Hiking & Swimming in TN or VA

“I want to take a car camping trip where there is a good place to swim.

I spent the weekend scouting Norris Lake but didn't leave there too encouraged.

Any ideas within a couple hours of Knoxville? Hot Springs, NC is an option but the swimming is not exactly what I am looking for.”

“define, "what I'm looking for." Is this a sly way to ask about skinny dipping?”

“You want lakes or streams?”

“Preferably lake and no, dayhiker, this is not a skinny dipping trip.

I had such a good time on the Summer blast trip, I would like to find somewhere close that has hiking/camping/lake, river etc.

The trip along Kentucky Lake was awesome. I don't mind hiking in but I am looking for a more kicked back kind of weekend.”

“I guess the Hiwasse is an option, but damn that water will be cold.

http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/Hiwassee/index.shtml”

“What about Lake Watagua (sp?) near Elizabethton. I've not stayed but have been there a couple of times. Is a beautiful lake.”

“Ok, now where do I hike/camp. I know the AT crosses the dam.”

“Watauga is a pretty lake. I've been through there between Roan and Boone.”

“Well, the lake is quite large..and there is a smaller park..near Lake Wiley, below Watagua, that had some nice campsites. I'm sure though there are LOTS of campgrounds in that area.”

“The only one I found was on the tailwater.”

“how about watts bar or the ocoee river,the ocoee also has great rafting and kayaking”

“you could also try vonore”

“BearTree Lake near Damascus Virginia.”

“Thanks blazintrail and fridge.”

“Is the water frigid, Fridgy?”

“I always spell this wrong...but what about Lake Santeelah (sp) near Robinsville, NC. That is a beautiful little lake..I'm sure cold because it is a mountain lake but still a pretty place.”

“I was thinking of the campsite near the lower falls on the Slickrock trail - nice swimming hole at the base of the falls.”

“Good ideas, keep the coming. I plan to hike all summer this year.”

“Well then if you are wanting summer hikes I shall suggest Skinny Dip Falls...it is at MM 417 on the BRP. The MTS runs through that area and up to Shining Rock Wilderness area.”

“Lake Santeetlah is a nice lake. Very little of the lake shore has, or will ever have, houses on it. There are lots of campsites to choose, but I don't know about trails since I visited the lake using the boat that came with the house we rented their a few summers back. The water isn't that cold and its supposedly has great fishing. I know there is a trail that leads from the lake up to the AT.

Midnight Hole is a great swimming hole. I just read something about people being concerned that we may lose it soon because the hurricane of 2004 weakened the trees that are holding the rocks in place. Don't know how much truth is in that.

I don't know how far this is from Knoxville but their is a US forest service campground on Lake Blue Ridge in Georgia. Its a beautiful place. My brother in law shares a lakehouse across the way from the campground. It looks fairly rustic for a campground with paved roads, if course it has the picnic table and tent pad at each site. http://www.fs.fed.us/conf/lkblurcp.htm I lnow their is a pretty nice waterfall a couple miles away by road, (not sure if walking) that has a short hike on the Benton Mackaye trail to reach it.”

“GREAT suggestions Hyway..and boy did I spell Santeetlah wrong! LOL”

“Summersville Lake in WV, one of the prettiest lakes anywhere. Deep clear water with big cliffs and boulders.”

“Thanks. I have some research to do on these, but it looks like summer hikes/camping/swimming is near it hand.”

“Bust Ass Falls, Horsepasture River”

“Thanks edoc! I will definately put that on the list of places to go this summer.”

“Any good places for swimming and places to jump off of (the higher,the better). Not really far from me, would like to keep it with a 4 hour drive or so. Maybe an overnight trip.”

“how about WV? summersville lake has awesome cliffs.. the only thing is that i am thinking they may have made it illegal to cliff dive in the state.. i'm not sure though.. may be worth looking into.”

“You can jump off of the cementon bridge in Northampton PA.. You just have to make sure that you get to the shore before you get to the falls....

I'll check the depth later today for you...

'32oz”

“The highest cliff I have jumped from was a rock quarry in GA, it was about 70 ft. and it was awesome.”

“Cohutta Wilderness N.GA/S.TN area. Jacks River falls is a 6-7 mile hike in to a series of falls, each dropping into a large pool. 2 different 25-30 foot jumps into deep blue water.

Campsite 47 and 71 in the Smoky's on the NC side...lots of slides and pools”

“I'm gonna host a swim/hike/paddle trip at LBL the second or third weekend in July. Haven't decided which yet. Guess I should go ahead and post it.”

“Third, stomper. I have to have surgery on the 7th.”

“Laurel Creek in the BSF has some nice swimming holes.”

“New River Gorge, awesome jumping.”

“just a thought.. but have you considered Gentlemen's Swimming hole near Rugby TN?


http://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/gshtrail.htm

Also.. have you ever seen this link?

http://www.swimmingholes.org/tn.html”

“Nemster and I set out Friday night from the Long Mountain Wayside and hiked south on the AT headed for the Brown Mountain Shelter. Much of the trail runs along Brown Mountain Creek, an area that used to be inhabitied by farmers. We could see remnants of stone walls and chimney foundations along the way. We wondered how anyone could farm the area because the slopes of the narrow valley were the creek runs were very steep.

We arrived at the shelter around dusk and found the place empty. There weren't any flat camping spots near the shelter and the flat spots near the creek were very damp, so we decided to stay in the shelter. The bugs weren't too bad and the night air was warm. After we cooked dinner, the rain started and continued for a couple of hours. We were happy to be in the shelter.

The next morning we headed south on the AT in search of Panther Falls swimming hole. According to the map, there is a side trail off the AT that cuts over to a forest service road, that would lead us to another side trail. We had no trouble finding the turn off for the trail, but found that the trail was not used or maintained. Plenty of blow downs and overgrowth. Eventually we emerged onto a forest service road which took us past a great camping area plenty of with established sites. I commented that this would be a great spot for a TT trip!

After a mile or two road walk, we found the side trail for the falls and swimming hole. The trail seemed well blazed at first, but the further down the trial we got, the more overgrowth we encountered. Eventually the trail just ended at the edge of a very dense area of woods. We could have tried to bushwack through, but decided to turn back. To avoid doing the same road walk, we bushwacked down a steep slope to get back to the AT. Thank god Nemster has a good sense of direction in the woods, because there is no telling where we would have ended up if I was leading the way.

By early afternoon we were back at the car. We paused on the trail to munch on some very ripe and sweet wild raspberries. After some searching, we found the swimming hole spot! We also found that a lot of other people found the swimming hole too!

I waded into the water to cool off and watched as other people jumped off the rocks into the deep pools. I decided I wanted to jump too, but jumping off a perfectly good rock initially went against the little good sense that I had. I climbed out of the water and stood at the rock's edge for what seemed like an eternity. Nemster kept encouraging me to jump, but I kept holding back. He waited there patiently until I got up the nerve, faced my fear, and lept off the edge into the water below. Oh, did I mention that the rock was only about 6 feet from the water. :)

Next was Nemster's turn, except he decided to leap off a 20 foot high rock. What a nut! He climbed up to the top and didn't even pause at the rocks edge. Next thing I know, he's plunging into the pool below. We sat around on the warm rocks to dry off and then drove up to Hog Camp Gap.

We hiked on the AT over Cold Mountain and down to Cow Camp Gap shelter. Cold Mountain is one of the few balds in Virginia and the views were amazing. So were the wildflowers! We saw two Turks Cap Lilies, Indian Pipe, Butter-and-Eggs, Columbine, and many others.

The shelter was occupied by a couple and their 90 pound German Shepard puppy. As the sun set, the night air got really chilly. Nemster and Red built a fire and we sat around that to keep warm for a while and then hit the sack. We could hear the mice in the rafters as we were going to sleep. I woke up many times during the night because I was very cold. I think the temps got down into the low 40's and my summer sleeping bag could not keep up.

The next morning we hiked out using the Old Hotel Trail. The trail meanders through stands of white pine which had laid a nice blanket of soft pine that felt cushy underfoot. There were also remnants of hog walls along the way and many wild flowers growing in the meadow at Cow Camp Gap.

Before heading home, we went back to the wild raspberry bushes and picked several pints of these delicious little berries. Later that night with Nemster's girls, we made vanilla ice cream sundaes topped with wild raspberries, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. What a perfect way to end a perfect weekend!”

“nice report. sounds like a nice trip. thanks for sharing!!”

“Sounds like a GREAT trip!!!!...thanks for sharing!!!...Isn't Cold Mountain awesome???..(and Bald Mountain isn't bald!!!)...I went there when I hiked some on the AT and I must say...it was the highlight of my trip!!!”

“I posted some pictures from the trip on myspace page.”