Trail Review: Hidden Passage Loop at Pickett State Park

Double Falls at Pickett State Park - click to enlarge

Trail Map - click to enlarge

Trail: Hidden Passage Loop
Location: Pickett State Park; Jamestown, TN
Trail Length: Apprx. 9.5 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate with Strenuous stretches
Solitude: Good during my visit, likely moderate to busy during warm season weekends

Trail Review: Hobbs Cabin Loop; Savage Gulf, TN

Trail: Hobbs Cabin Loop (Savage Day Loop, North Plateau, & North Rim Trails)
Location: Savage Gulf State Recreation Area; Tracy City, TN
Trail/Loop Length: 17.6 Miles (9.4 miles out, 8.2 miles back)
Difficulty: Easy other than mileage - mostly flat terrain
Solitude: Excellent to moderate

Click map for larger image

I feel especially fortunate to have Savage Gulf within a two-hour drive of my home in Nashville. It has become a very special, almost sacred area for me personally, and my goal is to hike every trail in the wilderness area. When looking at a map, Savage Gulf is basically a three-pronged "crow's foot" in its shape with each prong being a deep gorge. I have explored the western (Stone Door) and central (Collins Gulf) gorges, but I had not seen as much of the eastern (Savage Gulf) gorge. I also had never seen any of the flat lands above the gorge in the northeast section of the park. Lastly, I had never seen nor stayed in Hobbs Cabin, a backcountry shelter with a functioning fireplace, several bunks, and even a table and bench for eating meals and organizing gear. On my most recent trip, I chose a seventeen mile loop to check out some of these areas and get closer to my goal of hitting every trail. I took this loop counterclockwise to save a slightly shorter hike and better scenery for the second day. Despite the fairly long mileage, the trek was pretty easy. Here are some details…

Trail Review: Collins Gulf Loop at Savage Gulf

Skinny Falls

Trail: Collins Gulf Loop
Location: Savage Gulf State Recreation Area; Tracy City, TN
Trail Length: 13 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate with Strenuous stretches
Solitude: Moderate with crowded weekends during better weather

Click map for larger image.

After each visit, my gratitude for Savage Gulf State Natural Area grows, especially given the drive from my Nashville home is only two hours. With its sandstone overlooks, abundant waterfalls, underground springs, river sinks, house-sized boulders, and rock formations, Savage Gulf offers a quintessential southern mountain experience with many day hike, overnight, and multi-day trail options. The Collins Gulf loop is an excellent introduction to Savage Gulf and makes for a somewhat strenuous but wholly rewarding overnight trip. The hike is book-ended by the most difficult, but perhaps most beautiful, sections of the trail no matter which direction you choose to take. I opted to take the loop counterclockwise, which made for a longer first day of hiking and a shorter, more relaxed hike out the second day. Here are some of the specifics of the hike as well as some more photographs.

Trail Review: Volunteer Trail, Long Hunter State Park

Click for larger image.

Trail: Volunteer Trail 
Location: Long Hunter State Park; Hermitage, TN
Trail Length: Apprx. 12 miles (including the 4 mi. Day Loop)
Difficulty: Easy
Solitude: Moderate to crowded (often busy on weekends)

My first solo backpacking trip was on this trail, and for good reason. The Volunteer Trail is especially well-suited to beginners or those looking for an easy, pleasant overnight wilderness trek. Well, “wilderness” hardly applies. Long Hunter is a very pretty, well-managed and well-maintained park, but given it is only a thirty-minute drive from downtown Nashville and sits on the very popular and populated Percy Priest Lake, this park is not secluded. As far as I’m concerned, that should be viewed as the charm of this trail. Given I only live a mile east of downtown Nashville, I’m grateful for the opportunity to hop in my car late in the afternoon, enjoy a 12 mile hike, sleep under the stars, and still make it home for lunch the next day. Let’s get into the specifics and features of the trail.

_________________________________