Promoting the development and enjoyment of Tennessee trails.
This trip includes three days of hiking, Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday. Friday's hike will be on the extended Mirror Lake Trail at the Blanchard Springs Recreation Area. This easy approximately 2.5 mile hike passes by the foundations of the Blanchard Springs Mill, Mirror Lake and follows the Spring Creek to Blanchards Springs, then returns […]
Sunday, April 28 (changed from Saturday, April 27) – Nashville Urban History Hike. 6-8 miles, on mostly level terrain. Joint hike with the Nashville chapter. We will meet just before 9:00 A.M. CT at the north end of the Bicentennial Mall. Free parking is available near the Tennessee State Museum and the Farmer’s Market. Our […]
Distance: 1.6 miles. Rating: Easy The Overlook Trail is a local hiker's favorite and a gem for the Fairfield Glade area. For those wanting a quick and enjoyable reset in nature this is a great trail. It's recommended to complete the look clockwise to have a mostly flat/downhill hike until the final stretch of climbing […]
Flat Rock Cedar Glades and BarrensMurfreesboro, TN3.7 miles - easy This Middle Tennessee cedar glades and barrens features wooded sections, meadows, and contrasting rocky areas. We can expect to see a number of wildflower species - many of which are specifically adapted to the geography - and we’ll hike at a pace that allows us […]
Tuesday, April 30 — Benton McKaye Trail: Lost Creek Campground to the Hiwassee River, 4.1 miles, easy. Requires shuttle. This is an especially outstanding section of the Benton McKaye Trail, which parallels Big Lost Creek through a deep limestone gorge with cascades and waterfalls. The trail follows an old railroad grade built for logging in […]
Joint hike with Upper Cumberland Chapter. Long Hike: East shore of Tellico from Lotterdale branch to Coytee 8.4 miles. Short hike to Stinging Creek 4.4 miles. Both long or short are easy to moderate miles with shuttle. WARNING LOTS OF POISON IVY. OPTION TO EAT AT LOCAL RESTAURANT. Carpool cost is $7. Sturdy hiking boots […]
2.7 miles Easy Out and Back After the hike we can eat lunch at Wendy's. The whole hike is paved. We walk along both the Cumberland and Red Rivers, cross the Red River on a highway sidewalk and hike up switchbacks through the woods to the Fort's Museum. There are a couple of vistas overlooking […]
Thursday, May 2 – Fiery Gizzard North and Dog Hole Trail. South Cumberland State Park, near Tracy City, TN. 8.5-10 miles depending on how many overlooks and waterfalls we include and rated difficult. Joint hike with Murfreesboro chapter. Early morning start, exact time determined closer to the hike date. All day and expect around 7 […]
Thursday, May 2 – Fiery Gizzard North and Dog Hole Trail. South Cumberland State Park, near Tracy City, TN. 8.5-10 miles depending on how many overlooks and waterfalls we include and rated difficult. Early morning start, exact time determined closer to the hike date. All day and expect around 7 hours hiking. The Fiery Gizzard […]
Thursday, May 2 – Tims Ford State Park, Winchester, TN. Lost Creek Overlook Trail and a section of the Ray Branch Overlook Trail. 5 miles. Easy. Nice views of Tims Ford Lake while hiking over rolling hills in a mature hardwood forest. Contact Joan Hartvigsen to register, jhartvigs@comcast.net or 931-636-2914. Meet at 9 am at […]
6.6 miles Moderate The trail is on natural turf through the woods and a couple of grassy fields, There are a couple of creek crossings near the end of the hike where you might get your feet wet. Trekking poles are recommended. Dogs are permitted if on a leash. There is a restroom and a […]
Saturday, May 4 – Short Springs Workday. Meet at 8:00 am in the Short Springs parking lot, 2250 Short Springs Road, Tullahoma. Bring work gloves, trash bag, pruner and loppers. Specific tasks will be announced Saturday, May 4 – Short Springs Workday. Meet at 8 am in the Short Springs parking lot, 2250 Short later. […]
Saturday, May 4 — Chickamauga Western Loop, Chickamauga Battlefield, 6.4 miles, easy/moderate, 442’ el. gain. This is a pleasant hike, sometimes on roads and sometimes on wide trails. Monuments, woods, fields, more monuments, more woods. The visitors’ center is full of information about this battle as well as the succeeding battle at Chattanooga. Pay tribute […]
Approximately 8 1/2 mile loop trail. Rated moderate-difficult due to length & elevation changes (1736 feet elevation). Jeff Chambers will lead us on a hike where we will see several meadows that may be carpeted with wildflowers such as black-eyed Susan, butterfly weed, purple phacelia, jewelweed, daisies and mountain laurel. Possibly see wildlife of deer, […]
Long Hunter State Park 8 miles. Moderately strenuous for length. This is a hiker-friendly biking trail with little elevation change which features lake views, cedar glades and barrens, other types of terrain, and wildflowers. Bring plenty of water and snacks. We’ll meet at the Jones Mill trailhead for an 8:30 AM step-off. Register with Mark […]
Distance: 2.0 miles (loop). Rating: Moderate The Kirkstone Trail is a moderate trail and approximately a 2.0 mile loop hiking trail along gravel roads. The trailhead is at the junction of Marmaduke and Christopher a little way up the hill from the spillway on Lake Kirkstone. The route is marked with yellow stakes and directional […]
Tuesday, May 7— Johnston Woods Trails, about 4 miles, easy/moderate, 269’ elevation gain. We will hike two generally easy loop trails through the forest, taking in lovely views, multiple fungi, and (we hope) colorful wildflowers. The trails are wide and well-marked, good for yakking away with your hiking buddies. The upper trail is about 3 miles; then […]
This is an EASY beginner friendly place to kayak.Please make your own reservation online - https://smoothrapids.com or call 931- 452-9251 They offer different float lengths to suit your needs and they have a great restaurant (see menu online) on the river too!Trip choices Short-#1 or Long-#2 #1-Pepper Branch Park to Smooth Rapids- Barren Fork River […]
Hike Cancelled. Wednesday, May 8 – Springfield Greenway. 4.2 miles. Easy. Level and paved, mostly along Sulphur Fork Creek, 2.1 miles each way from the Garner Street Park trailhead, 200 North Garner St., Springfield, TN 37172 to J. Travis Price Park with its lake and historic log cabin. Good restrooms at both ends of trail. Dogs welcome. Lunch to follow at a […]
Thursday, May 9 – Tims Ford Lake Paddle. 4 to 6 hours of calm lake paddling. We’ll explore the generally lightly travelled Anderton Branch and the mostly undeveloped Ray Branch. Bring lunch, plenty of water, sunscreen and wear your personal flotation device. We will meet at the Anderton Public Boat Ramp, Lynchburg, TN. To register […]
Picnic starts at 5 pm. Hike the newest park Trail first at 4:00 pm. Bring a side dish or dessert to share, and your own drinks and meat to grill. The Chapter will supply the charcoal, plates and plasticware. If you'd like to support the CTC trail building effort, here is a list of items […]
Saturday, May 11 – Prater Place and Hemlock Falls Trail, Fall Creek Falls State Park Spencer, TN. 6 miles out and back rated moderate due to some rocky areas and creek crossings. Joint hike with the Highland Rim chapter. This trail has a total elevation gain of 649 ft and waterfalls, rock formations and caves. […]
Saturday, May 11 — Volunteer workday on the Cumberland Trail, our quarterly commitment to trail work in our area. Add your name to the long list of devoted members who have put their time and effort into the completion of the Cumberland Trail. We will be finishing the tread of part of the newest addition of the CT, […]
Saturday, May 11 – Prater Place and Hemlock Falls Trail, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Spencer, TN. 6 miles out and back. Moderate due to some rocky areas and creek crossings. Total elevation gain of 649 ft. Joint hike with the Murfreesboro Chapter. This trail has everything: waterfalls, rock formations, caves, creeks. This is one […]
EDWIN WARNER PARK - BURCH RESERVEIn 2004, continuing the legacy of Luke Lea and brothers Percy andEdwin Warner, Friends of Warner Parks embraced an opportunity toacquire additional property to become park land. In partnership withMetro Parks and thanks to the generosity of the Lucius E. Burch IIIfamily and others, this extraordinary initiative significantlycontributed to the […]
Distance: 2.0 miles. Rating: Easy The trail starts by carefully crossing Westchester Drive onto Thornhill Lane. Most of the trail is on gravel/grassy roads that are unsigned so follow the trail posts and signs. It is worth taking a short detour on the dam of Lake Malvern to admire the view. The trail consists of flat roads […]
Tuesday-Friday, May 14-17, 2024 – Great Smoky Mountain Camping and Hiking Trip. Joint event with the Highland Rim chapter. Camping at Cosby Group Campsite, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Hike Schedule: Tuesday – Sutton Ridge Overlook by way of the Lower Mount Cammerer Trail. 3.6 miles out and back. 400 ft. elevation change rated easy. […]
Tuesday, May 14 — White Oak Mountain Big Red Trail Loop, Collegedale, 4 miles, 623’ el. gain, moderate. The trail begins on the campus of Southern Adventist University and winds its way up and down the side of White Oak Mountain. The woods are pleasant, the trail is well-marked, there are no steep inclines, and the […]
Tuesday-Friday, May 14-17 – Great Smoky Mountains Camping and Hiking Trip. Joint activity with the Murfreesboro Chapter, Sara Pollard. Contact Joan Hartvigsen to reserve a spot in Cosby Group Campsite, jhartvigs@comcast.net or 931-636-2914. Hike Schedule: Tuesday – Sutton Ridge Overlook by way of the Lower Mount Cammerer Trail. 3.6 miles out and back. 400 ft. […]
Tuesday, May 14 – Chapter Meeting – 7:00 P.M. CT. Barfield Crescent Park Wilderness Station. This is our hike planning meeting for July through December hikes. Bring your calendars to schedule hikes you want to lead or ideas for hikes. If you cannot attend and want to lead a hike, contact hike coordinator Sara Pollard […]
Joint hike with Upper Cumberland Chapter. Gorgeous trail, lots of lady slippers. Fairly easy for a 9 mi hike starting from the SheltoweeTrace where it crosses Divide Rd (park on side of road). SHORT HIKE: 4.4 moderate in/out miles to the Rock Creek crossing. LONG HIKE: 9 mi moderate hike to Buffalo Arch and back. […]
Thursday, May 16. Ellington Agricultural Center Nashville, Roger’s Walk. 2.5-mile loop hike. Easy groomed natural trail. We can explore the TN Agricultural Museum, Metro Police horse stables, etc., and will pass an apiary (bee hives) and an iris garden. We’ll end our hike with a brief tour of the arboretum at Ellington Ag Center led by […]
Annual trail maintenance of Black Mountain including the upper loop and lower loop plus down the mountain toward Windless Cave. We'll divide up into 3 crews. Bring swing blades, saw, loppers, clippers and gloves. As usual bring water, tick and bug spray. We’ll cook hot dogs at the campground around noon. Depart 7:30am from Dorton […]
Joint hike with Upper Cumberland Chapter. A 6-mile moderate shuttle hike starting at the top along the Rim Trail with views of the canyon then down the Waterfall Trail and finishing on the Sitton's Gulch Trail. The highlights of this hike will be both Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron blooming, two beautiful waterfalls and the Sitton […]
5.1 miles Moderate This is a well marked and maintained trail in Percy Warner Park where it is hard to believe that you are hiking in Nashville. There are some short, but occasionally challenging inclines on this hike. Meet at I-24, Exit 11 Park and Ride for an 8am CDT departure. Drive 51 miles to […]
Saturday, May 18 — Virgin Falls Trail, about 9 miles out-and-back, strenuous with about 1400’ of elevation gain, with a lonnggg uphill on the way back. Near Sparta TN. This is an amazing waterfall! In addition, there are more waterfalls on the creek we follow to get down into the Caney Fork River gorge. This is a […]
Join our group for a very scenic hike bordering between North Carolina and Tennessee. We’ll see 2 separate waterfalls on this trail. One will be Mouse Creek Falls and the other will be Midnight Hole. We should experience some dense lush forest and early settlement. Hugh boulders will line the Big Creek as we hike […]
Walk in the woods Seven Bridges Trail Distance: 2.1 miles. Rating: Easy to moderate Seven Bridges Trail is a 2.1 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Crossville, Tennessee that features a great forest setting. The trail is good for all skill levels. The trail has interesting rock formations and SEVEN bridges built by volunteers. […]
Monday, May 20, 7:00 pm at the DW Wilson Community Center, 501 N. Collins Street, Tullahoma. Many of us spend time in the Smokies and camp at Cades Cove. This program will provide a look at the Cades Cove that very few ever see. Photographer Doug Clark will share his photos and adventures in a […]
Tuesday, May 21 — Gahuti Inner Loop to West Overlook and Cool Springs, Fort Mountain SP, GA, 5.8 miles, 1420’ el. gain, moderate/strenuous. This is a beautiful time of year to hike this trail! Excellent mountain views, a couple of benches if you need to take a break, lots of roots, narrow stretches, and a few damp […]
Long Hike: This will be a moderate 7 miles in/out. After seeing the arch and overlook we’ll hike along the Kentucky Wild River to Big Shoals and return. Short Hike: 5 miles in/out. Depart 7:30 am CDST from The Landers Crossing (former Crossville Outlet Mall) West parking lot on Interstate Drive. Carpool cost is $10. […]
Bledsoe Creek State Park 3 miles. Moderate. We will start and end at the boat dock and public launch ramp parking area, which is the road just past the road to the visitor center/park office. We will hike the Birdsong Nature Trail to the park office, make a bathroom stop and then proceed along the […]
Saturday, May 25 – Natchez Trace Parkway - Meriwether Lewis and Devil's Backbone Loops, Hohenwald, TN. 7.7 miles total rated moderate. The Meriwether Lewis Loop is 4.5 miles and follows the Old Natchez Trace for a mile down to Little Swan Creek and loops back to the Meriwether Lewis Monument area. Then we’ll travel north […]
Saturday, May 25 — Clemmer trail, Benton Falls, Clear Creek loop 10.1 miles, 1765 elevation gain, moderately strenuous. A beautiful hike on Chilhowee Mountain in the Cherokee National Forest, small creek crossings (may need water shoes), some fine views of Ocoee Lake, and an impressive waterfall. Check the weather forecast and choose appropriate layers; wear hiking shoes or boots; […]
We will be hiking the Lilly Bluff Overlook Trail, Boulder Trail and Point Trail at the Obed National Wild and Scenic River area in Lancing TN. The National Park Service describes the Lilly Bluff Overlook trail as an easy 0.3 mile "stroll through hemlock forest to a great overlook of the Clear Creek Gorge". The […]
Distance: 1.2 miles (round-trip). Rating: Easy This trail is 0.6 miles in length giving a 1.2 mile roundtrip hike. Cross the wooden bridge onto the Storybook Trail. Stop along the way and read the kid friendly signs. When you reach the road by the Park Office turn around and return. (There are public restrooms in the park […]
Tuesday, May 28 — Denny Cove, including a spur trail to an overlook. About 4 miles, moderate. Beautiful trail with high cliffs, great waterfall, fine views. Part of the trail is very rocky. Check the weather forecast and choose appropriate layers; wear hiking shoes or boots; bring snacks and/or lunch along with more water than you think […]
Annual Nashville Chapter Picnic, Edwin Warner Park, Nashville TN. Shelter 9 - new location, 4:30 pm CDT until sunset. Following a potluck meal at 5:30 pm, we'll take a twilight walk on the park roads. The chapter will provide tableware, napkins, and ice, but we encourage you to bring your own non-disposable "mess kits" as […]
Joint hike with Upper Cumberland Chapter. Short Hike: 4 mi moderate in/out. Long Hike: 8 mi moderate sometimes strenuous. Requires a car shuttle. Don’t forget tick/bug spray and sunscreen. Bring water (electrolytes), lunch and snacks. Sturdy hiking boots and hiking sticks are recommended. Persons 18 and over, members and non-members welcome. Minors must be accompanied […]
Wednesday, May 29 - Narrows of the Harpeth. 2 miles. Moderate with a rocky rooty trail and a hill. This hike follows alongside the river, passing through an area known as "The Narrows". Here, the Harpeth River in a 5-mile bend nearly curves back on itself. Highlights include a panoramic view of the area and […]
This a Wednesday evening hike. Let’s go see the synchronous fireflies! The Poplar Creek Trail in west Oak Ridge is usually a reliable viewing location. The trail is a flat former roadbed, approximately 2 miles long, 4 miles total for the in/out hike. You’ll need to bring a flashlight with a red light- white light […]
Long Hike: This is a moderately difficult 6.6 mile hike. Short Hike: 4 mi in/out from Natural Bridge to Devil's Jump Overlook and back. The loop features two of the best river gorge overlooks in the Big South Fork area. Two other interesting features along the trail are the Devils Jump rapids and Crack-in-the-Rock. The […]
FRCG&B Trail - 3.4 miles Easy; Murfree Spring Wetlands Nature Trail - ~1 mile Easy Boardwalk; Stones River National Battlefield - 3.3 miles Easy The FRCG&B hike goes through an expansive cedar glade featuring springs, a sinking stream, and numerous wildflowers in season. The MSWNT features paved walking trails and raised boardwalks that wind through […]
Saturday, June 1 — Volunteer Day at Reflection Riding, 400 Garden Road, Chattanooga. June 1 is National Trails Day, and what better activity can we do this day than help spruce up Reflection Riding’s Nature Playscape area, which is especially designed to introduce children to the joys of exploring nature. Our tasks are easy and appropriate for […]
Rescheduled to Saturday, June 8 - Barfield Crescent Park Trail Maintenance. Come join us for trail maintenance at this beautiful park from 9:00 am until 11:00 am CT. Bring gloves, sturdy shoes, a snack and water. For more information or to sign up, contact Sara Pollard at 615-714-3610 or sarabpollard@gmail.com - Note time change from […]
