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December 02, 2006
Laurel Snow Pocket Wilderness - Tennessee
Laurel Snow Pocket Wilderness - looking up at the steep walls in the gorge
This morning I was joined by my former intern and friend Hilary Browder for a hike in a new place. We let Chattanooga at about 8:30 AM and headed up to Dayton, Tennessee to try and find the Laurel Snow Pocket Wilderness. Eventually, more than 30 miles of the Cumberland Trail will be built in this area heading in a north-south orientation. Currently, about 5.5 miles of trail are on the ground.
We arrived at the trailhead in about 45 minutes to find ourselves the only ones there.
This walk was interesting for a couple of reasons. Within a short distance of the trailhead, we found the entrance to an old coal mine, which we briefly explored. A coal seam was visible along the walls of the cave. We then followed a large creek on our left as we made our way up the gorge. This area is obviously a popular swimming hole in the heat of the summer. Deep pools and waterfalls abound just a short distance from the trail.
Map of Laurel Snow Pocket Wilderness
We walked for perhaps 1.5 miles until we reached the first 50' bridge indicated on the map above. There we met a lovely couple from Harrison, TN who were out with their two dogs doing some geocaching. After chatting for a while, Hilary and I headed back to the car.
The only disappointing aspects of the trail were the graffiti that we found, along with a fair amount of trash. The trails also need some TLC. Several of the switchbacks have been cut so regularly, that it's hard to distinguish between the official trail and the herd path. Several blowdowns are also awaiting a chainsaw.
I'll be back sometime to try and hike all the way to the waterfalls. Here are a few more photos from the day.
Entrance to an old coal mine just off the trail
Coal seam inside the mine
The creek from just off the trail
Great Places to Hike | By Jeffrey Hunter | 06:29 PM
