Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park: Flint Creek Battle Site (Blog Hike #1010)

Trails: Rocky Fork and Flint Creek Trails
Hike Location: Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park
Geographic Location: southwest of Erwin, TN (36.04858, -82.55713)
Length: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: March 2024
Overview: A creekside out-and-back to a 1789 battle site.
Park Information: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/rocky-fork
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=958955
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming June 6, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: In eastern Tennessee, take I-26 to US 19W (exit 43).  Exit and go south on US 19W.  Drive US 19W south 1.1 miles to SR 352.  Continue straight to head west on SR 352.  Drive SR 352 southwest 4.8 miles to Rocky Fork Road and turn right on Rocky Fork Rd.; there is a sign for the park at this intersection.  Drive narrow and winding but paved Rocky Fork Rd. 0.9 miles to the gravel road that accesses the trailhead parking lot on the left.  Park in the gravel trailhead parking lot.  There is room for only about 15 cars here, and this lot can fill on nice weather weekends.

The hike: Established only in 2013, Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park is one of Tennessee's newest state parks.  The park is tucked deep in the east Tennessee mountains south of Johnson City, and it protects 2256 acres of classic mountain terrain.  The park was originally named just Rocky Fork State Park after the stream that drains the main part of the park, but in 2019 the name was lengthened to honor the state's former governor and long-serving Senator.

            Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park has very much a rustic wilderness feel with limited amenities.  Indeed, the park offers only fishing in Rocky Fork and 19 miles of trails, most of which are open only to hikers.  Many excellent hiking routes are possible, but I came here on my way to a business appointment in Knoxville.  Thus, I had to keep my hike short, so I chose to do this park's shortest and easiest hike that still leads to a destination of interest.  That destination of interest is the historic Flint Creek Battle Site, and I had a nice hike on a sunny early afternoon in late March.

Main trailhead

            From the rear of the parking lot, head west on the wide gravel trail that parallels Rocky Fork with the creek flowing against you on the left.  Marked with red plastic trail markers, this trail is called the Rocky Fork Trail, and it serves as a common entrance trail for most of the park's trail system.  The forest is a mixed broadleaf forest, but a dense layer of rhododendron populates the understory along the creek.  Some small cascades and waterfalls in Rocky Fork entertain you as you climb gradually.

Cascades in Rocky Fork

            After 0.6 miles of gradual climbing, the trail forks.  Both options look like continuations of the old road you have been hiking on, but they lead to two very different destinations.  The White Oak Flats Trail exits right to climb out of this ravine and eventually leads to adjacent Cherokee National Forest.  You want to turn left to begin the Flint Creek Trail, which is marked with green trail markers.

Hiking along Rocky Fork

            0.8 miles into the hike, the trail curves left to cross Rocky Fork on an excellent footbridge.  Rocky Fork is a classic clear water Appalachian stream, and the bridge gives a nice view from high above the stream.  Just after crossing the bridge, look to the left for what looks like an old homesite.

Old homesite

            Next you pass through a wet area to reach the Flint Creek Battle site, which is marked only with a small wooden sign.  Sometimes called the Flint Creek Massacre, the "battle" occurred in January 1789 when John Sevier led his militia to attack a group of Chickamauga that was camped here for the winter.  The attack was in retaliation to Chickamauga attacks on white settlements, but the surprise attack was brutal: 145 Chickamauga died, and the camp was destroyed.  Today only an open meadow sits here, so take some time to ponder the solemn history of this site.

Flint Creek Battle Site

            The Flint Creek Trail continues past the battle site, but I chose to turn around here and retrace my steps to the trailhead to complete my hike.  Continuing up the Flint Creek Trail and turning left on the Flint Mountain Trail would form a 7.7 mile loop with about 1400 feet of elevation gain.  Alternatively, the Whitehouse Cliffs Trail starts at the same parking lot and leads steeply uphill for 1 mile to a fantastic overlook of the entire Rocky Fork ravine.