Saturday, February 28 – John Ruth’s Breakfast & Hike – Cedars of Lebanon State Park. 5 miles rated easy. Meet at John Ruth’s Campsite 91 for breakfast at 9:00 am CT and the hike begins at 10:30 am CT. We will hike the Hidden Springs Trail. Come just for the hike if you want or just breakfast. For those coming for breakfast, please RSVP to John Ruth by Monday, February 23. Text 615-485-6185 or email johnruth@comcast.net. Please register to have current information. For more information or to sign up, contact John Ruth.
Thursday, March 19 – Cumberland Cove – Monterey. 5-6 miles rated moderate to strenuous. Cumberland Cove is a restricted community comprising of 8,000 acres. We will start the hike at Overlook Park and hike the Cowpens trail for 2.5 miles. The hike ends up on a big rock with views of the creek. Then the most strenuous part of the hike is down one mile to see Devils Creek Falls. Then back to where the hike started for a .5-mile hike to a short overlook. Then on to the North loop to a creek crossing and along beautiful bluffs stopping along the way to see Preachers Rock. This loop trail will go to Stillhouse for a beautiful overlook. At the end of the hike, we can take a 10-minute car ride to Eagles Flight to see a special overlook that is a photo op area of all the locals. Lunch is optional to eat at the Long Road Café down the road. To get to the Overlook Park trailhead the address is 770 Falls Road in Monterey. When you get to the mailbox, travel straight right into the parking lot. Bring water, snacks, and hiking poles are recommended. You must register because this hike is on private property. For more information or to sign up, contact Sara Pollard at 615-714-3610 or sarabpollard@gmail.com.
Saturday, March 21 – Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary – 545 Beech Creek Road South, Brentwood. 3 miles rated moderate to strenuous. Meet in the Georgetown Square Kroger parking lot (1776 W. Northfield Blvd, Murfreesboro) in time to leave at 8:45am CST. The drive to Owl’s Hill is about an hour, and carpooling is encouraged. When we arrive, we’ll get an introduction to the property from a staff member, then hike a combination of these trails (going counterclockwise): Sharp Creek, Haircut, Hilltop, Loblolly, and South Ridge for about 3 miles. Most of these are moderate, but South Ridge is rated strenuous due to a steep climb up to the ridge for an elevation gain of almost 300 ft. We can stop along the way for lunch or eat at picnic tables when we get back to the visitor center. Be sure to wear good hiking boots/shoes, bring hiking poles if you use them, water, snacks, and lunch. Owl’s Hill has a $5 day use fee but you can pay in advance. Pets are not permitted at the Sanctuary. Owl’s Hill experienced a lot of tree damage during the January winter storm. There is a possibility that this hike gets cancelled if the clean-up efforts are still ongoing. For more information or to sign up, contact Katy Ginanni, rpcvlibrarian@yahoo.com or 828-226-6837. She will also have a link for online check in.
Saturday, March 28 – Trail Maintenance – Barfield Crescent Park. 8:00am – 10:30am. We will meet at the Wilderness Station. Join us for a trail assessment and minor maintenance in the Barfield Backcountry! We’ll be checking trail markers, benches and bridges making note of needed repairs. Volunteers should anticipate hiking 3-5 miles. Volunteers also need to dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes, and bring a water bottle. If you hike with poles, bring those too! Six slots for this event are being reserved for members of the Tennessee Trails Association. To sign up for a slot please register through Outdoor Murfreesboro. The password is TennesseeTrailsAssociation. Contact Lynn Rosser lynnmacrosser@gmail for any questions. Any slots not filled by the TTA by March 14 will be made available to the general public.
APRIL 2026
Tuesday-Friday, April 28-May 1. Big South Fork Camping and Hiking. Blue Heron and Yahoo Falls Area. Stearns, Kentucky. Four tent campsites have been reserved in the Blue Heron Campground for this joint event with the Murfreesboro and Highland Rim chapters. We will explore the Blue Heron Mining Community, Bear Creek and Yamacraw Bridge area. Also a trip to the Yahoo Falls Scenic Area which has the tallest waterfall in Kentucky. The Sheltowee Trace passes through this northern end of the park to head south into Tennessee. Expect to see an abundance of wildflowers and the best river gorge overlooks in the Big South Fork area. Register early because this trip will fill up. For more information or to sign up, contact Sara Pollard at 615-714-3610 or sarabpollard@gmail.com.
JUNE 2026
Tuesday-Thursday, June 2-June 4 – Great Smoky Mountains Camping and Hiking Event. Balsam Mountain Campground. Hemphill Bald, Caldwell Fork, and Rough Fork Trails Loop Hike on June 3, 13.7 miles loop, 2,240 feet elevation gain. Moderate. This loop route offers grand views from Hemphill Bald and penetrates old-growth forest. Flat Creek Trail hike on June 4, 2.6 miles one way with a shuttle, 570 feet elevation gain. Joint event with the Murfreesboro Chapter. Register early with Joan Hartvigsen at jhartvigs@comcast.net or 931-636-2914 to secure your spot in beautiful Balsam Mountain Campground. Balsam Mountain Campground is located near Cherokee, NC off the Blue Ridge Parkway in a rare spruce-fir forest. At 5,310 ft., the campground is the highest in the park and offers cool summers.
Tuesday-Friday, June 16-19, 2026 – Camping, Kayaking, Hiking Event. Joint outing with the Murfreesboro Chapter. Rattler Ford Group Campground in Nantahala National Forest, near Robbinsville, NC. Kayaking Santeetlah Lake and Fontana Lake. We will visit Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, and Huckleberry Knob and Hooper Bald on the Cherohala Skyway. The wild azaleas bloom in June. Reserve your spot in the campsite by contacting Joan Hartvigsen, jhartvigs@comcast.net or 931-636-2914.
No comments:
Post a Comment