Backpacking Report: Mount Whitney Trail

At 14,505 feet, Mt. Whitney stands as the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States.  Its status as such is the main attraction for thousands of adventurers who come from all over the map to hike this 10.7-mile trail that rises 2.75 miles above sea level.  This, too, is what initially grabbed my attention and sparked my interest/obsession in hiking Whitney.  After having successfully negotiated the painstaking process - initiated all the way back in February - of securing an overnight reservation, on the morning of September 26th I was westbound to lay claim to my permit and embark on what I consider The Mother of All Hikes.

View from the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center

Permits are picked up at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center, about a mile or so south of Whitney Portal Road on Highway 395.  This is a quick and pain-free process in which Forest Service employees touch on the rules of the trail and issue Wag Bags (yes, everything is packed out - I mean, everything).  With me, the Ranger emphasized the importance of never cutting switchbacks.  He mentioned it a couple of times, which I thought was odd.  But two days and countless switchbacks later, I began to understand why he had driven this point home.  By then, a long switchback was even less appealing than another bag of trail mix.

Switchbacks weren't on my mind as I pulled away from the visitor center with permit in hand.  My excitement really began to build as I advanced toward the trailhead along Whitney Portal Road.  This was my first time seeing the Sierra Nevadas in person, and what a truly imposing sight it is to behold.  The signs along the road informing visitors they have entered into bear country added to the mystique of the moment and signaled it was time to begin focusing on the task at hand.  I was firing on all cylinders.

Whitney Portal Overflow Parking

The portal itself is nestled among tall pines in a valley surrounded by impressive rugged granite mountains.  I was there early enough to enjoy a couple of sandwiches I had packed and tour the portal grounds, including the Whitney Portal Store.  As day ceded to night, it became time to stow my food in one of the many bear lockers (a requirement) and stretch out in the back of the Tahoe.  Once I was settled in, I was amazed at how still everything seemed to get.  Because it's the furthest parking lot from the trailhead, the overflow lot is your best bet if you are in need of some peace and quiet before beginning your ascent in the morning.

Waterfall at the Whitney Portal

By 8:15 the following morning I had weighed my pack at the trailhead (48 pounds - heavy, I know) and started the nearly eleven-mile trek to the highest point in the lower 48.  Switchbacks are what I remember most about the trail, and not just the infamous 99 switchbacks above Trail Camp.  I'm talking the entire length of the trail, switchbacks are what stand out in my memory.  Of course, you have to have them - they're a necessary evil - but by the time I was coming down the mountain, I was cursing every one of them.  On the climb up, the forced march over all of these dastardly switchbacks is tempered by the freedom you feel as you inch further and further away from civilization.  Keep your feet on the trail and allow your mind to get lost in your surroundings, as there are visual rewards at practically every turn.  Sometimes it's a stream or a lake, other times it's a meadow.  On a couple of occasions there were deer feeding right at the trail's edge.  And always, there are mountains.  It is the most spectacular scenery I have ever encountered.

Lone Pine Lake

When I arrived at Outpost Camp, it was time for a break.  I plopped down on a rock adjacent to the trail and met several folks heading down, including a 67-year-old and two 71-year-olds, who had all summited.  For me, just days away from turning 47, that was encouraging.  Inspiring as their story was, they did give me fair warning that the trail between here and Trail Camp was not quite as friendly as it had been up to this point.  "But it's doable," the 67-year-old told me.  That wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear.  Still 2.2 miles away from Trail Camp, I was beginning to feel fatigued and had failed to take into consideration how the level of difficulty would likely increase as the trail approached the tree line.  I knew my only alternative to making Trail Camp was to remain where I was now, at Outpost Camp, nearly 7 miles away from the summit.  Time wasn't an issue, as it wasn't quite noon, so I put aside my doubts, got back under my pack and resumed the climb to Trail Camp.

Icy waterfall at Outpost Camp

The section of trail above Outpost Camp was a bit of a struggle for me.  I'd walk a bit and pause, walk a bit and pause.  After a couple hours of this, hikers heading down would confirm I was getting close to camp, yet camp never appeared on the horizon.  So the walking and pausing continued.  Through it all,  the magnificent scenery remained.  In particular, Mirror Lake and a little splash of green known as Trailside Meadow high above the tree line are two points along this part of the trail worth mentioning.

When a body of water I recognized as Consultation Lake came into view, I knew my destination lay just ahead.  Back at the Visitor Center, the Ranger had suggested I find an established site outside of Trail Camp in order to avoid the large population of marmots living there and known for being a nuisance.  I also did not want to be disturbed in the middle of the night by noisy campers prepping for their pre-dawn summit bids.  With this in mind, when I spied a level piece of ground neatly tucked between a pair of rock walls just below Trail Camp, I knew instantly this is where I would pitch my tent.  Now eight minutes past two o'clock, it had taken almost six hours to travel nearly six miles on the trail.

Mirror Lake

Trailside Meadow

My tent was close to a small tarn, perhaps a tad too small to be considered a prime source for drinking water.  I had read remaining active at camp was a recommended strategy to avoid the effects of altitude sickness, so I walked down a bit to the edge of Consultation Lake to filter water.  This is another noteworthy feature of the Mt. Whitney Trail.  I understand trout are in this lake, and at least one fish was actively splashing about while I was there.  The water here is clear, cold, and refreshing.

Consultation Lake

Campsite - small tarn is barely visible in the distance

Back at camp I visited for a while with a gentleman who was taking a breather by the trail before his final, short push to Trail Camp.  He was carrying 70 pounds of gear and equipment on his back to complete what sounded like a fairly complicated musical compilation project on the summit the following day.  My heavy pack was light in comparison, though there was certainly room for improvement.  This experience taught me that next time I do not need to carry so much food.  I didn't eat half of what I brought due to the suppressive effect high altitude has on appetite.  There is little doubt I entered into a caloric deficit on this trip, but I just wasn't hungry enough to consume the amount of food I should have.

The weather at 12,000 feet on the morning of my summit was beautiful.  The sun was out, the winds were calm, and the water in my backpack wasn't even frozen.  I was on the trail at 8:30 a.m. with a day pack and trekking poles.  I never owned trekking poles prior to this hike, but these things sure turned out to be a Godsend - not for hiking but for leaning against when I wasn't hiking.  Straight out of Trail Camp, hikers are ushered up the mountain via the 99 grueling switchbacks.  As I zig-zagged up the mountain, I wasn't too concerned about my pace.  The name of the game here is to simply keep moving.  It would not have served any useful purpose to calculate the effect these switchback were having on mph or estimate how many vertical feet remained.  On the 99s, it's simply a matter of left right, left right until you reach Trail Crest.

The views from Trail Crest are stunning

Peeping through one of the "windows" along Trail Crest

At sea level, hiking Trail Crest would be a piece of cake.  Approaching 14,000 feet, however, I found the going was slow and laborious.  I spotted the roof of the shelter on Whitney's summit, but I was unenthused, as it was still far off in the distance.  While resting trailside a little later, a passing hiker asked if the altitude was getting to me.  Maybe it appeared obvious to him, but I was quick to answer, "No."  I didn't consider that a lie, as I was experiencing no symptoms of altitude sickness.  I was, however, pushing myself to my physical limitations, and I believe the thin air was the primary contributing factor.

About the time I thought I would never get there, I glanced up from the path to see the shelter and several hikers milling about the summit in full view.  The feeling was indescribable.  Still minutes away from actually summiting, this particular moment was the highlight of my whole summit experience.  I relate it to the feeling you get when you leave work on a Friday afternoon.  The anticipation of the weekend is in many cases better than the weekend itself.

Finally!

Looking back at Trail Crest from the summit

Hiker signing the register at the summit of Mt. Whitney

After 30 minutes or so on the summit, it was time to begin the descent.  My permit was good for one more day, but I had been toying with the notion of packing up my belongings and continuing to the portal so I could sleep more comfortably before my nearly 8-hour drive home the next day.  Doing so would also give me an earlier jump in the morning and hopefully have me in my driveway ahead of the Friday afternoon Phoenix traffic. So I hurried down the mountain, now using my trekking poles with nearly every step to unburden my aching knees and calves as much as possible.

I know rushing back down the trail to the parking lot detracted from my overall experience, and I wouldn't recommend doing this.  The takeaway is that if I am fortunate enough to get back to Whitney next year, I will take full advantage of the third day and slow down to have a look around at some of the sights I breezed past, such as Lone Pine Lake.  The Mount Whitney Trail, I learned, is not just a one-trick pony.  It offers so much more than a summit, and it's a real shame to deny yourself any of what this glorious trail has to offer.

The beauty of the Mt. Whitney Trail is a faithful companion

Backpacking Report: Big Creek Gulf Trail

Our third backpacking trip of the fall had us back in Savage Gulf. We had planned to do a leisurely overnighter at Long Hunter State Park, but the Cub Scouts beat us to the punch. On the weekends, because the park office is closed, there is no way to know if the campsites are full unless you have the park ranger's cell phone number, which of course I didn't. We decided to chance it and drive out to Long Hunter. When we pulled up to the park office and saw Cub Scouts running all over the place, I knew we were in trouble. I called the ranger's number listed on the information kiosk outside the office, and he informed me that both campsites were taken. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why I don't gamble. Scouts 1, KTF Blog 0.

We had a decision to make fast. Already mid-morning and more than an hour away from another overnight trail, my wife was calling the Stone Door Ranger Station from home while we sped down Hobson Pike towards I-24. The word came back that they had two sites open at Alum Gap and four at the Sawmill camp. That was good enough for me. Savage Gulf, here we come!

Pulling into the Stone Door overnight parking area, I noticed there were two trucks with trailers attached. The lady at the ranger station had told my wife they, too, had a scout group at Alum Gap, but that they seemed well-managed. We filled out our permit at the station, ate our lunch out of the back of the truck, and hit the Laurel Trail for a quick 2.9-mile hike to camp.

We strolled into the camp shortly after 2:30 p.m. only to discover all the sites were occupied. Because you are not required to post your permit at your site, there is no way of knowing which campers are unauthorized and simply squatting. Another group of backpackers who had pulled into camp minutes behind us were also searching for a site. We eventually got together and decided we would just walk over to the other side of the campground and share the large group camp. Sometime after 4:00 p.m. the ranger came around for his evening visit. After checking on all the campers, he told us the Boy Scouts were responsible for the mishap. They were supposed to occupy the group camp, and he had told them this much when they registered. Instead, they took up three sites in the main campground. So much for being a well-managed group. Scouts 2, KTF Blog 0.

Ten of us shared the group camp Saturday night. My daughter and I ate our noodles while the others had soup to go along with their dehydrated entrees. Most of us retired to our sleeping bags around 9:00 p.m. You can probably guess who didn't: the Boy Scouts from across the way. They were hootin' and hollerin' like it was New Year's Eve. At some point they quieted down, and I slept on and off as best as I could on the hard ground.

My daughter and I were up early and headed for Greeter Trail before breakfast. We would hike 9.0 miles on this day: 5.7 with our packs and 3.3 without. The three miles up and down Greeter Trail was the perfect start to a great day at Savage Gulf. The recent rains had the waterfalls flowing fairly impressively, a nice contrast to some of the trickles I witnessed the last time I passed through here.

Boardtree Falls

 

Lower Greeter Falls

 

Upper Greeter Falls

 

Back at camp, we were relieved to see the scouts heading back via the Big Creek Rim Trail. The group sharing the site with us headed out a few minutes before we did along this same rim trail. We followed the Big Creek Gulf Trail and its steep descent into the gulf. The creek was moving swiftly and so were we, as we had yet to run into anybody else on the trail. We were near the creek when it appeared as if there was some kind of a trail leading to it. There were no markings, but we walked down to the creek anyway. When we noticed the creek terminated abruptly, we realized we were standing at the sinks of Big Creek, the point where the water begins to flow underground. Adjacent to the sinks, was a wet-weather waterfall. The unmarked trail, the sinks, and the waterfall are all mentioned in the book I have on hiking in the South Cumberland, but I hadn't consulted it before our hike, as I thought we'd be hiking at Long Hunter. A stroke of good fortune, for sure. Our day was only getting better!

 

The sinks of Big Creek

 

Wet-weather fall adjacent to the sinks

 

We hadn't gone much further down the main trail when we came to the junction with the 0.4-mile spur to Ranger Falls. My daughter was getting hungry so we decided the falls would be a good spot to enjoy a snack. She ate her chicken salad with crackers, and I took the opportunity to strip off a layer of clothing and bask in the sunshine. The most vigorous section of the trail was quickly approaching.

 

Ranger Falls

 

The climb out of the gulf up to the Stone Door is not for the faint of heart. I've done this several times with a backpack, and it just does not get any easier. When you see the wooden staircase leading to the Stone Door, you know you're nearly home free. Climb the rock stairs leading up through the Stone Door, and it's a 1-mile cakewalk back to the parking lot. But don't be in too much of a hurry to get back; be sure to check out the magnificent views of the gulf from one or more of the overlooks.

 

About halfway up the Stone Door

 

View from one of the overlooks at Stone Door

 



We off-loaded our packs at the vehicle, grabbed our lunch, and claimed the nearest picnic table in the sun. Only one more hike to go: the 0.3-mile Laurel Falls Loop. Beginning and ending at the Ranger Station, this proved to be a nice cool-down trail with a splendid view of Laurel Falls.

 

By the end of our trip, we were glad to have been shut out of Long Hunter. And those problems at camp the night before? They were but a distant memory. That's the magic of Savage Gulf; there's simply nothing else like it in Tennessee.

 

Laurel Falls

  

 





 

     





Backpacking Report: South Rim Trail, Savage Gulf Natural Area

Originally scheduled for earlier in the week, our second backpacking trip of the year was pushed out to the weekend due to an extended period of rainy weather. I had been wanting to backpack the south rim at Savage Gulf for a couple of years now, as the 4.3 miles between Savage Falls and Stagecoach Road Campground was the only section of trail I had yet to hike at Savage Gulf. But then came the rain, and I began to think about all of the waterfalls in the Stone Door side of the park. We talked it over the day before leaving and called an audible, deciding instead to hike through Big Creek Gulf to the Alum Gap Campsite. In all, we would see five waterfalls.

My daughter and I arrived at the Stone Door Ranger Station at noon on Saturday but were too late. All of the interior campsites within range of the Stone Door trailhead were already full. Alum Gap, Saw Mill, and Hobbs Cabin, all were closed. Seems like a lot of people had the same idea we had. "What about Stagecoach?" I asked. As far as the Ranger knew, it was still open. So we walked back to our vehicle, and, after approximately forty minutes of drive time, we found ourselves on the opposite side of the park at the Savage Gulf Ranger Station. Fortunately, there were plenty of campsites available at Stagecoach. So Plan B, which had been Plan A up until about twenty-four hours earlier, was now in effect. As I was filling out the permit, I heard the Ranger say that Dinky Line Campground was now closed, the only other campground in the park requiring a somewhat significant hike to reach.

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:30 p.m., we were finally on the trail. Yes, another late start. This seems to be our standard operating procedure here lately. We moved quickly through the first 1.2 miles of the Savage Day Loop to join the South Rim Trail. A half-mile later we were standing above Savage Falls, which was flowing at a pretty good rate, thanks to all the rain we had in the first half of October. From here, we made the short climb to the rim where we would cover another 4.3 miles until reaching our campsite. The South Rim Trail has a number of spur trails leading to overlooks of the Savage Creek Gulf. Many of these had limited views due to foliage blocking the line of sight, but some were clear and offered magnificent views into the gulf.

View from Step Down Overlook

 

View from another overlook

 

The clouds started moving in and the wind picked up on the second half of our six-mile hike to camp. When we saw a couple of guys filtering water without backpacks, we knew we were very close to camp. Of the ten sites at the campground, only about half were occupied. When I noticed the site I camped in a couple of years back was not only available but was also away from most of the other campers, I jumped on it. It's a cozy site with room for little more than a tent and a small stone fire ring. Trees offer seclusion, but they're small enough so that the sky is open above. When the clouds cleared out shortly after supper, I could look up and see the stars. That's what makes all the effort which goes into backpacking worthwhile.

 

I was in no hurry to break camp

 

We loaded our packs and hit the trail around 9:30 a.m. Headed back the same way we came in, we decided we would hike the remainder of the Savage Day Loop before exiting the trail. Moving apace, we were enjoying a snack at Savage Falls by 11:00 a.m. A backpacking couple we caught up to on the trail was nice enough to let us pass, and that helped us with our time. It's a wonderful thing when people play nice on the trail. Trail etiquette isn't necessarily a given.

 

Savage Creek, just upstream from Savage Falls

 

Water rushing in Savage Creek

 

 





 

We crossed Savage Creek and turned left on the Savage Day Loop Trail to hike it clockwise. Up on the left a little way is a spur trail offering a clear view of Savage Falls. A half-mile later the trail passes through Rattlesnake Point Overlook, which provides a good look into Savage Gulf. The rest of the loop trail makes for an easy, wooded hike back to the ranger station. Upon exiting the trail, we dumped our packs in the truck and enjoyed tuna salad and crackers at a nearby picnic table. This was an enjoyable outing. Our total mileage for Day 2 was 8.8. Combined with the 6 miles from the previous day, our 2-day total was 14.8 miles. We were tired but not exhausted - a perfect way to introduce my 14 year-old daughter to the joys of backpacking in Savage Gulf.

 

Savage Falls, as seen from the Savage Day Loop Trail

 

Rattlesnake Point, three years after taking the picture which

serves as the backdrop to the blog title at the top of this page



  

 

 

 

   





  

 



    

Backpacking Report: Cumberland Trail (Signal Point to North Suck Creek Bridge and Campsite)

My 14 year-old daughter and I traveled this past weekend to Signal Mountain to hike the southern terminus of the Cumberland Trail. Nearly a year had passed since we last backpacked, and we were ripe with anticipation. The drive was enjoyable enough, and as Interstate 24 eastbound dips into Georgia and back into Tennessee, before entering Chattanooga, my daughter pointed out a pyramid-shaped welcome center. I told her I was pretty sure the ancient Egyptians had built those many years ago.

 

We found there to be no parking spaces available at the trailhead upon our arrival. Fortunately, a space opened up while we were making our first pass through the lot, and so we didn't have to resort to Plan B, which I didn't have anyway. I checked all the signage in the park to verify overnight parking was allowed here. Though I saw nothing confirming this, I neither saw anything indicating otherwise and, based on a blog post I read covering this section of the trail, assumed there was no problem with overnight parking. Only later did I read on the Cumberland Trail Conference website, "there is no overnight parking at Signal Point; cars must be out by dark or they will be towed." Blissfully ignorant, we took in the views at the Signal Point overlook before starting down the trail on our 7-mile hike to the campground.

 

View from Signal Point Park

 

Southern Terminus

 

The first attraction listed on the menu board was Julia Falls, but we never heard or saw this feature. Turns out, this is a wet-weather falls, and because it has been unusually dry this September there was no waterfall. There is another, smaller waterfall along the trail at Middle Creek. An unofficial trail has been cut here leading to what I believe is known as Rainbow Falls, but it is a very steep and treacherous decent from the main trail above. A rope offers some assistance, and we decided to give it a try, as we could hear people below apparently having the time of their lives. But after my daughter's feet slipped out from underneath her about four steps into the descent, I decided we would just stay on the real trail and try our best to get to camp in one piece.

 

There is a considerable amount of rocky terrain to navigate before reaching Edwards Point, and this was keeping our pace slower than what I had estimated. Already late getting on the trail, thanks to a missed turn in construction-riddled Chattanooga, we now found ourselves standing in the middle of the woods looking for a trail marker. Maybe there was one right up ahead. Or maybe there wasn't. Eventually we had to turn around and retrace our steps until we found where we veered off course and try it again. I figured we were about an hour behind schedule.

 

Tennessee River Gorge

 

We passed Lockhart Arch and some rather large rock shelves before pulling into Edwards Point. Only 4.1 miles to go. This would ordinarily be a great spot to stop for a snack, but not today, not for us. We were late, and so the packs didn't even come off our backs. Instead, we steamed ahead. Thankfully, the trail became easier - now we encountered rocks mainly just at the bottom of the creek beds we crossed - though some fairly steep climbs and descents remained along the way. There were a few more overlooks to take in, as well as a couple of bridge crossings.

 

The view from Edwards Point

 

 

There are many rock shelves and outcroppings to see here

 

One of three bridge crossings

 

I knew my daughter was tired because she was no longer complaining about being tired. I was ready to find camp, too. Not so much because of fatigue, but because daylight was soon to become scarce. We passed a small, rocky overlook where someone had made camp recently, and I made a mental note of it in case we had to suspend our hike because of darkness. When we came upon Mushroom Rock, also known as Umbrella Rock, I knew we had it made, as the camp was now only 0.4 miles away, via a series of switchbacks, at the bottom of the gorge.

 

Mushroom Rock

 

We spotted four campsites at the North Suck Creek campground and no other campers. We took the site in which there were 2x4 sticks of lumber arranged in such a way to use as a table. The 2x4s were evidently there for the bridge repair which was either complete or in process, I couldn't tell for sure. Either way, a table in this environment is a cherished luxury, the likes of which I may never come across again. And so the race was on to complete everything which needed to be done before nightfall. All I can say is, thank goodness for flashlights.

 

My daughter hit the sack early, as I expected. I remained by the fire in my camp chair and listened to the frogs and the sound of the creek until I was ready for bed. We ate our breakfast and checked out the bridge and the creek before strapping on our packs to make the return trip to Signal Point.

 

Bridge across North Suck Creek at Campsite

 

North Suck Creek Bridge

 

North Suck Creek

 

Our path was the same as the day before. Only my feet, ankles, legs, and knees weren't the same as the day before. We took our packs off to take a break and have a snack on this second day. We passed some trail runners and numerous day hikers. We heard the frolicking voices again at Rainbow Falls but remained focused on the task at hand. Once past all the rockhopping, it's a short distance to the series of staircases which lead up to Signal Point Park.

 

 

 

We came off the trail and walked straight up to my vehicle, which was right where I had parked it one day earlier. Of course at the time I wouldn't have expected anything else. I'm just glad I didn't read the Cumberland Trail Conference warning about cars being towed before we took this excursion. But for the record, there is a Plan B available - an overnight lot is located a short distance away. This was a fantastic hike with many sights to behold. The trail took us about four hours each way, and I would consider it to be somewhat difficult due to the terrain and the sometimes steep ascents and descents. I am certain our next backpacking trip will be a little easier than this one.

 

Happy Trails!

   



    



 



 

  



 



 

 

 

Backpacking Report: Cumberland Mountain State Park

My daughter and I headed to Crossville, TN this weekend for her very first overnight backpacking trip ever! I picked this park for its relatively short mileage and level terrain. Although mostly taking my daughter into consideration when making this decision, I, too, was appreciative for the easy hiking, as it has been nearly two years since I last donned a backpack.

As always, I had read everything I could about the trail from some of my favorite middle Tennessee hiking bloggers. So I wasn't surprised when, upon checking in at the park office, we were informed there were some trees down on the Overnight Trail and that we might have to go off trail to get around some of them. Upon leaving the nice lady at the desk, we sat down at a picnic table between the office and the RV dump station to eat our roast beef sandwiches before heading out on the Byrd Creek Trail.

Five minutes into the hike

Starting down the trail I heard things like, "This weight isn't that bad," and "This feels good." Although I was certain she could indeed handle this, I had to remind her that we had just begun; it wasn't time to proclaim victory just yet. Twenty-five minutes later, it was time for our first break.

Thirty minutes into the hike



Byrd Creek delivered us to the Overnight Trail, which is a six-mile loop trail touring the northern half of the park. There's nothing in this section of the park except the trail and the designated backcountry camp site. The park's signature dam, golf course, restaurant, cabins and developed campgrounds are all located on the south side. Perhaps this is why the trail we were presently navigating was in need of so much TLC. Though the trail was clearly marked and had mileages posted, there were more than a few trees blocking the path. And though it isn't a problem this time of year, warmer weather would have seen heavy brush crowding out the trail in places.

In researching the trail I learned of a wooden bridge that had been damaged and was a little tricky to cross. Because this information was a couple years old, I wondered if the bridge had been repaired. When we came upon it, I could see it to be in the same condition it was two years ago. Only later did I notice that it was the map which had been updated. The two year-old map shows a "Bridge" where the trail crosses Three Mile Creek closest to the campsite. The trail map I received at the park office earlier in the day labels it as "Collapsed Bridge." That should satisfy any curiosity as to the status of any forthcoming repairs.

Collapsed Bridge



Our pace quickened as the winds picked up and the clouds rolled in. It sprinkled lightly but never rained, and, as the temperature dropped, we found our way into camp. We were greeted with a sizeable amount of firewood that someone before us had gathered and neatly placed by the fire ring. When an owl loudly announced our arrival, I told my daughter he didn't appreciate her wearing her owl stocking cap on his turf.

After getting the tent up and the fire started, we gathered a little more wood. I don't believe the backcountry site sees many campers because there was ample wood available in the camp area. Oftentimes, one has to take several mini-hikes just to find enough firewood for the night. After eating our noodles, it wasn't long before my daughter was off to her sleeping bag. I leaned back in my camp chair and tried to stay warm. I had my feet up on the rocks comprising the fire ring when I saw smoke coming from my boots. I guess the treads had gotten a little too warm! I noticed my feet were nice and warm for several minutes thereafter, too.

Before going to bed, my daughter said she thought she heard coyotes. I told her I thought they were just dogs. She said, "Well, somebody has a lot of dogs." I thought, yeah, this is Tennessee, you know. Sometime later I heard the dogs barking up a storm. Later still, I heard them howling after police sirens went by. I could hear the hum of the highway in the distance and somebody opening up all four barrels on his big-block V8 over and over again. I likened the experience to camping out in my backyard. At one point I caught myself calling to my wife to bring me a beer.

Supper Time

Breakfast Time: sun's coming up, but no cakes on the griddle

We broke camp and followed the trail back south and east. This part of Overnight Trail closely tracks the park's perimeter. With the camp situated so close to the boundary, it was little surprise I had heard the noises of civilization throughout much of the evening. After closing out the Overnight Trail, we traversed the west side of Byrd Creek, crossing a very nice Boy Scout bridge built as an Eagle Scout project along the way, and onward to the juncture with the Cumberland Plateau Trail. This trail leads to the centerpiece of the park, the stone dam/bridge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late '30s.

Boy Scout Bridge

On the Cumberland Plateau Trail, below the dam

Atop the dam, looking out on Byrd Lake







Now across the dam, we gladly offloaded our backpacks into the truck and enjoyed our lunch by the lake. A Canadian Goose wanted to enjoy some of our lunch, too, but was disappointed to find we weren't in a sharing mood.

There's no free lunch; go be wild or something

Lunch over, we headed off to day hike the trails on the park's south side. This was a scenic 5.2-mile trek around the shores of Byrd Lake, Byrd Creek, and some of the smaller creeks feeding Byrd Creek. After exploring on and around the Pioneer Loop Trails and the Lake Trail, we closed the books on our weekend at Cumberland Mountain. By my estimates we did 8.3 miles with our backpacks and 5.2 miles without for a two-day total of 13.5 miles. Without a great deal of elevation change, this state park offers beautiful scenery that can be enjoyed by the masses. We highly recommend the hike.

Fat Man's Squeeze on the Pioneer Loop Trail

Suspension Bridge across Byrd Creek

View from the Lake Trail

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