Fortress Rosecrans- Tony

I decided to go for a Sunday walk so I parked at the Murfreesboro Greenway Trail head at Cannonsburg and walked the greenway along the Stones River and Lytle Creek to the Fortress Rosecrans.

Fortress Rosecrans is an earthen fort in two sections (Lunette Thomas, the smaller and Lunette Palmer, the main section) that was built by General Rosecrans as a defense for the Union during the Occupation of Murfreesboro and is part of the Stones River National Battlefield.

The Fortress was a huge undertaking for the Union Army and there was NEVER a shot fired during the occupation of the fort which served not only as a Union defense, but also as a cache storage and supply area. It was like a small town hidden behind these walls.

After taking in Fortress Rosecrans, I went back the way I came on the greenway back to my car at Cannonsburg. I'm guessing that the whole hike was maybe two and one half miles.

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Annual Chilly Chili Hike

The annual Chilly Chili Hike hosted by Jim & Marietta Poteet. Was a wonderful hike in Sewanee to Bridal Veil Falls and then three different kinds of chili and all the fixin's plus potluck foods that all the guests brought to the Poteet's mountain top home. Thanks to Jim & Marietta for a wonderful day!

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TTA-Carter Mountain Hike-South of Winchester, TN

Ron Dunn, Eric Luncford and I joined the Highland Rim group for the Wolf Cove Cave and Keith Mountain hike led by Joette Carter. There were 11 of us and by the time we got to the trailhead the rain had stopped but the fog stayed with us all day. There were no trails, just an occasional ATV road. We encountered beautiful waterfalls, challenging creek crossings and explored a couple of caves. After the hike we had dinner in Winchester. Sara

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Stones River National Battlefield

I arranged and led a trip with the Murfreesboro Chapter of the Tennessee Trails Association to the Stones River National Battlefield with one of our members, Jim Schroeder using his immense knowledge of the battle to narrate the hike.

We had about 20 people who braved the cold to start, but then the temperature rose into the low 50's and turned out to be a perfect day. We went to Red Robin after the hike for a lunch. Special thanks to Mr. Schroeder for the use of his expertise on the Battle of Stones River.

Tony

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Joyce Kilmer Wilderness Area

Lora and Craig went on a backpack at the Joyce Kilmer Wilderness Area. Check out their blog for the story and pictures.

Savage Gulf

The Outcasts did a hike at the Savage Gulf. You can read their story and see pictures on their blog.

Lora hiked with the Soddy Daisy Chapter of the TTA at Rock creek. You can see her pics and story on her blog.

Cumberland Trail Building

On Monday and Tuesday, Jan 9 and 10, I had the great opportunity to work with 7 University of Kansas students, along with 5 other dedicated trail builders, on a winter break Cumberland Trail building project. The project was the construction of the return leg of the Mining Day Loop Trail in the Little Soddy Creek Stream Valley off Hotwater Road in Soddy Daisy, TN. Construction was over a variety of terrain and required some creative trail building techniques, accomplished under the able leadership of Tony Hook, included but not limited to step building, flowing stream crossing, rock strewn path, rain watershed gullies, etc. Construction will be completed by weeks end and will provide hikers the opportunity to view two additional mining history sites of the valley – the location of the mule barn, and the location of the Jeffery homestead (Mr. Jeffery was the mine mule tender/caretaker) at the head of the gulch, as well as provide about a 1 mile loop trail for day hikers. Although there was some dodging of rain drops, the team can be proud of their accomplishments. Lodging was at the Lutheran Church camp on Possum Creek, where once again the group was treated to Mr. Hooks more than adequate culinary skills.

Submitted by Jim Schroeder

Rugby State Natural Area

Submitted by Benita Howell on behalf of the Historic Rugby Board of Directors:


Help Preserve Land Near the Rugby State Natural Area

Donate to the Forest Legacy Campaign by March 31

In 2007 Historic Rugby partnered with TDEC to acquire and establish the Rugby State Natural Area, protecting land adjacent to the village Historic District and the Little Creek and White Oak watershed.

To facilitate acquisition of the Rugby State Natural Area, which has expanded hiking opportunities around the village, Historic Rugby agreed to raise the funds and pay the difference between the private owner’s selling price and the State’s budgeted funds for purchase of part of the Natural Area that lies between TN 52 and Horseshoe Bend Road. As a result, Historic Rugby incurred a debt of $111,300.00. To date that debt has been reduced to $52,854.00.

Historic Rugby is eager to take advantage of a limited-time pledge from an anonymous donor to match dollar for dollar up to half of the $52,854.00 balance remaining. Thus Historic Rugby has launched a Forest Legacy Campaign to raise $26,427 by March 31 and take full advantage of this pledge.

Retiring this debt is important to Rugby and to the hiking community because the note is secured by a 45 + acre tract that includes the environmentally sensitive Cox Branch tributary and Kellogg’s Crack, a favorite hiking destination.

Please help Historic Rugby take full advantage of the match to retire this debt and retain control over the 45+ acre tract while formalizing a plan to further protect it environmentally and for recreational use of this and future generations. Make your donation by March 31, 2012.

To contribute to the Forest Legacy Campaign, please send checks with the notation “Forest Legacy Campaign” to Historic Rugby, PO Box 8, Rugby, TN 37733; or go to www.historicrugby.org and make your donation on-line. If you donate on-line, please email rugbylegacy@highland.net to indicate that you intend your donation to go to the Forest Legacy Campaign.

New Years Day Hike

We had lovely weather...the high was 60° and it was sunny. A total of 32 people showed up full of good cheer and enthusiasm and loaded down with food. The hike was invigorating and we enjoyed the hike and the good company. We hiked the Jack L Clayborn Millennium Trail before lunch. This is the trail that was built by 6 chapters of TTA in 2000 to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the park. The 3.5 miles went by too quickly for most The lunch was excellent with an abundance of food. We had some extras for lunch with Ranger Ray Eason and the Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 875, Cameron Beal, joining us. Troop 875 is chartered by the Friends of Edgar Evins. The park furnished firewood and we had a cheery blaze to dine by. The picnic tables at the covered shelter are a major improvement over the damp/wet ground we had before. There are also electrical outlets and water available.

After lunch we hiked the 2 mile Highland Rim Nature Trail near the Visitors Center/Office. This trail is short but has a definite challenge with elevation changes and steep places. We had an opportunity to show off the results of a grant from TTA to the Friends of Edgar Evins, with some major improvements to the trail. We have installed water bar/steps at some of the steepest places and did some cribbing along a part that had shown erosion damage. There is a section the we completely re-routed to get away from some seriously eroded parts of the old trail route. If you haven’t hiked this trail recently I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

A great way to start out the New Year...The hike was jointly sponsored by TTA and the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park...

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