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.