Hike Location: Panther Creek State Park
Geographic Location: west of Morristown, TN (36.21517, -83.40575)
Length: 3.5 miles
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2018
Overview: A double loop featuring views of Cherokee Lake
from up-close and from high-above.
Park Information: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/panther-creek
Directions to the trailhead: From points south and
west, take I-81 north to SR 32 (exit 8).
Exit and go north on SR 32. Drive
SR 32 north 4.3 miles to SR 160 and enter westbound on SR 160. From points north and east, reach this same
intersection by taking I-81 south to SR 160 (exit 12) and driving west 3.7
miles. Continue west on SR 160 another
5.8 miles to US 11E and turn right on US 11E.
Drive US 11E north 1 mile to SR 342 and turn left on SR 342. Drive SR 342 2.4 miles to the park entrance
on the right. Turn right to enter the
park, and drive the main park road past the campground to the signed Spoon
Recreation Area. Park near the back of
this asphalt parking lot.
The
hike: Located on the Holston River in east Tennessee’s Grainger and
Jefferson Counties, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Cherokee Dam stands 175
feet high and creates 28,780 acre Cherokee Lake. The hydroelectric dam was built in quick
fashion between August 1940 and December 1941.
The urgency in the construction was due to the imminency of World War II:
the region needed power for its aluminum production facilities, a necessary raw
material for the forthcoming war. The
extra power generating capacity came at a price: 875 families were displaced,
51 cemeteries were relocated, and 14 new bridges had to be built.
One of the
best ways to see and experience Cherokee Lake is by visiting 1435 acre Panther
Creek State Park, which is located on its south shore. The park offers many amenities, including a
50-site developed campground, a boat ramp on Cherokee Lake, a seasonal swimming
pool, and more than 30 miles of trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and
horseback riders. Many good hiking
routes are possible, but I like the route suggested here because it passes both
impressive lake views and large sinkholes, thus giving you a taste of both the man-made
and natural attractions the park has to offer.
 |
| Trailhead at Spoon Recreation Area |
The hike
starts at the signed trailhead on the left (west) side of the parking lot near
the restroom building. Both the Seven
Sinkholes Trail and the Lost Road Trail start here, but almost immediately they
part ways to form the first of this hike’s two loops. Angle left here to stay on the Seven
Sinkholes Trail.
True to its
name, the 0.6 mile Seven Sinkholes Trail passes seven signed sinkholes, which
are above-ground evidence of the caves that lie underground. Some of the sinkholes are as large as a small
ravine, and although the Seven Sinkholes Trail is fairly flat, this area’s
rockiness will impede your progress.
Large numbers of white metal diamonds bearing black arrows keep you on
the official trail.
 |
| Sinkhole #2 of 7 |
At 0.3
miles, the trail curves sharply right to pass through a particularly rocky area
as you round the end of the low ridge that contains the sinkholes. The horse trail you will be on in a few
minutes comes into view through the trees downhill to the left, but stick with
the Seven Sinkholes Trail until it officially comes back together with the Lost
Road Trail at a signed intersection. Turn
sharply left here to leave the Seven Sinkholes Trail and head for the second
loop. In only 300 feet, turn left again
to descend into a saddle and reach the major intersection that forms the second
loop. Turn left to hike the second loop
clockwise.
The trail
follows a wide old road as it descends from the saddle. Horses also use this trail, but it does not
show signs of heavy horse usage. At 0.7
miles, you reach an information sign just before arriving at the main park
road; no parking is available here. Turn
right to begin the signed hiker-only Point Lookout Trail.
 |
| Climbing toward Point Lookout |
The Point
Lookout Trail climbs through a ravine on a grade that is gradual at first but
later becomes moderate with steep areas.
Overall, the trail gains almost 400 feet of elevation in just over 0.5
miles. After climbing a single
switchback, a spur trail exits left to quickly reach the park road. Angle right to continue the Point Lookout
Trail.
The
understory becomes sparse as you approach the top of the hill, and a nice
forest with lots of oak, hickory, and maple trees welcomes you to the top. Cherokee Lake, now some 400 feet below you,
comes into view through the trees on your left as you reach the highest
elevation on this hike. At 1.5 miles,
you reach the Cherokee Lake overlook for which this trail is named. The green tree-covered islands with light
orange dirt banks contrast with the sparkling blue water, and the low ridges to
the north stand in the background over the entire scene. A bench here makes a nice place to sit and
rest near this hike’s highest point.
 |
| Cherokee Lake, as seen from Point Lookout |
The trail
leaves the overlook by switching back to the right and heading southeast out a
finger ridge. The descent along the
finger ridge is gradual, but a couple of short steep rocky sections will need
to be negotiated when the trail rolls off the end of the ridge. I passed a pair of whitetail deer grazing on
shrubs in the understory as I approached the bottom of the hill.
After
tracing around a shallow ravine on a fairly level grade, you reach a trail
intersection at 2.4 miles. The Point
Lookout Trail’s main loop continues straight, and we will eventually head that
way. To add a lake-level Cherokee Lake
view to the high-above lookout view you got earlier, turn sharply left to begin
the 0.45 mile spur trail that leads to the lake-level viewpoint.
 |
| Hiking out the finger ridge |
The spur
trail heads north along the spine of a narrow finger ridge. Large numbers of red cedar trees grow on this
ridge, and the lake can be seen through the trees downhill to the left and
right. A gradual to moderate descent
brings you to lake level at the end of the ridge. The lake is in view in three directions from
here, making this point a very scenic spot.
 |
| Cherokee Lake, up-close |
Retrace
your steps to the main loop, then angle left to continue the loop. Some maple trees offered nice fall color as I
descended to intersect the horse trail in the saddle I was in before, thus
closing the loop. Continue straight to
get back to the Lost Road Trail, then turn right to head back to the parking
area. 0.2 miles of fairly level walking
on the Lost Road Trail return you to the parking lot to complete the hike.
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