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Saturday, April 16, 2016

Emory River Gorge Section - Cumberland Trail State Park & Obed National Wild and Scenic River


The Cumberland Trail is a work in progress. Eventually, it will stretch about 300 miles from Cumberland Gap to the Tennessee River Gorge. In 2016, over half the trail is open in several disconnected sections. One of the sections still to be completed is the Emory River Gorge section from Nemo to Wartburg. The southern end of this section has been completed from the Rock Creek Campground near Nemo to a point near the confluence of the Obed and Emory Rivers. This 1.3 mile section temporarily ends at an unnamed stream, requiring hikers to retrace their steps. One highlight of the section is the unobstructed view of the confluence of the rivers from a wide ledge created by Norfolk Southern Railway when a new Nemo Tunnel was constructed several decades ago.

I hiked a total of about 2.3 miles from the western end of the old Nemo bridge to the stream and back on a weekday in early April 2016 and had the trail entirely to myself. Trailheads are located on either end of the bridge in the campground and the picnic area. While there are some steep sections, this is a fairly easy short hike. However, due to the vertical dropoff above the railroad tunnel, it is not a hike I would recommend for small children.

Topographic map with GPS route

Elevation profile

Looking back at trail beside Catoosa Road

Nemo Bridge from deck level

Walking through Nemo Bridge

Rock Creek flows into the Emory River

Looking back across Nemo Bridge

Cumberland Trail uses white blazes

Butterweed (Packera glabella)

Emory River

The log across the trail is a signal...

...to note the blaze on bent tree to the right...

...and follow the switchback up the hill

Another switchback

Third switchback

Open forest on the hillside

A few timber steps after another switchback

After crossing the dirt road, the trail ascends the hill via more steps

Undergrowth encloses the trail for a short distance

More open forest

Drainage waterbar

Gives "stacked stone" a new meaning

A lot of work went into this stone bench

Blowdowns have been cleared from the trail

Stone steps around a boulder

Small rock shelter

More stone steps

Rock hop time

More steps around a large rock formation

Surveyor's tape

Beginning another set of switchbacks

Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia)

Stone steps mark the second switchback

The trail continues to climb

The trail follows the base of a rock bluff

Continuing to follow the bluff

Still following the bluff

Norfolk Southern Railway

Great views from the open area above the railroad tunnel

The shelf is very wide above the tunnel

Overhanging rock was blasted away from above the tunnel entrance

Confluence of Obed River and Emory River

Rapids just below the confluence

Rock layers are sloping toward the trail

The trail descends toward an unnamed stream

Moss covered logs and rocks cover the ground

Cascading waterfall


A final view

Entry to Cumberland Trail State Park and Obed Wild & Scenic River is free.

The Cumberland Trail State Park website is http://tnstateparks.com/parks/about/cumberland-trail.

The Cumberland Trail Conference, builders of the trail, website is http://cumberlandtrail.org/. Details of the Emory River Gorge section are at http://cumberlandtrail.org/maps-and-guides/trail-segments/obed-wild-and-scenic-river/emory-river-gorge-section/.

The Obed Wild and Scenic River website is https://www.nps.gov/obed/index.htm.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for this review. I plan to hike this trail for the first time very soon.

    ReplyDelete