Hiking at Old Stone Fort State Archeological Park :: Manchester, TN

August 29, 2022August 29, 20222 Comments

I always forget about Old Stone Fort when thinking of semi-nearby hikes to Nashville. I’m not quite sure why because it’s such a unique hike in that it has like a hundred (ok maybe not 100) little ‘cascading waterfalls’ along the Duck River (Trivia time: at 284 miles, the Duck River is the longest river located entirely within the state of Tennessee AND it’s the most biologically diverse river in North America. So, yeah, I think you should check it out…)

The route I usually do is a mostly easy hike with only a few steep parts (off the main loop on the Backbone and Moat trails) and you get rewarded with all these river falls and some indigenous peoples history. The fort was built somewhere between 1500 and 2000 years ago and was formed by mounds and the bluff walls. There’s also a museum on site so you can learn all about the land you are recreating on.

It’s only an hour from Nashville and worth checking out if you only have a half day or so free to hike. Or make a weekend of it: snag a campsite here, also visit nearby Short Springs State Natural Area and maybe even stop by the George Dickel Distillery, only a short drive away.

But, please, oh please, practice the Leave No Trace principles when you’re out. There’s lots of folks out there newer to hiking and we ALL need to pitch in to keep our public lands beautiful. Let’s set a good example and politely encourage people to treat public lands the right way.

📍 On the ancestral lands of Tsalaguwetiyi, Shawandasse Tula, S’atsoyaha, and Chikashsha

*Photos of Old Stone Fort taken November 2020*

Distance from Nashville: Just over 1 hour

Trailhead: Visitor’s Center at Old Stone Fort

Trail: Enclosure, Forks of the River, Backbone & Moat Trails

Length of trail: 4.4 miles for this loop-ish hike

Link to trail map: Old Stone Fort Map

Camping: Old Stone Fort Campground (recently updated in 2020) — reservation required, 50 sites total

Overview: Easy hike with lots of water features plus some indigenous history; great for the whole fam

Hiking to Denny Falls :: South Cumberland State Park

August 28, 2022August 29, 2022Leave a comment

Just down the road from the entrance to Foster Falls, you’ll find the Denny Cove trailhead — one of the newer additions to South Cumberland State Park. While this area is known for it’s excellent rock climbing, hikers will also enjoy the short trails to an overlook and beautiful cascading waterfall.

This roughly 3.5 mile out and back hike has a lot of what this are of Tennessee has to offer including the classic boulder-filled trail at times. (Love it or hate it, boulders abound all over this area! Time to get those ankles strong!) I’d classify this hike as solidly moderate in difficulty, accessible to most hiking levels.

At about a half mile in, the trail splits: one part take you to a nice overlook and the other takes you to the waterfall. There’s also a spur that has all of the climber access points (and doesn’t lead to the waterfall).

I truly love this waterfall and the trail immediately leading up to it. You round one corner of the trail and boom, there’s the beautiful, towering, cascading fall. The pool it spills into is pretty small so you can stand close to it and feel the gentle mist; there’s even a large rock conveniently placed so you can sit and take it all in.

If you’re checking out Foster Falls for the day, maybe head on over the Denny Cove and add a few more miles onto your hiking day.

*Photos of Denny Falls taken November 2020*

Distance from Nashville: 1 hr 45 min

Trailhead: Denny Cove, off of US Hwy 41

Trail: Denny Access Trail, Denny West, Waterfall Trails

Length of trail: 3.5 miles (out and back)

Link to trail map: Denny Cove

Camping: None. (Closest is Foster Falls, reservation required)

Overview: A relatively short, but totally worth it, moderate trek to an overlook and beautiful cascading waterfall.

Blood Mountain via Byron Reece + Appalachian Trail :: Chattahoochee National Forest

December 28, 2021August 29, 2022Leave a comment

I haven’t done much hiking in North Georgia but I will still say that this trail is one of the best in the area. The whole out-and-back hike was just about 5 miles and there’s about 1500 feet of elevation gain in 2.5 miles. It’s a nice little thigh burner which is manageable and the payoff is well worth it. Oh, and also got to hike this beaut with Luke and I just love sharing time together in the outdoors.

Our hike up Blood Mountain started via the Byron Reece Trail. After just under a mile, you’ll turn right onto the AT until you reach the summit and/or the shelter.

The first part of the trail follows a small creek, then you begin your climb. It was only slightly icy when we went but it can get slippery on the rocks. (Luna also got tangled up in my legs when another dog was passing and she pulled me right over and I busted up my palm on a jagged rock. This is why you always carry a first aid kit!) You’ll zig zag through the lands of the Blood Mountain Wilderness within the Chattahoochee National Forest as you climb with a slightly rocky trail.

There’s a more than few good overlooks of the Southern Appalachians along the way. And I’ll share a little secret: the actual ‘summit’ of the mountain doesn’t have the best view. Go a little farther until you reach the shelter and climb the huge boulder in front of it for a prime lunch spot with a breathtaking view.

You can also make this a 6-7 mile loop by connecting the Freeman Trail if you are looking for a little bit of a longer hike and prefer loops to out-and-backs.

Blood Mountain is a wonderful hike in North Georgia. This trail can get crowded in the popular months, so plan to get to the trailhead early. (We did this hike in early February with some snow and ice, so we didn’t see many others.) Also, I picked up LOTSSSSS of trash on this hike. Please keep nature wild and practice all Leave No Trace principles.

Distance from Nashville: 4 hours 15 min

Trailhead: Byron Reece Trailhead on US-19

Trail: Byron Reece and Appalachian Trail

Link to trail map: Blood Mountain Wilderness

Length of Trail: 4.7 miles round trip, out and back

Camping: Blood Mountain Shelter

Overview: Climb a mountain in the southern Appalachians with beautiful scenery all around, rock outcroppings, and a small stream near the beginning. An all around beautiful hike!

Hiking Tour of David Crockett State Park :: Lawrenceburg, TN

August 13, 2021August 13, 2021Leave a comment

One of my goals for this year was to visit new (to me) Tennessee State Parks. It’s easy for me to keep going back to parks that I love because I know what to expect and I have a much lower chance of being disappointed. 🙃 I made it to Pickett and now I ventured south (instead of east) to David Crockett State Park. (Not to be confused with the David Crockett Birthplace State Historic Park. Make sure you are looking at the right map and park!)

One of my hesitancies of going to some of the state parks I haven’t been to yet is the shorter trails. I’ve said it before, but when I make the effort to drive somewhere, I want to hike for at least 3 hours. So, I made the unofficial David Crockett State Park Loop, connecting multiple trails to traverse most of the land in the park, totaling about 7.5 miles. Scroll to the bottom of the post to see my route. I started near the playground and Campground 1 at the south end of the Shoal Creek Trail.

(Side note: Many of the trails are not on GAIA GPS or Google/Apple maps, so I had to keep checking and comparing GAIA to the park map since I was making my own loop. Plus, I also did some of my ‘hiking’ on paved roads so I could connect everything.)

WIll this state park completely take your breath away? Probably not. But, there’s still things worth seeing. There’s the two waterfalls, a peaceful stroll along Shoal Creek, a small lake, plus a portion of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. There’s nice cabins, fishing in the lake, a campground, a covered bridge and I even saw an archery range and blackpowder rifle range. (I’m not sure if these are open and active.) There’s also a handful of ‘Connector Trails” that link the Shoal Creek Trail aight the Trail of Tears, so you can create a loop of varying lengths. I could see this being a great park for a family trip.

I mentioned 2 waterfalls: Crocket Falls and another (unnamed?) cascade kind of around the back end of the lake. It’s at the end of that little spur on my route. It was really beautiful and I had no idea it was there because it’s not marked on any of the maps. (I had to turn around at this fall and not complete the Crawfish Valley Trail because I deemed completely crossing that fall with a dog was too dangerous, so I hiked along the road for a bit instead.)

The park is almost right in Lawrenceburg, so it’s definitely not secluded but may be worth a visit if you’re looking to go somewhere new. And remember, any time outside is good!

Distance from Nashville: 1 hour 30 minutes

Trailhead: Shoal Creek Trailhead off Davy Crockett Park Rd

Trails: “Loop” form by Shoal Creek Trail, Crawfish Valley Trail, Lake Road Trail, Trail of Tears and Turkey Ridge Trail (see full route below)

Link to trail map: David Crocket State Park Map

Length of hike: 7.6 miles

Type of hike: Make your own loop

Camping: Campground No. 1 and 2 (Drive-in/RV sites)

Overview: An easy hiking tour of a state park with creeks, small waterfalls and history.

Henry Hollow and Sedge Hill Trails :: Beaman Park, Nashville TN

May 20, 2021August 7, 2021Leave a comment

When I first visited Beaman Park, I was so excited to find something like this so close to the city. This metro park is located in the Bells Bend area of the county, northwest of downtown.

There’s three different trailheads: Nature Center (entrance is off of Old Hickory Blvd), Creekside and Ridgetop (entrance off of Little Marrowbone Road) Trailheads. Creekside is the one nearest to the entrance and Ridgetop is up the hill. The Nature Center and Creekside have toilets and all three have parking lots.

There’s also three different trails of varying length and difficulties: Henry Hollow, Sedge Hill, and Laurel Woods. For this post, we’ll focus on the two shorter trails: Sedge Hill and Henry Hollow Loop. You can access any trail from each of the trailheads, but typically, you’ll start at the Nature Center for Sedge Hill and Creekside for Henry Hollow. (Although all the trails connects though in some fashion.)

The Henry Hollow Loop (2 miles) follows Henry Creek then ascends onto the ridge. You get a good mix of walking creekside and along the ridge. There’s a little bit of elevation change climbing out of the hollow, but nothing too strenuous. You’ll have plenty of chances to sit along the creek or take a splash in warmer months. You’ll also see a few cascades from smaller streams leading into the creek, looking like mini waterfalls. I really love this stretch of trail; it feels so peaceful.

The Sedge Hill Trail (.6 miles) connects the Nature Center to the Henry Hollow Loop. It’s short, but gets your heart pumping. It has a few ups and downs before it descends to join the Creekside trail. Plus, you’ll see one of my favorite trees in the world.

By connecting these two trails, you can make a just-over-three-mile balloon loop for a perfect little local hike. I love that you can be 20-25 minutes from downtown Nashville, but feel like you can grab a slice of wilderness.

Distance from Nashville: 20 min

Trailhead: Nature Center (Sedge Hill) or Creekside (Henry Hollow)

Trail: Sedge Hill and Henry Hollow

Link to trail map: Beaman Park Natural Area

Length of hike: .6 for Sedge Hill, 2 miles for Henry Hollow

Brief Overview: Streams, hills and woods close to home.

Edward’s Point :: Cumberland Trail, Tennessee River Gorge Segment

May 6, 2021May 6, 2021Leave a comment

Edward’s and Signal Points serve as the southern terminus to the Cumberland Trail and are part of the Tennessee River Gorge Segment of the trail.

I originally planned to hike Signal Point to Edward’s Point. But, that trailhead was closed. So, thankfully, there was another trailhead for a similar route right down the road, Rainbow Falls Wilderness. The parking lot for the trailhead is pretty small, so if you are hiking from this point, I suggest arriving early.

I thought this was going to be an easy hike to a beautiful view. The view was amazing but I wouldn’t rate it as ‘easy’. A portion of the trail was pretty rocky and full of boulders so be prepare your ankles. I also am glad that I brought my trekking poles because there were a few sections of ascents and descents.

Before you reach the pinnacle of the trail, Edward’s Point, you’ll pass by a small “waterfall” that is actually a small dam that created Rainbow Lake. This lake was created in the early 1900s for Signal Mountain Hotel. So, this hiking trail has been around for over 100 years.

You’ll also cross a suspension bridge over Middle Creek and see a small rock arch called Lockhart Arch. So, you get a few different features on the way.

Edward’s Point boasts a beautiful, sweeping view of the Tennessee River Gorge. There are gradual bluffs on both sides of the river that level out so that you can see far into the distance.

It was rather hot when I hiked this trail, so that contributed to me sweating way more than anticipated. Because of this, I had a less-than-desirable impression of this hike. I’m sure it would be much better in the fall/winter. (I mean, what hike ISN’T better in the fall/winter?) I’m hoping to return when the weather is cooler and hike from Signal Point to Edward’s Point.

However, this hike shouldn’t be missed. You get a gorgeous view and a few bonuses on the way there. Plus, you get to hike a section of the Cumberland Trail, which is always a welcome part of any of my hikes.

Distance from Nashville: 2 hr 15 min

Trailhead: Rainbow Lake Wilderness Trail on Ohio Ave (at the time I hiked this, Signal Mountain was closed and gated)

Trail: Rainbow Lake Trail to Cumberland Trail

Link to trial map: Signal & Edwards Points Section of Cumberland Trail

Length of trail: 4.7 miles total, out-and-back

Campsites: Lockhart’s Arch Campsite (Please note there is no overnight parking at either trailhead.)

Overview: Take a moderately strenuous hike to a beautiful view of the Tennessee River Gorge passing by a dam waterfall, stone arch and suspension bridge at the southern terminus of the Cumberland Trail.

Mossy Ridge Trail :: Percy Warner Park

October 9, 2020October 9, 20202 Comments

I was looking through my posts on here and realized that I’ve never done one on the Mossy Ridge Trail. In all the times I’ve hiked it, I just never did a full write-up on it. And this trail definitely deserves it.

Percy Warner Park and it’s sister park, Edwin Warner are probably the most popular parks in Davidson County. Although, Radnor might give it a run for its money, Warner Parks have extensive trails both paved and natural and dogs are allowed on any of the park’s trails.

Mossy Ridge, also the ‘red trail’, is my personal favorite in the park. The Mossy Ridge alone is a perfect 4.5 miles. But, you have to access it via connectors so it is typically 5-6 miles depending on where you start.

This trail packs over 1,000 feet of elevation gain to get that heart pumping. Much of the trail is a steady balance of undulating uphills and downhills. It’s definitely a nice little challenge, even if you are in good hiking shape. But, it’s also a great trail close to home that can help you build stamina for those longer hikes, more difficult hikes that you may be training for.

You don’t hike “to a destination” but the whole trail is filled with the best trees, hilly views, the tiniest cascading waterfall and, of course, moss! Every time I hike it, I seem to love it more.

You can access Mossy Ridge from almost any trailhead in the park. The Deep Well Trailhead, off of Hwy 100 is probably the most popular place to start. You can also access it via the Cane Connector Trail at Vaughn’s Gap, also off of Hwy 100. For the shortest distance, start at the Chickering Trailhead off of Chickering Road. Where you’ll meet up with the trail after about .15 miles. You can also access it via the Gaucho Road Trailhead where a trailhead connector meets up with the Cane Connector Trail.

No matter how you slice it, the Mossy Ridge is a must do in Nashville!

Distance from Nashville: 20 min

Trailhead: Choose your own adventure (read above). I usually start at Vaughn’s Gap. But there’s about 4 different places you can start: Deep Well, Vaughn’s Gap, Chickering Road and Gaucho Road

Trail: Mossy Ridge (Red Trail)

Link to trail map: Percy Warner Parks Map

Length of hike: 4.5-6 miles depending on trailhead

Brief overview: Steady and challenging elevation changes, mossy ridges, so many trees, a small cascading waterfall in a perfect hike close to home.

Winding Stairs Park :: Lafayette, TN

August 26, 2020August 26, 20202 Comments

I first saw Winding Stairs on an Instagram post and figured it was in East Tennessee because most of the waterfall trails I haven’t been on are 3+ hours away. But, no, this winding cascade housed in a city park (!) is a mere hour and change away from Nashville.

My initial research deemed that this would be a very short and easy trail (under 2 miles), which sometimes deters me from checking something out. (I know it shouldn’t matter, but I stan a challenging hike with a reward.) But, to my surprise, there were almost 5 miles of trails within the park. AND it was more of a challenge than I expected (Hello, Jacob’s Ladder section).

And can we pause a minute to give some love to cascading waterfalls? The way the water hugs the jagged rocks making them look smooth coupled with a typically gentler descension of the water makes the earth look like it’s just seeping water.

What’s great about this park is that you get to clamber all up and down the falls if you’d like. They are truly like stairs (very slippery ones, but still stair-like nonetheless) so carefully explore to your heart’s content.

And don’t sleep on the other trails in the park! You’ll find an overlook of the ‘Winding Stairs’ and a view of the many layers of actual stairs to get you to the natural ones. You’ll also find a trail called the ‘Milk Pail Trail’ and you’ll just have to visit to find out the story behind this odd name and a bonus trail surprise.

PRO TIP! Because online maps are few and far between (All Trails just has the 1.5 mile loop), make sure you take a photo of the map at the trailhead! (We did not until after we were finished and just followed our hearts and probably did some trails twice?) The trail also has numbers at various points which correspond to your location on the map.

This hike is perfect if you only can devote a few hours of the day to hiking and want to get out of town. Plus, it will get your heart pumping and reward you with a beautiful cascade.

Steep trail on the Jacob’s Ladder section

Descending the stairs down to the other stairs

Distance from Nashville: 1 hour 15 minutes

Trailhead: Turn by the sign for ‘Winding Stairs Park’ off of Hwy 52 just outside downtown Lafayette, TN. (When I went, the map directions were just a bit off, so just be sure to turn when the sign tells you to!)

Trail: Entire trail system at Winding Stairs Park (Cascades, Jacob’s Ladder, Red Oak, Milk Pail

Trail map: I haven’t been able to find a trail map online, but here’s a photo of the trail map from the trailhead

Length of hike: 1.5- 4.5 miles, depending on your route/trails

Brief overview: Surprisingly beautiful cascading, winding falls within a city park with opportunities to both explore the falls and see them from above along the few trail options.

Buggytop Trail :: Carter State Natural Area, South Cumberland State Park

March 26, 2020March 20, 2023Leave a comment

If you want a not-so-long day hike but still want to get out somewhere wild, try the Buggytop Trail, which is part of Carter State Natural Area. This SNA is part of South Cumberland State Park, which, if you remember, is a state park that is scattered all over the southern part of the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.

This trail leads down to a pretty spectacular cave called Lost Cove Cave. I feel like many people don’t talk about this trail with so many other spectacular things in the area, but I think it’s worth a visit. At the ‘T’ in the trail, you can also visit Peter Cave (to the left) but let me just tell you it is pretty treacherous to approach — a 45 degree angle of very slippery and sharp rocks to get down to the cave opening, I went down 2 steps and turned around. You do get a nice view of the entrance to Buggytop from above if you want to check that out.

Taking the right at the ‘T’ will lead you down to the mouth of Lost Cove Cave. It is a huge entrance and the origin and beginning of a beautiful rushing stream (Crow Creek). It was a pretty warm day and inside the cave was cool and damp and a lovely respite from the hot sun.

Please note that in order to fully enter the cave, you need a free permit, which you can get here. Also, in the summertime, the park rangers lead caving explorations of Lost Cove Cave so you can actually go in and spelunk to your heart’s content. I am severely claustrophobic so caves usually aren’t my friend. Give me a mountain top any day.

Since you are in the infamous Cumberland Plateau, you do get some of the classic hilly plateau views along the way, too.

Distance from Nashville: 1hr 30min

Getting to the trailhead: Buggytop Trailhead on Sherwood Rd. (Please note parking is very limited!)

Trail: Buggytop Trail, out-and-back to Lost Cove Cave

Link to trail map: Lost Cove Map

Length of hike: 4 miles (2 miles each way), allow about 2 hours and extra time for relaxing at the cave

Brief overview: Some rocky ascensions and descents along a ridge with some views and a spectacular cave at the end as a payoff.

High Ridge & Shoreline Trails :: Bledsoe Creek State Park

January 17, 2020January 17, 2020Leave a comment

You don’t hear much about Bledsoe Creek State Park, so it’s no surprise that I hadn’t been there in the ten years that I’ve lived in the area. I was looking for a hike relatively close to Nashville that I could do in the afternoon. That’s when I realized I’d never been to this state park.

Perhaps the most interesting part about the park is that it was once the hunting ground for the Cherokee, Creek, Shawnee and Chickamauga Native American tribes. But, then in true white colonialism, English settlers arrived and drove all of the animals out, never to return. Let’s never forget that this land is not our own.

These trails basically form a loop around the whole park. They are almost all flat except for a steep staircase connecting the High Ridge to the Shoreline trail. As far as what you’ll see on these trails, it’s pretty self explanatory. The High Ridge Trail is up on a ridge where you’ll walk through cedar groves and see rolling pastures. The Shoreline Trail follows the banks of Old Hickory Lake.

A highlight of the trails is a wildlife viewing area on a wooden dock. I saw so many fish, ducks, herons and more. A low point of the trail is that part of the Shoreline trail is right next to the campground. Like, you are basically walking through campsites. However, when I was hiking, there weren’t many people camping so it wasn’t too awkward.

Overall, this hike is nothing too special, but it got me out in nature for the afternoon.

I think Luna’s favorite park was watching all the wildlife creatures from the dock.

Distance from Nashville: 45 min

Trailhead: Bledsoe Creek Visitor’s Center/Park Office, then cross the street

Trail: High Ridge and Shoreline Trails (see route below)

Link to trail map: Bledsoe Creek State Park

Length of hike: 3 miles

Brief Overview: A walk in the park featuring cedar groves, Old Hickory Lake and some wildlife.

She Hikes Tennessee

Gettin' folks outdoors one hike at a time

Category: 3-5 miles