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.
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| Topographic map with GPS route |
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| Elevation profile |
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| Looking back at trail beside Catoosa Road |
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| Nemo Bridge from deck level |
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| Walking through Nemo Bridge |
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| Rock Creek flows into the Emory River |
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| Looking back across Nemo Bridge |
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| Cumberland Trail uses white blazes |
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| Butterweed (Packera glabella) |
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| Emory River |
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| The log across the trail is a signal... |
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| ...to note the blaze on bent tree to the right... |
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| ...and follow the switchback up the hill |
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| Another switchback |
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| Third switchback |
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| Open forest on the hillside |
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| A few timber steps after another switchback |
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| After crossing the dirt road, the trail ascends the hill via more steps |
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| Undergrowth encloses the trail for a short distance |
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| More open forest |
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| Drainage waterbar |
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| Gives "stacked stone" a new meaning |
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| A lot of work went into this stone bench |
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| Blowdowns have been cleared from the trail |
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| Stone steps around a boulder |
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| Small rock shelter |
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| More stone steps |
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| Rock hop time |
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| More steps around a large rock formation |
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| Surveyor's tape |
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| Beginning another set of switchbacks |
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| Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) |
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| Stone steps mark the second switchback |
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| The trail continues to climb |
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| The trail follows the base of a rock bluff |
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| Continuing to follow the bluff |
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| Still following the bluff |
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| Norfolk Southern Railway |
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| Great views from the open area above the railroad tunnel |
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| The shelf is very wide above the tunnel |
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| Overhanging rock was blasted away from above the tunnel entrance |
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| Confluence of Obed River and Emory River |
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| Rapids just below the confluence |
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| Rock layers are sloping toward the trail |
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| The trail descends toward an unnamed stream |
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| Moss covered logs and rocks cover the ground |
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| Cascading waterfall |
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| 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.
Thank you for this review. I plan to hike this trail for the first time very soon.
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