Frozen Head State Park Backpack

We started Friday's hike at the Morgan County Visitor's Center in Wartburg. The Cumberland Trail will eventually go past the center (there's already a medallion on the sidewalk) since Wartburg will be an official trail town. We started the CT trail behind the visitor center and came back on the CHS loop. The CHS loop runs behind the Central High School and there's a nice pond and picnic area on the trail.  After lunch at Subway, we headed over to Frozen Head State Park to set up camp along Judge Branch. Saturday morning, we started our hike at the Panther Branch trailhead, and stopped off at Debord Falls and Emory Falls. We hiked the Panther Branch Trail to the North Old Mac Trail on our way to the Lookout Tower. We saw a few wildflowers along the way and the views were spectacular.  On Sunday, after breaking up camp and on our way home, we will explored the Obed Wild and Scenic River north of Wartburg. We'll hiked the Boulder Trail and then the Lilly Bluff Overlook. Backpackers were Patti Bradley, Sara Pollard, Lynn Rosser, and Bryan Tauchen. 

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Stones River National Battlefield

Sara Pollard had planned to lead this 3.6-mile loop hike but was only able to hike the first mile after getting everyone signed in. She had a previous engagement and Tony Jones agreed to lead the hike for her. The trail is flat and there are several signs to read about the history of the battlefield where the Union and the Confederacy battled for control of the road and railroad connecting Nashville and states to the south. Hikers were Susan Banner, Tammy Gross, Tony Jones and Jay Legenhausen. 

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Peacock Hill Nature Park

Jay Brain led a joint hike with Mark Hubbard of the Nashville chapter at Peacock Hill Nature Park in College Grove. Nine hikers hiked about 5.5 miles with maybee 1000 feet elevation gain total. Trails were in good shap, temps in the mid 50's. Hiked up to the tower on Grackle Hill for a view, then Hogg Hill Trail to an overview with a view to the north. Next was the Chapel Trail with a snack break at the little chapel. Finished up on the Saddle Ridge Trail and another overlook view. Hikers were Jay Brain, Jeannie Courtney, Cary Davidson, Debbie Dodd, Mark Hubbard, Debbie Owens, Lynn Rosser, Amy Sutton and Gloria Dale Williams.

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Hinch Mt. segment of the Cumberland Trail Backpack

Murfreesboro TTA led a hike on the Hinch Mt. Segment of the Cumberland trail. We parked at the Head of the Sequatchie and shuttled 10 backpackers to Stinging Fork Falls to start the hike. This was a 16 mile backpack. This is a physically demanding hike through beautiful mountains. There are creeks, waterfalls, and different ecosystems. We got to see a large Great Horned owl which flew down right beside us on the trail and then landed in a tree. We camped along Soak Creek where the weather dropped down into the 20's. 

Hikers were Cynthia Skidmore, Kathy Stutts, Sara Pollard, Wendy Fish, Tammy Hendrick, Curt Thomas, Cindy Strang, Jean Breuer, and Craig and Lora McBride.

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Henry Horton State Park

 

Spring Creek and Hickory Ridge Trail

We had 8 hikers to meet at the Wilhoite Mill trailhead on a below 30 degree cloudy and cold day. Unfortunately, the hike leader (Sara)  didn't know beforehand the Wilhoite River Trail was closed due to construction of a water line along the river. So, we hiked the short but beautiful Spring Creek trail and took the Wilhoite Mill loop trail back to the trailhead. Then we drove over to the camp store and hiked the Hickory Ridge Outer Loop trail. Our total distance was a little less than 5 miles, but it was a beautiful hike along the Duck River and light snow was still on the ground. We enjoyed lunch in the park restaurant and the food was delicious. Hikers were Jay Brain, Anna Lina Buckley, Jeanie Coulter (HR), Stuart Coulter (HR), Paula Lancaster (Jackson), Sara Pollard, Lynn Rosser and John Ruth. 

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Lost Creek to Virgin Falls - Sara

Sheila Miller of the Plateau chapter led an out and back to Virgin Falls. We had 15 hikers on this joint hike with the Murfreesboro and Plateau chapters.  We started our hike in the Lost Creek State Natural Area near Sparta. We passed Rylander Falls and hiked to the "backside" of Virgin Falls. It was several up hills and downhills along the way, and it got pretty warm by the early afternoon. We enjoyed lunch at Virgin Falls, and several took the spur trail to the top of the falls. 

This was an out and back hike for a total of about 8 miles. Too early for spring flowers but we saw some interesting tree fungi along the way. Hikers from Murfreesboro were Jay Brain, Joe Campbell, Tony Jones, Craig McBride, Lora McBride, and Sara Pollard. Plateau hikers were Kristi DuBois, Misty Fell, Edna Horony, Jeanine Jablonski, Wayne Lokey, Sheila Miller, Jerome Phifer, Cindy Strang and Curt Thomas. 

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Chilly Chili Hike - Sara

The Marietta Poteet’s 25th annual and last Chilly Chili Hike. There were 44 people who hiked and about 65 people for chili.  We met at the Sewanee Gates at the Shakerag trailhead and hiked Shakerag Hollow on the Sewanee Perimeter trail and returned on the Beckwith Point trail. The hike was about 3.5 miles. After the hike we went to Marietta's home in Clifftops to enjoy chili and all the fixins. We also had a champagne toast for Jim Poteet, Marietta's husband who passed away last summer and organized the first chili hike. There were hikers from several chapters - Highland Rim, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Sumner Trails, Scenic City, and Columbia Franklin. Hikers from our Murfreesboro chapter were Jay Brain, Anna Lina Buckley, Joe Campbell, Lora McBride, Sara Pollard, Georganne Ross, Lynn Rosser, Tim Rosser, Martina Terrazas and her son Eduardo.

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