Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tennessee) announced a $500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will be used to design mountain bike and hiking trails along a section of the Foothills Parkway in Cocke County.

The goal is to transform an area along the stretch between Cosby and I-40 to help increase tourism and economic development in Cocke County.

“Cocke County is one of Tennessee’s most economically distressed counties, and these mountain bike and hiking trails will bring more of the 12 million visitors who come to the Smokies each year to Cocke County, which will increase tourism and economic development opportunities in the county,” Alexander said.

Alexander said he has worked with the state and fellow lawmakers to develop more trails in the underdeveloped section of the Foothills Parkway, saying those ideas will now become a reality.

“Cocke County is very grateful to the Appalachian Regional Commission for this award. We are so appreciative to the vision and foresight of Sen. Lamar Alexander, our state leaders, the Conservation Fund, the Cherokee National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This collective effort will benefit Cocke County for decades to come,” Cocke County Mayor Crystal Ottinger and Partnership President Lucas Graham said.

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There was a snowstorm over Roan Mountain the last Friday in February, 2020. Seeing Roan Highlands covered in a blanket of snow is always a highlight of WNC winter. So on Sunday, March 1st I set out for this glorious destination high above the little town of Bakersville. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do in winter. This makes three in a row now.

As usual I was not disappointed. To be honest, it couldn’t have worked out better. The road crews had done a fabulous job of clearing all the back country mountain roads between Burnsville and Carver’s Gap, so the driving part was a snap. It was a bright sunny day, with but wispy clouds on an azure sky, and views that seemed like 50 miles, or more. The only downer were the dozens of jet contrails polluting the sky.

There were only a handful of cars at Carver’s Gap when I arrived, so there were a few intrepid others who had the same idea. It was definitely cold. The air temp was 22° when I stepped out of my Subaru. The wind seemed calm, but that was to change on the summit of Round Bald.

Preparation is one of my hallmarks though, so I had heavy wool socks and snow boots, fleece-lined softshell pants, plenty of layers for my core and a down filled vest with a hood, plus a balaclava and gloves. Sunglasses finished off the ensemble. I probably looked a bit like the Michelin man, but I was ready.

Once out in the snow and on the Appalachian Trail, I could tell that I was first out on this morning. The other cars must have been for overnight campers. Brr! The lower trail was barely packed down by boot steps probably from Saturday hikers. Once I cleared the spruce forest, the wind had filled in any previous footsteps, so it required a bit of post-holing. The higher and more exposed I got, the windier it became. The south side of Round Bald was 4-6 inches deep. Most of it I was breaking trail. To say it was slow going would be an understatement.

The summit of Round Bald was a downright gale. Boy was I glad I had all that cold weather gear on. The snow-covered mountains that surround in every direction were astounding. Perhaps the most beautiful view was of the Hump Mountains off to the northeast. Once on the north side of Round Bald, the snow depth was a foot. The wind was obviously blowing snow from the summit mostly to the north.

I didn’t stay long, and only went as far as Engine Gap, but the two hours I was there was worth every stinging ice crystal slamming into my face. Two other solo hikers passed me on the downside. Climbing back up to the summit of Round Bald was really slow going because of the foot deep snow.

Enjoy the photo gallery below of my adventure to Roan Highlands in the snow. If you are interested in going to Roan Highlands yourself, check out my trail report that includes directions, maps, and many more seasonal photos. Thanks for visiting!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), in partnership with The Conservation Fund, TennGreen, the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced the addition of 6,229 acres to the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park.

In a TDEC press release, the organization stated that the land, known as the Lone Star property, will support wildlife habitat and native ecology and will be a critical connecting point for the Cumberland Trail, Tennessee’s first “linear park,” which runs through 11 counties and two time zones. The land will be used to develop a significant segment of the Cumberland Trail, eventually connecting Ozone Falls State Natural Area to existing state-owned land.

When completed, the Cumberland Trail will extend more than 300 miles from Cumberland Gap National Historic Park to is southern terminus at the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park just outside Chattanooga.

“For people and nature to thrive, habitats need to be protected, enhanced, and restored,” Steve Law, executive director of TennGreen, said. “Our forests and lands along streams on the Cumberland Plateau are critical to conserve because they provide essential habitat to a wide range of wildlife, fish, and plant species. We’re grateful to our partners and our fellow conservationists for making this decade-long dream a reality.”

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Now that fall is just around the corner, you may be thinking about taking a hike. September offers plenty of opportunities, with Public Lands Day hikes at all state parks, plus plenty of other chances to get out and enjoy beautiful Middle Tennessee on foot.

All 56 Tennessee state parks have free, ranger-led hikes or volunteer park and trail cleanup programs on National Public Lands Day, Sept. 28, 2019.

Rugby State Natural Area has a free guided hike starting at 10 a.m. Eastern time from the Historic Rugby Visitor Centre Porch, 1331 Rugby Parkway in Rugby. This is a 3-4 mile, moderate but family-friendly hike. Dogs on a leash are welcome.

At Harpeth River State Park, Ranger Bill Morton will combine a hike through the historic Narrows of the Harpeth with some trail cleanup. “We will pick up trash, trim branches and learn the history of the area along the way,” Morton said.

And if you want an urban hike, head for Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, where you can “immerse yourself in Nashville history and culture” with a hike through downtown.

Walk at your own pace on the Greenway at Butler Field along the Little Harpeth River to witness fall wildflowers in bloom and lots of butterflies. Warner Parks also has brochure-led hikes for the Hungry Hawk Trail and the Nature Loop, too.

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Sure, there are lots and lots of wildflowers in April at Whiteoak Sink and on the hillside at the Townsend Y to make this hike seriously entertaining. But there is a lot more to the Schoolhouse Gap/Chestnut Top combination hike than abundant spring flowers. The views into Townsend from the Chestnut Top ridge are notable, and the forest that surrounds you throughout is enchanting. Since this would be a very lengthy hike as an out and back, my brother and I did it as a shuttle hike, parking a car at each end. We hiked the Schoolhouse Gap and Chestnut Top trails on Wednesday, April 18, 2019 beginning at 8:00AM and finishing about 2:15PM. Our plan was to park a car at the Townsend Y, take the other car to the Schoolhouse Gap trailhead, then hike the two trails back to the Y.

You better be an early bird to catch the parking space at Schoolhouse Gap trailhead throughout the month of April, otherwise you’ll be hoofing it an additional half mile just to start your hike. The parking at this very popular spot fills quickly. We started out leaving one car at the Chestnut Top trailhead at about 7:45, then 15 minutes later, when we arrived at Schoolhouse Gap there were already a half dozen cars ahead of us. The early start makes for dark pictures first thing, as it takes quite awhile for the sun to rise above the ridges that surround this trail.

You notice immediately that Schoolhouse Gap Trail is a former road. Built by Dr. Isaac Anderson in the mid-19th century, the goal was to combine a trail from Tennessee to Bote Mountain with one from North Carolina to Spence Field. Dr. Anderson did his part. Unfortunately, those confounded Carolinians dropped the ball, and Dr. Anderson’s goal of creating a means of commerce and missionary work was never realized. Now, however, more than 150 years later hikers reap the benefit of the work.

The trail begins a gradual climb alongside Spence Branch. Look on the hillside opposite the creek for a variety of spring ephemeral wildflowers. Even in late summer, early fall, expect to see lobelias and cardinal flowers. Just past a mile you reach Dorsey Gap and the junction with Turkeypen Ridge Trail, a means of reaching Cades Cove on foot.

Another 100 feet beyond that is the Whiteoak Sink manway. There is no signage here, as it is not an official trail. You will recognize it by the wooden barrier to keep horses from entering the basin. I’ve previously written about Whiteoak Sink, so I won’t repeat, but you can see my report and photo galleries here. As long as you are on Schoolhouse Gap Trail, Whiteoak Sink is a must see during the month of April.

Once you’ve returned from the marvelous trip to Whiteoak Sink, rejoin Schoolhouse Gap trail to resume the journey deep into the woods south of Townsend. You’ll pass through stands of pine and oak with their enticing scents in the greening season. It’s another 1.2 miles gently uphill to Schoolhouse Gap overlooking Townsend, but this hike doesn’t quite go all the way to the gap. 0.2 before is the junction with Chestnut Top Trail. Take a right here.

Maples and hickories can also be found in this forest. Combined with sourwood trees, they create the brilliant crimson hues that blanket this ridge in the fall. Chestnut Top Trail continues climbing for a little less than another mile until reaching the crest of the Chestnut Top ridge.

From the Chestnut Top ridge the mountains are greening nicely

The trail makes a dip here, to Bryant Gap, then resumes a gradual climb until reaching the highest point 1.5 miles from the Schoolhouse Gap junction. The northern park boundary is on your left through this area. Once you reach this summit it is, as they say, all downhill from here. Some of it is actually quite steep, reaching a 5% grade, a reason we chose to make this hike from west to east.

The forest really is nice along this stretch. It switches from stands of pine, to hardwoods. While I haven’t been here in fall, there is bound to be an abundance of nuts on the trail bed. Nuts usually means bears too, so keep an eye out for signs of their presence. Look too for old chestnut stumps, the namesake of this trail. I always imagine what the forests of the Smokies must have been like 200 years ago when the mighty chestnuts ruled. Inspiring.

Long switchbacks ease the descent. All the while we were glad we didn’t come up this way. With about a mile to go you begin to hear the road sounds of the Townsend Y. A word of caution: in summer the beautiful wildflowers that are pronounced for this last mile are replaced by everyone’s favorite… poison ivy. Just be aware.

The final half mile descent parallels the Townsend road, and the floral bouquet is omnipresent. Look for fire pinks and trillium, stonecrop and violets, lots and lots of purple phacelia, and toothwort, bloodroot, and hepatica. Tons and tons of them. In fact, it’s one of the prized displays in the park.

Finally, when you reach the bottom, cross Townsend road to the parking area to retrieve your vehicle. We then drove back to the beginning to get the other car as well.

Summarizing this hike, if Smokies spring wildflower gazing is a wish, then these trails are definitely for you. Both Whiteoak Sink and the Chestnut Top Trail’s hillside near the Y are some of the best in the park. But don’t discount the beauty of the forest along Chestnut Top ridge, and the views of Townsend from high above. This one is definitely recommended. If you’re a really strong hiker, then consider taking this hike from east to west, but for oldsters like me, the west to east direction is the ticket.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

With the perpetual crowd at The Sinks location in the Smokies, it was surprising to me that hardly anyone hikes this trail that starts at the popular waterfall along Little River Road. Another surprise was the abundance of spring ephemeral wildflowers found along the trail. I counted more than a dozen varieties, and plenty of each. Once you reach Meigs Creek, it’s time to change to your water shoes as you will be crossing the creek frequently. My brother and I hiked Meigs Creek Trail to the first crossing on Tuesday, April 17, 2019 beginning at 2:30PM and finishing about 4:45PM. Our plan was to take the trail to Upper Meigs Falls, then return.

There are a couple of nature trails that take off from The Sinks parking area, so be sure you aren’t starting out the wrong direction. Meigs Creek Trail is on the west side, beyond the stone overlook. It is clearly marked with a Park Service trail sign. It starts up a fancy stone stairway, then levels out as it enters the forest.

And a nice forest it is, oaks and maples mostly, beginning the spring greening on this beautiful mid-April day. Soon, on your left, you will reach a swampy area that once was the channel for Meigs Creek prior to the logging days of the early 20th century.

You make a sharp right turn and begin the ascent of a ridge of Curry He Mountain. The trail is lined with christmas fern and dog hobble, and hundreds of early spring wildflowers. Look for violets and chickweed, dwarf iris and foamflower, lots and lots of purple phacelia, toothwort and bellwort, and plenty of white trillium.

The sounds of Little River below to the right become more muted as you near the top of the initial 400 foot climb. The plentiful mountain laurel that lines the trail will be in full bloom in May, and huckleberry bushes provide a nice late summer snack. Short leaf and white pines mix with the oaks and maples to provide a nice canopy of shade to relieve you from the climb.

Just a warning: Adopt-a-Trail volunteers say they’ve spotted timber rattlers on the sunny spots in warm weather, though that was not our experience in April.

Upon reaching the crest of the ridge, the trail turns east and begins a modest descent, before turning to the south for its arrival at Meigs Creek. This is the first of 18 stream crossings… yes, 18. Have you been practicing your rock hopping? Hopefully so, because you will sure need it.

The crossings are all easy in low water, less so at moderate levels, and may require water shoes and rolled up pants following a rainy period. The latter is what we encountered, and we weren’t prepared with appropriate footwear, mainly because we kinda added this trail on the fly after hiking elsewhere earlier in the day.

So we turned around at this point, but I will be back with my trusty MacKenzie’s in the future to explore the rocky walls and narrow valley that are further upstream. There is also a waterfall up there.

Summarizing Meigs Creek Trail, use this hike to fill a couple hours as far as the first creek crossing like we did, or continue to the end for a seven mile round trip. It’s a surprisingly nice wildflower hike in April. Combine that with spring greening for a very colorful venue. If you wish to continue through the 18 creek crossings, either go during the dry season, or bring appropriate shoes and perhaps a hiking pole.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit aimed at conserving land and water, is acquiring 100,000 acres of forest split between southeast Kentucky and northeast Tennessee. It will be one of the largest land conservation and ecological restoration projects for the organization in the Central Appalachians.

It will double the amount of Kentucky acreage the organization has protected, either through acquisition or conservancy easements that prevent certain development of the land.

The group plans to manage the property, known as Ataya, as a working forest and will also seek to protect wildlife habitat, secure clean water and sequester atmospheric carbon to mitigate climate change. The public will continue to have access to the land for hiking, hunting and other activities.

The forests and streams on the property impact water quality and supply in portions of Bell, Knox and Leslie counties in Kentucky, and Claiborne and Campbell counties in Tennessee.

The total property is 100,000 acres, with 55,000 acres in Kentucky and 45,000 acres in Tennessee. Before this project, The Nature Conservancy in Kentucky had protected 55,000 acres in the state.

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“As we’re seeing warmer, milder weather, and lots of rain, we do see earlier seasons that are occuring in our region,” Ellenburg said. “Patients have longer to be exposed, but also the pollen they are being exposed to is actually stronger.”

For residents of Knoxville, battling the springtime effects of pollen has long been routine — it’s ranked as one of the most challenging U.S. cities in which to live for seasonal allergy sufferers. And the effects of heat-trapping pollution in the atmosphere are making their misery worse.

“We really need to realize that our climate directly and indirectly impacts many patients,” said Dr. Dipa Sheth, an allergist at the D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center. “We’re going to see more people being sensitized to allergens. And we’re going to see more of a swing in the severity.”

The impacts of earlier and more potent pollen seasons aren’t limited to classic hay fever symptoms — such as sneezing, congestion, itchy eyes and skin. They can also result in severe reactions, especially for the 13 percent of Knox County residents who’ve reported being diagnosed with asthma.

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Chattanooga, Tennessee, may have the coolest backyard ever. Less than 10 miles from the city center, Mountain Creek Park will offer the community an urban recreation experience with 8 to 12 miles of natural surface trails for beginner to expert mountain bike riding, exceptional bouldering, and hiking trails for scenic exploration. With 800 feet of vertical drop and swarms of gnarly rock formations, the park will also provide some serious stoke with the first advanced downhill-style trails in the Chattanooga region.

Mountain Creek Park is the brainchild of six recreation and conservation groups, including the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy (NCCC) and the Southern Off Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) Chattanooga, the IMBA Local mountain bike organization. Their collaboration demonstrates the power of cooperation and imagination.

“Chattanooga is a progressive, multidisciplinary recreation community of mountain bikers, climbers, hikers, and paddlers—one of the outdoor hubs of the southeast,” says Kevin Smith, president of SORBA Chattanooga. “We already have 100 miles of singletrack, and our ridership wanted some new advanced, downhill, gravity trails. It was a little daunting. We didn’t know if we could get such an ambitious venture done. But we worked with land managers, addressed the liability issues, and checked out what has been done in some nearby communities. Now with IMBA’s help in creating these advanced trails, Mountain Creek Park is going to be the crown jewel of Chattanooga outdoor recreation.”

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Chronic wasting disease has been preliminarily detected in western Tennessee, increasing the threat to deer and elk in Western North Carolina.

Tennessee initiated its Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan after white-tailed deer in Hardeman and Fayette counties — which border the Mississippi state line — tested positive for the disease in preliminary results. Tennessee is the second state bordering North Carolina to detect the disease, with Shenandoah and Frederick counties in Virginia, which border West Virginia, confirming cases.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal disease that affects deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer and moose. Symptoms can include drastic weight loss, stumbling, listlessness and other neurological symptoms. There are no treatments or vaccines available.

The N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission has a Chronic Wasting Disease Response Plan to guide its short-term efforts should the disease be detected in North Carolina or within 30 miles of its borders. Agency biologists conduct statewide deer sampling each year and attempt to sample all deer that show possible symptoms or die of unknown causes.

North Carolina now has a new rule prohibiting the importation of deer carcasses and specific carcass parts from anywhere outside North Carolina. The rule states that anyone transporting carcass parts into the state must follow processing and packaging regulations, which allow only the importation of specific products.

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