Full Day Hike

Saturday, November 9 — Cumberland Trail: Part of Hinch Mountain Section, out-and-back, about 10.6 miles, maybe 1500’-2000’ el. gain, strenuous. We will start at Head of the Sequatchie. The trail starts with a bang, going up moderately for a while, and then steeply up. This is followed by more moderate uphills and downhills, traversing the side of Hinch Mountain, and then heading more or less southeast until we reach a dirt road around the 5.3-mile mark. We’ll turn around and head back from here. 

Check the weather forecast within a day of the hike, as earlier forecasts can change dramatically. Wear hiking shoes or boots; bring snacks and /or lunch along with more water than you think you need; use insect repellant, gather up hiking poles, sunscreen, and rain jacket, as needed. 

For carpooling/caravanning, meet at the Durham Street parking lot (ball fields) off Dayton Pike in Soddy-Daisy at 8.30 am ET. Register with the hike leader (required for all Scenic City hikes): Betsy Darken, (423) 718-2060. Carpool: $5.00

Saturday, November 2 — Snow Falls in the Laurel/Snow SNA, Dayton TN, out-and-back, about 10 miles,1328’ el. gain., rocky, moderate/strenuous. The first part of our hike is a pleasant stroll along Richland Creek, where we can admire its Class III-IV rapids (assuming it starts raining again in our area), along with scattered remnants of coal mining operations. Once we cross Laurel Creek and the larger kinky bridge (!) over Henderson Creek, the trail dawdles along for a while before getting serious about climbing to the top of the Cumberland Plateau. Once there, we’re just about done with going uphill. We’ll stroll to an impressive overlook facing north, then wander over to Snow Falls, assuming Morgan Creek is not too high. From there we make our way to Buzzards Point, which lives up to its name (unless all the buzzards have flown the coop). Then it’s mostly downhill to the parking lot. Check the weather forecast within a day of the hike, as earlier forecasts can change dramatically. Choose appropriate layers; bring water shoes; wear hiking shoes or boots; bring lunch along with more water than you think you need; use insect repellent, hiking poles, sunscreen, and rain jacket as needed. Bring water shoes! For carpooling/ caravanning, meet at the Durham Street parking lot (ball fields) off Dayton Pike in Soddy-Daisy at 8.30 am ET. https://bit.ly/3Qjdc0S  Please register with Tammy Hendrick at 315-949-8187. Carpool $2 .00.

Saturday, October 19 — Raccoon Mountain. We will start at Laurel Point and do a loop on the River Gorge trail, Megawatt to the Visitor Center and then back to the start. It will be about 8.5, moderate with rolling hills & some rocks & overlooks.

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 you need; and gather up hiking poles, sunscreen, and insect repellent as needed.

Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the parking lot just beyond LaQuinta Inn, to the north off I-24 Exit 175 (Brown’s Ferry Road), https://bit.ly/3QITAD4  Register with the hike leader, Tammy Hendrick, (315) 949-8187.

Saturday, October 12 — Signal Mountain: Bee Branch, Orange, Blue, and Yellow Trails, 6-8 miles, moderate. Short shuttle. On this hike we will check out a bunch of trails that wander from the edge of the Old Town section of the town of Signal Mountain into Shackleford Ridge Park, off Shackleford Ridge Road and near Signal Mountain Middle-High School. There are very few roads and apparently almost no houses in this area. This anomaly next to the otherwise well-populated town is apparently not due to geography, but because most of it is an extension of Prentice Cooper State Forest! We will tramp into this previously unexplored area and see what there is to see. Hikers will be alerted if scouts report that there be monsters there. 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 you need; and gather up hiking poles, rain jacket, sunscreen, and insect repellent as needed. For carpooling/caravanning, meet at 8:30 am ET at Food City on Signal Mountain Road, in the near back corner of the parking lot. https://bit.ly/3pk0suY  Register with the hike leader (required for all Scenic City hikes): Tom McElhone, 805-208-4654 or sarmitta@yahoo.com.

Saturday, October 5 — Brush Creek Trail in the Cherokee National Forest, 7 miles, easy to moderate. We’ll start at Boyd Gap, with views of Big Frog Mountain and the shores of Ocoee Lake. Check the weather forecast within a day of the hike, as earlier forecasts can change dramatically. Choose appropriate layers; wear hiking shoes or boots; bring snacks and/or lunch along with more water than you think you need; use insect repellent, hiking poles, sunscreen, and rain jacket as needed. For carpooling/caravanning, meet at 8:30 am ET in the parking area near the gas station at Food City in Ooltewah, right (east) off I-75 exit 11. https://bit.ly/3dwmbxn  Please register with Tammy Hendrick, 315-949-8187. Carpool cost: $5.00.