave, then on down the trail. Nice trail building on the bottom section. It sure was a beautiful day for hiking.

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