Question: Tennessee River Gorge

“I’m going to be in the Chattanooga area in a month or so, and I’ve got one day (Friday, November 3) available to day hike. The Tennessee River Gorge Segment of the Cumberland Trail and Prentiss-Cooper WMA is only eleven (11) miles away from Chattanooga, so it seems like the perfect answer to having a free day with nothing to do.

Here’s my question. Given only one (1) day, and given only one (1) automobile (no chance to shuttle), what would be the “have to see” portion of the area that I should build my day hike route around?

Any suggestions? Hope to hear back from someone who knows the area.
last edited: 9/19/06 3:05:06 PM”

“22 mile out and back!”

“prentiss cooper has a figure 8 trail. use the gravel road in the middle to do the upper or lower loop. as hot as it is...watch the trail..it's sure to be greened over..and watch for atv's”

“Gotta see Snoopers overlook in Prentice Cooper.”

“Somebody named Bass (barry_spearman@yahoo.com) from the other side suggested, "I would recommend parking at the Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park in Signal Point, TN. The views are spectacular during the first few miles of the Cumberland Trail and there is a picturesque swinging bridge built by the Cumberland Trail Conference just a mile or two from the parking area. Note that this would have you walking back out the same trail to your car, no loop. But I think the views are worth it. Be sure to take a camera. The leaves should be turning then.

There is a lot of information on the CTC website:
http://www.cumberlandtrail.org/rivergorge.html"

I guess he is thinking about 5 miles would be plenty. "22 mile out and back?" I don't know much about the terrain Dayhiker, but it's certainly a possibility, especially if I take Opie's advice to "prentiss cooper ... figure 8 trail... gravel road in the middle to do the upper or lower loop." I'm assuming that's about 22 miles? That's doable, but a haul. I also seem to remember that "Snoopers Overlook" is in the bottom loop. So yeah, there's a possibility.

What I need is for someone to come with me, so we can do the one-way from one end to the other on the CT part of the trail. I hear it's a killer to get it done in one day, due to the rock scrambling, but that sounds more my speed to be honest. I just don't have a second car at the moment.

From the website:
Day hikes of interest are from Signal Point National Park to Middle Creek with a side trip to Rainbow Falls, a mighty rumbler in wet weather. This jaunt takes about three hours; six to eight hours are required to hike round trip from Signal Point to Edwards Point or from Signal Point one way via Edwards Point to Tenn. 27. Between Edwards Point and Tenn. 27, the trail follows the tops of the bluffs some 2.5 miles with beautiful views of the Suck Creek gorge, then drops down to a campsite on North Suck Creek. At this point the trail continues across a 225-ft. swinging bridge over North Suck Creek to Tenn. 27.

Starting on the Suck Creek Mountain side, look for the Prentice Cooper State Forest sign on Tenn. 27 and travel to the new parking lot near the fire tower. This section attracts many backpackers. It takes three to four hours to hike down to the roadside park on Suck Creek Road (Tenn. 27). Treats include vistas from high places, the Poplar Spring campsite (the water is potable), and abundant vegetation in interesting rock formations. Large jack-in-the-pulpits grow under the bluffs, and the purple rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) blooms here a full month earlier than the same species on Roan Mountain.

An interesting side hike is available on a leg of the Cumberland Trail across Tenn. 27, starting at the roadside park (the present end of section 9). This leg consists of approximately 30 miles of two loops in Prentice Cooper State Forest. Pot Point Loop Trail overlooks the Tennessee River canyon at many points, and Mullins Cove Loop includes spectacular views of Mullins Cove in the canyon. Day hikes of interest are from Signal Point National Park to Middle Creek with a side trip to Rainbow Falls, a mighty rumbler in wet weather. This jaunt takes about three hours; six to eight hours are required to hike round trip from Signal Point to Edwards Point or from Signal Point one way via Edwards Point to Tenn. 27. Between Edwards Point and Tenn. 27, the trail follows the tops of the bluffs some 2.5 miles with beautiful views of the Suck Creek gorge, then drops down to a campsite on North Suck Creek. At this point the trail continues across a 225-ft. swinging bridge over North Suck Creek to Tenn. 27.
last edited: 9/20/06 11:59:09 AM”

“I remember that there is not that much to see on the back loop. Your better off just doing the front one.”

“the campsite in the middle is rock, limited tent spaces and the only water is on the north side and at that campsite. Unless you count the river, and good luck getting to it...i suggest using snoopers overlook as a diving board”

“I'd do the linear trail from one parking area to the other if I could round up someone who could go that day.. but if not, I'm sure I can find plenty to walk around and see. I think you are right though, most likely I won't fool with the lower loop.”