In late May 2016, I returned to the Nemo area of Obed National Wild & Scenic River to hike "south" on the Cumberland Trail to Alley Ford and return. This five mile round trip hike actually heads northeast above the Emory River before heading west along the Obed River. This section of the trail crosses into the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area and continues for a total of 14 miles to the Daddys Creek trailhead. The overall trail is rated as very difficult, but except for the spur trail to Alley Ford, I would consider the short segment I hiked as a moderate trail. To access the trailhead from Wartburg, head west on Spring Street and continue south as it becomes Catoosa Road. Continue on Catoosa Road for about 5.5 miles and cross the Emory River on the new bridge. Shortly after crossing the river, turn down the single lane gravel road on the right to the Rock Creek Campground. Park in the paved lot at campsite #1 and walk down the paved road toward the other campsites to find the trailhead on the left. If you don't want to drive down and up a steep one-lane gravel road with the chance of meeting another vehicle, park at the paved hiker lot at the Nemo picnic area on the Wartburg side of the river. Then walk across the old bridge and along the shoulder of Catoosa Road before descending the gravel road to the campground trailhead.
Topographic map with GPS route
Elevation Profile
Rock Creek
Campground road with trailhead on left
Cumberland Trail Obed River Section
The trail begins as a wide path
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Rock bridge over a drainage area
The trail passes below a rock wall
Seemingly solid rock really isn't
Leaning wall
Second rock bridge
First wooden foot bridge
More Mountain Laurel blooms
The path narrows to a single track through a mountain laurel thicket
Passing below a second rock wall
Almost too low to duck under
Single track through the forest
A profusion of ferns surround the trail
The trail follows an old road for a distance
End of the road and the first rock hop
Second wooden foot bridge
Trail follows an old coal mine berm
Bench on the berm
Nature is reclaiming a strip mine access road
The third and shortest wooden foot bridge is rotting, but easily stepped over
Fourth wooden footbridge
Stone steps are no worse for the wear after a tree fell
Fifth wooden footbridge
Bigleaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) saplings
Cumberland Trail junction with the spur trail to Alley Ford
Steep roadbed down to Alley Ford
Alley Ford on the Obed River
The "beach" and swimming hole upstream of Alley Ford
Sandstone bluff and deep water at the beach
Another rocky shoal upstream of Alley Ford
View downstream from Alley Ford
Entry to Cumberland Trail State Park and Obed Wild & Scenic River is free.
In mid-May 2016, I hiked the Angel Falls Overlook Trail in Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. The trailhead for this hike is at Leatherwood Ford on Tennessee Highway 297 in Scott County just 11 miles west of downtown Oneida. On the park website, the trail is included in the list of 14 popular day hikes. "Popular" might be a bit misleading as I only saw five other hikers along the trail on a beautiful weekday afternoon.
While listed as a six mile round-trip hike on the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area website, I found it to be nearly 6.4 miles. Much of the extra mileage is due to a detour at the beginning of the hike. The old, low water bridge has been damaged by flooding and is closed. This requires walking from near the east bank of the river up the entrance drive to the highway, walking across the bridge to the west side, descending 36 concrete steps, and following an access trail to the west end of the old bridge. From the trailhead to the Grand Gap Loop Trail junction, the route is signed for both the John Muir and Sheltowee Trace trails. The Sheltowee Trace Trail is a long-distance National Recreation Trail with its southern terminus in Big South Fork.
As shown on the map and elevation profile, the first two miles of the trail is relatively flat as it follows the river downstream to the north. The trail then turns left and follows Fall Branch before crossing the stream on a two span foot bridge. The first span had a definite sag that shouldn't exist. In addition, a section of handrail is missing on the upstream side between the two spans. Until repairs are made, I'd suggest extreme caution be used when crossing the branch. This would include only having one person on the bridge at a time to minimize the risk of a structural failure.
After crossing Fall Branch, the trail begins climbing to the rim by a series of switchbacks. At several turns, social trails continue for a short distance although it isn't too difficult to notice the turns. After climbing over some boulders to a rock ledge, a cable handrail has been installed to allow easy passage. However the first anchor has pulled out of the rock and the cable is tied around the second anchor. Just past the cable, the trail climbs another rock ledge by way of a five rung timber ladder. Near the trail junction, logs have been installed as steps for the final climb. Once at the junction, turn right on the wide trail to follow the Grand Gap Loop Trail to the overlook. Note that the Grand Gap Loop is a multi-purpose trail for hikers and mountain bikers. In order to see the river from the overlook, climb down and back up to the large rock outcrop. While I could hear the Angel Falls rapids, I could not see them due to the lush green foliage.
The trail is rated moderate to difficult by the park service. Due to the condition of the Fall Branch foot bridge, the missing cable anchor, and the timber ladder with widely spaced rungs, I would not consider this a family-friendly trail.
Topographic map with GPS route
Elevation profile
Trailhead kiosk
Restrooms
Old bridge
Tennessee Highway 297
Three dozen steps at west end of bridge
Gravel detour trail
Closed bridge from the trail
Natural surface trail
First foot bridge
So many hikers walked around the steps that a new path was created
First of several log bridges
Second log bridge
A sunny spot on the trail
First stream crossing via rock hopping
Second rock hop
Dwarf Cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis)
Big South Fork
Lobed Tickseed (Coreopsis auriculata)
Zigzag Spiderwort (tradescantia subaspera)
Dappled light along the trail
A double-width log bridge
Dead, but not down
Long, green tunnel
An informal walk-around avoids climbing through the downed trees
Another view of the Big South Fork
Second foot bridge
Another rock hopping opportunity
The sagging Fall Branch double span foot bridge
View upstream from the bridge
Fall Branch below the bridge
Reflections in Fall Branch
First switchback
Second switchback
Flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum)
Approaching the third switchback
False social trail at third switchback
Fourth switchback
Rocky section of the trail
Approaching the stone passage
"Leave No Trace"
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) blooms
Big Leaf Magnolia (Magnolia acuminata)
Rock silhouette
A bumblebee pollinates mountain laurel
The trail passes under a large rock ledge
Fractured rock above the trail
A wire rope cable has been installed above the sloping rock ledge
Log ladder
Timber steps lead to the trail junction atop the bluff
Grand Gap Loop Trail
View from the trail at the overlook
Better views require climbing out onto this outcrop
View up river of Big South Fork
View downriver
A solitary tree grows on the cap rock
Entry to Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is free.
