James H. "Sloppy" Floyd State Park: Marble Mine/Jenkins Gap Short Loop (Blog Hike #933)

Trails: Marble Mine, Jenkins Gap, and Upper Lake Loop Trails
Hike Location: James H. "Sloppy" Floyd State Park
Geographic Location: south of Summerville, GA (34.43914, -85.33462)
Length: 2.3 miles
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2023
Overview: A mountainside loop featuring a waterfall at an old marble quarry.
Park Information: https://gastateparks.org/JamesHFloyd
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=933390
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Summerville, take US 27 south 2.4 miles to Sloppy Floyd Lake Road and turn right on Sloppy Floyd Lake Rd.  Drive Sloppy Floyd Lake Rd. south 2.5 miles to the park entrance on the left. Turn left to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and park at the rear of the parking circle for the picnic area.

The hike: Tucked in the deep valleys of northwest Georgia, James H. "Sloppy" Floyd State Park protects 561 hilly and forested acres at the base of Taylor Ridge.  The park has a more intimate community park feel compared to many state parks, a feeling enhanced by the fact that most of the park's visitors stay near the park's picnic area and lakes.  The park was established in 1973, and it is named for a regionally famous member of the Georgia House of Representatives from this area who served from 1953 through 1974.

            In terms of amenities, the park offers a cozy 25-site developed campground, 4 cottages, 2 playgrounds, and 4 hiking trails totaling 5.8 miles.  The trail system's main attraction is the old marble mine, which sits on the side of Taylor Ridge.  This hike starts with the shortest route to the mine, but then it forms a loop by taking a longer route (but not the longest possible route) back to the trailhead.  On a personal note, with this hike I have now visited and hiked in all 45 Georgia state parks.  While this hike and park are not among my very favorite Georgia state parks, they easily fall within the top half.

Trailhead at picnic area

            From the rear of the picnic area, start by following the Marble Mine Trail, which is marked with orange plastic diamonds.  The trail dips to cross a small stream on a wooden bridge before it splits to form our loop.  For the shortest route to the old marble mine, angle left to stay on the Marble Mine Trail and use the Upper Lake Loop going right as your return route, thus hiking our loop clockwise.

Climbing on the Marble Mine Trail

            The Marble Mine Trail follows what used to be the access road for the old mine.  A moderate climb brings you to the top of a knob, which contains the ruins of an old cement block building.  While I could not find any specific history on this building, logic implies a connection to the old marble mine.

Ruins of cement block building

            Next comes a brief descent to a streamside area, where a left curve begins the final somewhat steep push to the mine.  In total, the mine sits just under 300 feet higher in elevation than the trailhead.  Ignore side trails marked with yellow diamonds and white diamonds; they lead to the park's backcountry camping area and shortcuts for this hike.  The forest here is a nice mixture of beech, hickory, and pines, and the wide trail makes for pleasant if steep hiking.

Old marble quarry

            At 0.8 miles, you reach the old marble quarry.  The sharp cuts in the rock here are clearly not natural, and neither are the deep pits carved into either side.  A small spring-fed waterfall sprinkles over the rim of the old quarry.  A wooden bench invites you to have a rest and snack while you enjoy the scenery and the cool cave-like air on a warm summer day.

Resting at the old quarry

            Just past the old quarry, the trail splits.  Either option at this intersection can form a loop.  The Marble Mine Trail angles left and begins a steep climb to the Pinhoti Trail, a 330-mile backpacking trail that runs atop Taylor Ridge.  Because I was running out of daylight on my hike, I chose to angle right to hike an easier and shorter connector trail marked with white and blue plastic diamonds.  If I had more time, I would have chosen the longer and harder loop involving the Pinhoti Trail.

Starting the connector trail

            After a brief descent, you reach an intersection with the Jenkins Gap Trail at 1.1 miles.  The option going left is another route up to the Pinhoti Trail, and I would have come from the left had I chosen the longer and harder loop earlier.  With the choice I made, I turned right to begin heading back down.

            Marked with blue plastic diamonds, the Jenkins Gap Trail descends moderately with a stream downhill to your right.  Ignore more side trails that exit right.  At 1.6 miles, you pass through a small parking lot about 500 feet before reaching the lower end of the Jenkins Gap Trail at an intersection with the Upper Lake Loop.  Turn right to begin the final leg of this hike on the Upper Lake Loop.

Upper Lake

            True to its name, the Upper Lake Loop goes part way around its namesake lake, and nice views across the lake emerge.  I did some nice wildlife viewing along the lake that included a heron, some mallard ducks, and some turtles.  After 0.5 rolling lakeside miles, you close the loop.  Cross back over the bridge and climb the short hill back to the picnic area to complete the hike.  If you want to do more hiking while you are here, you could also hike the flat and easy Lower Lake Loop Trail, which circles its namesake lake and starts near the park office.

Fort Loudoun State Historic Park (Blog Hike #932)

Trails: Ridge Top, Meadow Loop, and Paved Trails
Hike Location: Fort Loudoun State Historic Park
Geographic Location: southeast of Loudon, TN (35.59676, -84.20345)
Length: 4 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: March 2023
Overview: A semiloop featuring reconstructed 1756 Fort Loudoun.
Park Information: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/fort-loudoun
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=932587
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: South of Knoxville, take I-75 to SR 72 (exit 72).  Exit and go east on SR 72.  Drive SR 72 east 15.6 miles to US 411 and turn left on US 411.  Drive US 411 north 2.4 miles to SR 360 and turn right on SR 360.  Drive SR 360 east 0.9 miles to the signed park entrance and turn left to enter the park.  Drive the main park road its entire length to the Park Office/Museum, and park in the parking lot in front of the Park Office/Museum.

The hike: Though located in the middle of the United States today, in the mid 1700's the Tennessee River valley comprised the borderlands for two colonial powers.  The French-dominated Mississippi River valley lay to the west, and the British-dominated Atlantic coast lay to the east.  When the French and Indian War broke out in 1754, the British became concerned about local Cherokee allying with the French, which would threaten British settlements and trade in South Carolina.  To counter this threat, in 1756 the British built Fort Loudoun on the south bank of the Little Tennessee River a few miles south of present-day Knoxville.  The fort was named for the Earl of Loudoun, the commander of British forces in North America at that time.

            The short-lived fort failed in its main objective.  After hostilities between the Cherokee and English settlers broke out, 16 Cherokee leaders were captured and then executed.  In retaliation, the Cherokee sieged the fort in March of 1760 and forced its surrender.  The site remained dormant until the Works Progress Administration reconstructed the fort in the 1930's, and the fort was moved and reconstructed above the level of newly-filled Lake Tellico in 1979.  The state park was established in 1977.

            Today the reconstructed fort is a popular destination for school groups and tourists, and the fort occupies a scenic site on Lake Tellico.  An excellent museum describes the fort's history, and the park offers fishing on Lake Tellico, a picnic area, and several hiking trails.  The hike described here takes you to the reconstructed fort but also forms a substantial loop through the park's natural areas, thus exploring all the park has to offer.

Reconstructed Fort Loudoun

            Because the reconstructed fort is this park's main attraction, I recommend heading there first.  Walk down the asphalt trail that goes around the Park Office/Museum and arrive at the fort in 0.25 miles.  The reconstructed wooden fort occupies a scenic location with Lake Tellico and the Smoky Mountains in the background.  Costumed interpreters describe activities in some of the buildings.

Start of trail through picnic area

            After touring the fort, retrace your steps to the park office, and then turn left to begin the asphalt trail through the picnic area.  The redbuds were just starting to bloom when I came here on a seasonally warm morning in late March, and they added some light pink color to the lakeside picnic area.  0.6 miles into the hike, you reach the park's main trailhead at the southwest end of the picnic area.  Continue southwest to begin the dirt Ridge Top Trail.

Picnic area trailhead

            Marked with red plastic shields, the Ridge Top Trail undulates moderately with the lake downhill to the left and the park entrance road uphill to the right.  The forest here is a mixture of pine and broadleaf trees, and some large beech trees live in this area.  The nearby lake makes this park an above average birding destination, and I saw woodpeckers, blackbirds, juncos, and other common birds during my hike here.

Intersecting the Meadow Loop Trail

            1.1 miles into the hike (or 0.5 miles from the main trailhead), you reach an intersection with the Meadow Loop Trail.  The option going right allows you to short-cut this loop, so you should turn left to hike the longest loop.  A very nice section of sidehill trail comes next, and this area features some of the nicest and quietest forest on this hike.

Intersecting the Lost Shoe Spur Trail

            At 1.45 miles and 1.75 miles, the Lost Shoe Spur Trail leaves and reenters from the left.  Turn right both times to follow the blue plastic shields of the Meadow Loop Trail.  This section of trail passes through a dense area of pines that appears to be an old pine planting, so the forest scenery is different from what you saw earlier.

Hiking through the meadow

            Next you descend a small ridge, exit the forest, and enter the meadow.  This meadow is a fantastic tallgrass prairie, and I suspect it comes alive with flowers in late summer.  After winding through the prairie, you reach a secondary trailhead on the park road at 2.4 miles.  Cross the road to continue the Meadow Loop Trail.

Crossing the park entrance road

            Now back in the mixed pine/broadleaf forest, the next segment of trail winds along the shore of Lake Tellico.  Some decent views across a narrow arm of the lake emerge, and more good birding can be done here.  At 2.9 miles, the trail curves right and climbs steeply away from the lake.  The climb is short-lived, but you gain about 140 feet of elevation over that short span.

Intersecting the Ridge Top Trail

            At 3.25 miles, you reach another intersection with the Ridge Top Trail.  Turn left to leave the Meadow Loop Trail and head northeast on the Ridge Top Trail.  Now surrounded by young forest with red cedar trees, soon you learn why this trail is called the Ridge Top Trail: a fantastic view emerges east toward the Smoky Mountains.  A bench encourages you to sit, rest, and admire the view.

View east toward Smoky Mountains

            Continuing northeast, quickly you roll off the end of the finger ridge to intersect a seldom-used asphalt park road.  Another information kiosk stands here.  Turn right and walk the park road 0.25 miles back to the Park Office/Museum parking lot to complete the hike.  

Chattahoochee Bend State Park: Riverside Trail (Blog Hike #931)

Trail: Riverside Trail
Hike Location: Chattahoochee Bend State Park
Geographic Location: northwest of Newnan, GA (33.42961, -85.01134)
Length: 4.6 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2023
Overview: An out-and-back, first along the Chattahoochee River and then to a ridgetop.
Park Information: https://gastateparks.org/ChattahoocheeBend
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=931004
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: Getting to Chattahoochee Bend State Park requires driving a maze of curvy two lane county roads, so follow these directions carefully.  Southwest of Atlanta, take I-85 to SR 34 (exit 47).  Exit and go west on SR 34.  Drive SR 34 By-Pass around the north side of Newnan, then continue west on SR 34.  Drive a total of 15 miles from I-85 to Thomas Power Road and turn right on Thomas Power Rd.  Continue straight onto Hewlette South Road, then continue straight again onto Bud Davis Road.  5.5 miles from SR 34, turn right onto Flat Rock Road, which deadends at the park in another 1.3 miles.  Pay the park entrance fee and follow the main park road to its end at the park's boat launch.  Park in the boat launch parking lot.

The hike: Established only in 2011, Chattahoochee Bend State Park is the second newest state park in Georgia behind only Don Carter State Park, which dates to 2013.  Before it became a park, the land was heavily logged, and you pass several active logging operations while driving into the park.  True to its name, the park protects 2910 acres of land along the south/east bank of the Chattahoochee River, and the park is named for a wide horseshoe-shaped bend in the river located in the eastern part of the park.

            Despite its young age, the park has some nice (and new!) amenities including a 37-site developed campground, a 12-site primitive campground, 3 cottages, paddling, fishing, and boating on the Chattahoochee River, and several picnic areas.  In terms of trails, the park offers over 16 miles of well-maintained trails, most of which are open to hikers and mountain bikers.  While loop options are possible, the route described here is the simplest and most obvious one: an out-and-back on the Riverside Trail that follows the Chattahoochee River for most of its distance.

Trailhead near boat launch

            From the boat launch parking area, the main trailhead is located a few feet out the entrance road on the left; a restroom building sits on the right here.  Almost immediately you reach a trail intersection.  The Wild Turkey Trail goes right, and it could be used to form a short loop.  This hike turns left to remain on the Riverside Trail; follow the white rectangular metal markers to stay on the correct trail.

Approaching the river

            The trail crosses a wooden bridge and soon reaches the bank of the Chattahoochee River, which it will follow for the next 2 miles.  The area along the river features the usual Piedmont mix of sweetgum and pine trees with some clusters of bamboo.  At 0.5 miles, you cross another creek on another wooden bridge, and another connector to the Wild Turkey Trail exits right.  Wooden distance markers appear at 0.5 mile increments, although some of these distance markers are misplaced according to my calculations.

Observation tower

            0.8 miles into the hike, you reach the wooden riverside observation tower.  The tower stands about 20 feet above the ground, and wooden steps take you up to the observation deck, which offers a nice view out to the river.  Some picnic tables sit at the base of the tower, but it may be too early for a rest or trail snack.

View from observation tower

            Just past the tower, the signed Tower Trail exits right.  The Tower Trail gives you another option to form a loop, but this hike continues upriver on the Riverside Trail.  The river makes this park an above average birding destination, and I saw many common woodland songbirds here.  A few muddy spots had to be negotiated, but the Riverside Trail was remarkably dry on my visit in late February.

View up to the Chattahoochee Bend

            After crossing a small creek without the aid of a bridge, you reach an area the park map calls "overlook" near 2 miles into the hike.  While I did not find anything here that I would consider an overlook, there is a nice partially obstructed view up the Chattahoochee River's U-shaped bend that gives this park its name.  You can also see a picnic table across a steep-banked creek to the northeast, but it takes nearly a mile of hiking on official trails to reach that picnic table.

End of Riverside Trail

            Next the trail curves right and begins heading uphill away from the river.  Part of this climb appears to use an old logging road, and in total the trail gains about 100 feet of elevation over 0.2 miles.  At 2.3 miles, you reach the end of the Riverside Trail and the start of the Bend Trail, which is also marked with white metal rectangles.  The Bend Trail would add another 3 miles to this hike; it takes you to the picnic table you saw before, but it does not form a loop.  Thus, this intersection is a good place to turn around.  Retracing your steps 2.3 miles mostly along the Chattahoochee River returns you to the boat launch parking area to complete the hike.