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The Cumberland Trail

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    • You know, it's amazing how many trails and public lands we have to hike on in this country.
      I just wish I had more time to get out to them, that's my problem right now.
      Kathy and I don't have the same days off, heck, we don't even work the same hours.
      She works days and I work night. We only see each other a couple of hours a day and on Saturday.
      If it weren't for the fact that I really enjoy the work I do I'd give up having a career and just get a job....maybe.
    • Plans for 2016 and 2017 are to finish the finish the AT. Would like to do this is in 2018 or 2019 if they finish it. :)
      Back of my mind would still like to do a thru of AT in 2020 or 2021. Of course if not,n there are a lot of different trails in the South I still could do.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      Plans for 2016 and 2017 are to finish the finish the AT. Would like to do this is in 2018 or 2019 if they finish it. :)
      Back of my mind would still like to do a thru of AT in 2020 or 2021. Of course if not,n there are a lot of different trails in the South I still could do.
      When I finish with the BMT, I'll probably start section hiking the completed parts. I'm so close and have a lot of family in Chattanooga. My parents are moving to Chattanooga and I know my dad would love to help.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Astro wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      The CT goes through several, well-known meth-use areas. That will probably be a big concern of mine.
      You mean like the towns you might need to resupply in?
      and road crossings, etc. Some of the worst counties in TN for meth labs are Rhea, Meigs, Morgan, Anderson, and Grainger. The CT goes through or near all of these. Portable meth labs in state parks and forest areas are becoming a big problem. Just google meth labs in state forests.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      The CT goes through several, well-known meth-use areas. That will probably be a big concern of mine.
      You mean like the towns you might need to resupply in?
      and road crossings, etc. Some of the worst counties in TN for meth labs are Rhea, Meigs, Morgan, Anderson, and Grainger. The CT goes through or near all of these. Portable meth labs in state parks and forest areas are becoming a big problem. Just google meth labs in state forests.
      Wow, that is not good. Bad enough they are contaminating houses, but now they are messing up the woods also. :thumbdown:
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      The CT goes through several, well-known meth-use areas. That will probably be a big concern of mine.
      You mean like the towns you might need to resupply in?
      and road crossings, etc. Some of the worst counties in TN for meth labs are Rhea, Meigs, Morgan, Anderson, and Grainger. The CT goes through or near all of these. Portable meth labs in state parks and forest areas are becoming a big problem. Just google meth labs in state forests.
      Wow, that is not good. Bad enough they are contaminating houses, but now they are messing up the woods also. :thumbdown:
      mainly just the copper wiring in the woods
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • Astro wrote:

      "copper wiring in the woods", now that sounds more like moonshiners.
      From what I understand that it's the main damage meth manufacturing damages inside a house. The chemicals react with any copper wiring our plumbing. The copper needs to be replaced which ruins the house.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • I've been reading more about this trail. The sections that are complete haven't been maintained in several years.

      I was thinking about day hiking on the Cumberland Mountain segment until I read this...

      Distance: 18.5 mile one-way auto access to auto access
      Difficulty: Strenuous
      Elevation Change: 1,760 feet gain and loss
      Cautions: For experienced outdoors people only; trail has not been maintained in several years; until trail is revitalized, navigation will be difficult; numerous ATV trail intersections
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Astro wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      The CT goes through several, well-known meth-use areas. That will probably be a big concern of mine.
      You mean like the towns you might need to resupply in?
      and road crossings, etc. Some of the worst counties in TN for meth labs are Rhea, Meigs, Morgan, Anderson, and Grainger. The CT goes through or near all of these. Portable meth labs in state parks and forest areas are becoming a big problem. Just google meth labs in state forests.
      Wow, that is not good. Bad enough they are contaminating houses, but now they are messing up the woods also. :thumbdown:
      West Virginia State Park Superintendents are (and have been for a while) "police officers". It's kinda hard to get the sherrif to come out to the middle of nowhere on a timely basis. They're badged and carry on duty. Required pistol quals every six months.

      Wish I knew how to partially quote stuff. I hate putting all that in...

      The post was edited 1 time, last by EdDzierzak ().

    • Astro wrote:

      "copper wiring in the woods", now that sounds more like moonshiners.
      Copper piping accurately describes folks attempting to circumvent federal taxes via vertical integration of alcohol production.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC
    • I'm fortunate to live in a city near great hiking. There are always good hiking articles in the newspaper.


      [IMG:http://media-cdn.timesfreepress.com/img/photos/2016/02/07/1454902544_IMG_4468_t755_hb6cbd27094edd6f5e47164f07de05e001c50b7ae.jpg]
      A section of the Cumberland Trail is cleared...
      Photo by Contributed Photo /Times Free Press.
      [IMG:http://media-cdn.timesfreepress.com/img/photos/2016/02/07/1454902544_IMG_4463_t755_hc5783d3e22950dd20ece59c4c4a8f15551e265a6.jpg]
      Volunteers work on a section of the Cumberland...


      Deep in the woods to the west of Soddy-Daisy, in an area known as the Pocket Wilderness, a unique state park is coming together — a few hundred yards at a time.

      Cumberland Trail State Park Manager Bobby Fulcher estimates the 300-plus mile Cumberland Trail will be complete and connected within the next four to five years. At that point, it will belong to the citizens of Tennessee.

      But there will likely be some who have a unique sense of ownership for the trail that will stretch from Chattanooga to the Kentucky border.
      An army of volunteers in the Chattanooga area recruited by a handful of local nonprofit groups is helping speed the trail's progress along.
      And they are hiking miles into beautiful, remote wilderness just to reach the new portions of the trail they are tasked with building.
      "That's a very remote area, and it's hard to get volunteers into an area like that," Fulcher said. "You spend a lot of energy hiking in, and then construction work is hard and slow."

      The local nonprofit group Wild Trails is convincing people to pitch in, even during the winter months.

      Wild Trails reached an agreement with Tennessee State Parks in 2014 to complete a 12-mile stretch of the trail, and the organization's director, Randy Whorton, is hoping to complete it by the spring of 2017.

      Attracting volunteer support is crucial, because there are no excavators or state funding helping Wild Trails' progress.
      Just last month, a group from the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy camped overnight to complete a 200-yard stretch of the trail before scouting out the next portion, which another group will build.

      "I think that's the way through-hike trails should be built," Whorton said. "We want to get a lot of kids involved working with their parents through school and churches. My goal is to get as much of the community involved in building it as possible, and then there's a lot of pride and ownership that way."

      The work is not glamorous — volunteers are digging the trail bed with tools like hoes and pickaxes — but there are goals in view.
      When the Wild Trails portion of the project is complete, Whorton hopes other nonprofits working on area portions of the trail will be done with their work and that 70 miles of the trail's southern portion will be connected as the entire project creeps toward completion.

      "What it means to us is that we'll be able to get the trail done in good time with these groups that have taken on these commitments," Fulcher said.

      Eight miles of the Cumberland Trail already are usable at the North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Natural Area, which is accessible from a trailhead on Montlake Road.

      But Whorton clarified that the parts of the trail now under construction are not open to the public yet.

      For now, volunteering is still the way to explore the path that will eventually span the height of the state.

      "I think the word is getting out," Whorton said, "that it's not only really beneficial work, but it's really fun getting out there, taking these overnight trips and being a part of this project."
      Lost in the right direction.
    • My son picked me up on US 27, also known as North Suck Creek Road. This is why they call it Suck Creek.

      news.google.com/newspapers?nid…BAJ&pg=1596,6980565&hl=en


      At the end of my hike, I got to the road and was standing next to the guard rail when an older vehicle stopped very suddenly and pulled a little ways into the grass. There were three cars behind him who honked and nearly had a four car pile-up...brakes were squealing. I have no idea why the car stopped. After the three cars went around him, he made this twirling motion with his hand, index finger pointing up. WTH? I gave him a thumbs up, indicating I was fine, and started walking in the opposite direction. Thank goodness my son pulled up right about then.

      The dude stopped right before the curve in the far lane...in the right side of the photo.
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      Lost in the right direction.
    • The first segment of the CT is a little confusing due to the unfinished status of the trail. The first segment is called the Tennessee River Gorge segment and consists of 4 sections; two linear trails and two loops. However, only 6+ miles is considered the official CT. I'm not sure I understand this.

      Before arriving at the highway, I passed a campsite and crossed a cool suspension bridge. In the future, new trail will head north along North Suck creek and hikers will have to road walk.

      Trails in this area (with the exception of Signal and Edwards Point) are periodically closed during hunting season so it's important to check with TWRA.

      .





      North Suck Creek is very dry.
      Lost in the right direction.

      The post was edited 3 times, last by Traffic Jam ().

    • The first section of the CT starts on Signal Mountain which is a suburb of Chattanooga. The trail descends from the mountain bluffs so it's rocky and steep in places. When crossing the rocky areas, it was often difficult to see where the trail went. I met a lady who was a little irritated because she chose the wrong way and had to navigate back through the rocks. She said, "They need more signs!"

      In general, blazing was pretty good but there were several places where trails converged that were unmarked. I believe some of these trails are the old CT that got washed out or ruined by rock slides. A few times there were no markers to indicate which way to go on/around the rocks and boulders, however it was fairly intuitive.

      Eventually, the trail starts climbing then alternates between exposed, scrubby areas and forest.

      The 2.8 miles to Edwards Point is a very popular hike and there were a lot of people and dogs out. I was alone after Edwards Point and based on the number of spider webs that I ran into, no one had been through there in a day or two...maybe longer.

      There are several campsites on this section and a three-sided shelter...I forgot to take the spur trail to the shelter to check it out.

      Water in this area has to be treated as E-Coli has been found in some of the creeks.

      Montana mac... The length is about 8.4 miles and I did it as a day hike. My two young'uns recently transferred to UTC and now live in Chattanooga. Coincidentally, they moved into an apartment less than 5 miles from the trailhead. I'm so excited that I will have free shuttlers and won't have to do a lot of out-and-backs like I have on the BMT. ^^
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Am I interpreting this statement by the CTC correctly...that only 6.9 miles of trail in segment 1 is the official Cumberland Trail?

      "The Tennessee River Gorge Segment consists of two linear sections, Signal & Edwards Points and Poplar Springs, and two loops, Mullens Cove and Pot Point. Together, these sections make up 33.8 miles of trail currently open, but only the 6.9 miles of the Signal Point Section are considered part of the official Cumberland Trail"
      Lost in the right direction.
    • I think I figured it out. The trail starts at Signal Point. The red dots between hwy 27 and 127 start at mile 6.9 and indicate where the trail will eventually go. The loops won't be part of the official CT and my guess is they will redo the segment descriptions.
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      Lost in the right direction.