Panther State Forest: Twin Rocks Trail (Blog Hike #1125)

Trail: Twin Rocks Trail
Hike Location: Panther State Forest
Geographic Location: southwest of Iaeger, WV (37.44761, -81.87644)
Length: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: April 2026
Overview: An out-and-back on an old coal tram path beside Panther Creek.
Park Information: https://wvstateparks.com/parks/panther-state-forest/
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming June 22, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: From Iaeger in rural southwest West Virginia, take US 52 west 1.5 miles to Panther-Mohawk Road and turn left on Panther-Mohawk Rd.  Drive Panther-Mohawk Rd. west 6.1 miles to CR 3 and turn left on CR 3.  Drive CR 3 south 3.6 miles to the signed turnoff for the park office on the right.  Turn right, cross Panther Creek on a concrete bridge, and park in the gravel lot beside the park office in another 0.4 miles.

The hike: Tucked deep in the remote hills and hollows of southern West Virginia, Panther State Forest occupies 11,389 rugged acres along the West Virginia/Kentucky border.  The forest is named for its main watercourse, Panther Creek, which in turn got its name from a pioneer who supposedly killed a panther here.  The forest was established in 1940 partly as the result of a locally-organized "Pennies for Panther" campaign that raised more than $9000 in donations.

            True to its designation as a state forest rather than a state park, Panther State Forest is light on amenities.  The forest offers a tiny developed campground, hunting and fishing, a swimming pool, and 4 hiking trails totaling just over 5 miles.  I came here on a rain-filled day in late April, so I needed to keep my hike short to get it in between the rain showers.  Thus, I hiked this park's shortest and easiest trail: the Twin Rocks Trail described here.  The Twin Rocks Trail offers an out-and-back along Panther Creek that follows an old coal mining tram path.  I managed to do the out portion of this hike rain-free but got soaked on the return portion.

Trailhead a park office

            From the park office parking lot, walk a few feet back up to the road and turn left to begin heading southeast on the old coal mining tram path, which today makes a wide two-track treadway.  A sign designates this trail as a Mountaineer Mile Trail, a state health initiative that encourages people to walk 1 mile each day.  The trail passes through dense forest that is a mixture of pines and deciduous trees, and Panther Creek is visible and audible downhill to the left.

Wild grass field and wooden structure

            Near 0.4 miles, the trail curves right and gains distance from the creek.  Soon you come to a wild grass field, and if you look to the left across the field you will see an old wooden structure.  While I could not find any history on that structure, it probably predates the park.  Some large sycamore trees grow along the creek here.

First bridge over Panther Creek

Panther Creek

            At 0.7 miles, you reach a wooden bridge that crosses Panther Creek.  The trail map shows the Twin Rocks Trail forming a loop by continuing up the west side of the creek and crossing another bridge, but the trail becomes very overgrown past this first bridge.  Also, the second bridge was missing when I came here.  Thus, I spent a few minutes admiring the creek and some nearby rock outcrops before turning around and retracing my steps to the park office to complete the hike.

Chief Logan State Park: Coal Mine Trail (Blog Hike #1124)

Trail: Coal Mine Trail
Hike Location: Chief Logan State Park
Geographic Location: north of Logan, WV (37.88324, -82.02230)
Length: 3 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2026
Overview: A loose loop around the state park campground passing numerous old coal mining sites.
Park Information: https://wvstateparks.com/parks/chief-logan-state-park/
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming June 25, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 119 and SR 73 in Logan, take US 119 north 3.4 miles to the entrance for Chief Logan State Park on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, then turn right at the first major intersection to head for the campground.  Drive a total of 2.8 miles from the park entrance to the campground entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the campground, and park beside the campground activities building on the left in another 0.4 miles.

The hike: Chief Logan's name appears on many counties, cities, parks, and trails across southeast Ohio and western West Virginia, but few people today know who Chief Logan actually was.  Chief Logan was the son of Iroquois Chief Shikellamy, who ruled a village in central Pennsylvania near present-day Shikellamy State Park.  Logan moved to the Ohio River region in the 1760s and became a leader of the Iroquois Confederacy there.  He gained the title Logan the Orator for a legendary lament he gave after the Shawnee lost the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774.  Logan made the mistake of allying with the British during the American Revolution, and he was killed in a mysterious altercation near Lake Erie in 1780.

            Today Logan is commemorated in many places, not the least of which is Chief Logan State Park near the City of Logan in Logan County, West Virginia.  Established in 1969, the 3988-acre park has a fantastic set of amenities.  The Chief Logan Lodge is one of 10 West Virginia State Park lodges, and it is a full-service lodge with a fantastic restaurant and a conference center.  The park also has a cozy 25-site developed campground, a recreation center with some athletic fields, a museum with a locomotive display, and 7 picnic shelters.

            For hikers, the park offers 13 trails totaling over 18 miles, and they range in difficulty from flat 0.5 mile walks to difficult 6-mile one-way journeys over the park's steep hills and ravines.  Near the midpoint of those difficulties is the Coal Mine Trail described here.  The Coal Mine Trail takes you through the woods past some old coal mine openings.  This hike offers enough distance to make you feel like you've hiked, but it follows an old coal mining tram path for most of the way, which keeps the difficulty manageable.

Trailhead at campground activities building

            From the campground activities building, find the start of the Coal Mine Trail as it heads west into the woods with the campground road on your right.  A small wooden sign advertising the Rattlesnake and Coal Mine Trails marks this trailhead.  Going this direction begins a clockwise journey around the Coal Mine Trail.  The Coal Mine Trail is marked with yellow plastic diamonds, and while trail markers are not plentiful, there are enough of them to keep you on track.  The narrow trail climbs initially before levelling out about 50 feet above the campground road, which can be seen through the trees downhill to the right.

Trail markers for the Coal Mine Trail

            At 0.15 miles, the Rattlesnake Trail exits at a sharp angle to the left.  Angle softly right to continue the Coal Mine Trail.  The trail descends almost to road level before curving sharply left to begin the steepest climb of the hike.  This climb shows you the advantage of hiking this loop clockwise: you only gain about 100 feet of elevation, and this climb is far easier than the descent you will do at the end of the loop.

Hiking the old tram path

            At 0.4 miles, you reach the top of the hill, where you intersect the old coal mining tram path.  Angle right to begin following the old tram path.  For the next 1.7 miles the trail follows the old tram path as it goes in and out of as many as 8 hollows, depending on how you count hollows.  Like any old railroad grade, the tram path provides a wide treadway with a gentle grade.

Old coal tipple site

            Just past 0.5 miles, you pass the old coal tipple site, which today is marked by a sign and a wood/concrete construction on the edge of the hill to the right.  Tipples used gravity to sort coal by size and load it onto railroad cars heading for market.  Thus, all of the coal that came out of any of the old mine openings served by this tram would have ended up here.  The mines shut down just before the park opened in 1969.  Imagine what it would have been like to live in this hollow back then!

Disturbed area

            Continuing on the old tram path, the trail winds in and out of many hollows, imperceptibly climbing all the time.  Some wet areas and downed trees need to be negotiated, but overall the going is fairly easy.  At 1.4 miles, you pass an old concrete building, which is probably mine-related although I could not determine how.  I did not see any mine openings, but I did notice some disturbed areas that probably date to the park's mining days.  Outside of the disturbed areas, the trail passes through nice beech/maple forest, and this would be an excellent fall leaf peeping hike.  I saw many asters in bloom and butterflies in flight when I hiked here on a warm and humid day in late April.

End of the old tram path

            2.1 miles into the hike, the Wilderness Trail exits at a sharp angle to the left.  Angle softly right to stay on the Coal Mine Trail.  Very quickly you reach this hike's highest elevation and the end of the old coal mine tram path.  The trail narrows and curves right as you begin the final part of the hike.

Campsite #15

            The final descent to the campground may be the hardest part of this hike: you lose 220 feet of elevation over 0.3 miles, and the footing is quite bad.  The last couple hundred feet are narrow and rocky, almost like hiking in a small stream.  At 2.4 miles, you come out beside campsite #15.  Walk the paved campground road gradually downhill past the campground entrance for a total of 0.6 miles to return to the campground activity building and complete the hike.

Cabwaylingo State Forest: Tick Ridge Fire Tower (Blog Hike #1123)

Trails: ORV Trails #11, #29, and #10
Hike Location: Cabwaylingo State Forest
Geographic Location: south of Wayne, WV (37.98677, -82.37477)
Length: 4.3 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2026
Overview: An out-and-back on ORV trails to a CCC-built campground and fire tower.
Park Information: https://wvstateparks.com/parks/cabwaylingo-state-forest/
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming March 19, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: From Wayne, take SR 152 south 24 miles to CR 35.  Alternatively, you can reach this intersection by taking SR 152 north 5.7 miles from US 52 along the Kentucky/West Virginia state line.  Turn east on CR 35, and drive the winding paved road 2.9 miles to the Cabwaylingo Trailhead on the right.  Turn right to cross a stream on a bridge, then park near the park office in the large gravel parking lot that ORVs use for unloading.

The hike: Between 1863 and 1891 the Hatfield family of West Virginia and the McCoy family of Kentucky engaged in one of the most bitter and famous feuds in American history.  The feud had its roots in the American Civil War.  Although most members of both families fought for the Confederacy, Asa Harmon McCoy chose to fight for the Union, and he was killed by Hatfields and other Confederate allies on his way home from the war.

            The Kentucky/West Virginia border was a remote and lawless area in the late 1800s, and both families took justice into their own hands, causing continued escalation for many years.  The feud climaxed with the 1888 New Years Massacre and the ensuing Battle of Grapevine Creek, when a group of Hatfields went to Kentucky, surrounded the McCoy cabin, and opened fire on the sleeping McCoy family.  After such a brazen, violent, and egregiously illegal act, county sheriffs, state governors, and even the United States Supreme Court became involved to end the feud and bring peace to the area.  Many Hatfields and McCoys were tried and convicted of major crimes with the last trial ending in 1901.

            Today the feud is commemorated by a vast network of ORV trails in western West Virginia called the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, and one of the main trailheads for this system is in vast, rugged, and remote 8125-acre Cabwaylingo State Forest.  The state forest dates to the early 1930s, and the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked here to restore the forest and build the park's facilities.  The CCC's constructions include but are not limited to the park headquarters, 14 cabins, and several picnic shelters.  The forest is named for the 4 counties in which it occupies land: Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, and Mingo.

            Cabwaylingo State Forest offers both ORV trails and hiking trails, but many of the hiking trails are poorly maintained and therefore do not make for pleasant hiking.  Thus, I chose to hike some of the ORV trails up to this park's most famous CCC construction: the Tick Ridge Fire Tower.  Built in 1935, the Tick Ridge Fire Tower is eligible for the National Register of Historic Sites.  Although the tower is not open for climbing, hiking to the fire tower not only allows you to view a piece of history, but it also passes a nice overlook and some other interesting CCC constructions.

Hatfield and McCoy Trailhead at Cabwaylingo State Forest

            Pick up a trail map at the park office, then head southwest down the wide gravel road with a basketball court and picnic shelter on your right.  Where the road splits, go left to start heading up the hollow that contains Wiley Branch on ORV Trail #11.  This trail is one of the main trails in the park's ORV trail system, and it is wide and easy enough that an ordinary car could traverse this part of the trail most of the time.

Exiting the developed area

            After passing a primitive campground, you exit the developed area and begin climbing along Wiley Branch.  Beech and maple trees dominate the forest, and this hike would be great for fall leaf peeping.  I saw many butterflies when I came here in late April, and I saw lots of birds including a yellow-throated warbler.

Continuing to climb

            Just shy of 0.5 miles, the Indian Trail exits right.  The Indian Trail is a very steep and poorly maintained hiking trail that could be used to form a loop.  Unless you want a very rough and challenging hike, I recommend staying on the wide dirt/gravel ORV Trail #11 and doing this hike as an out-and-back.  The trail continues climbing, and soon ORV Trail #79 exits left.  This is another trail that could be used to form a difficult loop, but again I recommend staying with the main trail.

Picnic shelter at Tick Ridge Campground

            The wide gravel road continues climbing on a moderate grade via several switchbacks.  1.8 miles into the hike, you reach the Tick Ridge Campground.  Some vault toilets and an excellent CCC-built picnic shelter sit here.  To continue to the fire tower, turn sharply right on ORV Trail #29, then 0.1 miles later angle left on ORV Trail #10, which is the final leg to the fire tower.

Looking down the power line corridor

Tick Ridge Fire Tower

            At the only switchback on ORV Trail #10, you reach a bench that looks down a power line corridor.  While this westward viewpoint is somewhat narrow and does not overlook anything of note, it is the only ridgetop viewpoint on this hike.  A couple hundred feet later, you reach the Tick Ridge Fire Tower.  A fence and removed stairs prevent you from climbing the tower, but interpretive signs tell you about the tower and the people who built it.  The dense forest allows no views.  After viewing and learning about the tower, retrace your steps down to the park office to complete the hike.

Dawkins Line Rail Trail: Royalton to Gun Creek Tunnel (Blog Hike #1122)

Trail: Dawkins Line Rail Trail
Hike Location: Dawkins Line Rail Trail
Geographic Location: southeast of Salyersville, KY (37.67641, -83.02194)
Length: 6.3 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2026
Overview: An out-and-back to the old Gun Creek Railroad Tunnel.
Park Information: https://parks.ky.gov/explore/dawkins-line-rail-trail-7831
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming February 5, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: From Salyersville, take SR 7 southeast 7 miles to the community of Royalton.  The gravel parking lot for the Dawkins Line Rail Trail's Royalton Trailhead is on the left behind the Royalton United Baptist Church.  Park here.

The hike: Stretching for 36 miles across eastern Kentucky's rural Johnson, Magoffin, and Breathitt Counties, the Dawkins Line Rail Trail is the longest rail trail in Kentucky.  The railroad was built in 1912 by the Dawkins Lumber Company, and it was known as the Big Sandy and Kentucky River Railroad.  For the next 92 years the rail line was used to extract timber from rural areas, and ownership of the railway changed hands a couple of times.  The railway eventually became the property of CSX.

            In 2002, the rail line was sold to the R. J. Corman Railroad Group, which abandoned it 2 years later.  The Commonwealth of Kentucky purchased the abandoned railway in 2011 and soon began converting it to a paved bike trail.  The trail opened in stages, and when I came here all but the Tip Top Tunnel west of Royalton was open.  The hike described here leads to the other old railroad tunnel on the Dawkins Line Rail Trail: the Gun Creek Tunnel.  While hikes on rail trails always lack in scenery, the tunnel makes for a nice destination, and several other interesting sites are passed on the way.

Royalton Trailhead, heading east

            From the Royalton Trailhead parking lot, walk up to the asphalt rail trail and head east with SR 7 at your back.  Initially the trail heads through the east part of Royalton, and my approach seemed to trigger 2 or 3 "dog alarms" at every house along the rail trail.  The dogs' barking frightened me a little, but they all stayed in their yards.  I had no trouble other than the irritating noise.

Asters and other flowers along the trail

            After you pass Gun Creek United Baptist Church, you exit the east side of Royalton, and the scenery becomes more pastoral.  Asters in bloom lined the trail on the warm late-April day that I hiked here, and I saw a lot of butterflies.  My bird viewing list included red-winged blackbirds, cardinals, and robins.

Gun Creek

            At 1.4 miles, the trail curves left to cross the wooden bridge over Gun Creek, which is a small steep-banked stream that can become a raging torrent after a heavy rain.  The first of several benches sits near the creek.  Next you cross Gun Creek Road to continue heading up the hollow, now with the creek and road downhill to your right.  A few houses are located near the trail, but they are fewer and further between compared to the area near the trailhead.

Mile marker D 16

            2.1 miles into the hike, you pass a concrete post engraved with "D 16," which is one of the mile markers from the old railroad.  The numbers decrease as you go east on the rail trail.  Although this trail is an old railroad bed, it has some grade: the tunnel is more than 150 feet higher in elevation than Royalton.  Nevertheless, the grade is gradual enough that you hardly notice you are climbing.  At 2.5 miles, you cross a high bridge over a deep ravine.  More benches are located in this area.

Gun Creek Tunnel

Wall of Gun Creek Tunnel

            Just after crossing the gravel access road for Fletcher Cemetery and passing mile marker D 15, you reach the Gun Creek Tunnel.  Unlike most old railroad tunnels, the walls of this tunnel are not bare rock: a thick wooden shell separates you from the rock.  The tunnel is 662 feet long, but its straightness allows light to come in from either end.  Thus, you don't need a flashlight to explore the tunnel.  The rail trail continues for 15 more miles, but the tunnel is a good place to turn around.  Retracing your steps back to the Royalton Trailhead completes the hike.

Paintsville Lake: Kiwanis Trail (Blog Hike #1121)

Trail: Kiwanis Trail
Hike Location: USACE Paintsville Lake Project
Geographic Location: northwest of Paintsville, KY (37.83838, -82.87383)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: April 2026
Overview: A loop hike on gravel trail passing views of Paintsville Lake and a reconstructed pioneer farm.
Park Information: https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Display/Article/3632174/paintsville-lake/
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming July 9, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 23 and SR 40 on the west side of Paintsville, take SR 40 west 1.4 miles to SR 2275 and turn right on SR 2275.  Drive SR 2275 northwest 0.8 miles to Mountain Homeplace Road and turn left on Mountain Homeplace Rd.  Drive across the dam that forms Paintsville Lake, and park in the parking lot on the left for Mountain Homeplace.

The hike: Built in 1983 for flood control purposes, Paintsville Lake occupies 1139 acres in the heart of eastern Kentucky's coal-producing region.  The dam that creates the lake was built by the Army Corps of Engineers, and 2 parks adorn its shore: Paintsville Lake State Park operated by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and a park at Paintsville Dam operated by the Corps.  While the state park offers great lake access and a 32-site developed campground, it offers no hiking trails.  Thus, I focused my visit on the Corps' park near the dam.

            The Corps' park offers 2 hiking trails: the 1.6 mile gravel Kiwanis Trail and the 7 mile Adena Trail.  The dam area also features the Mountain Homeplace Historical Area, a re-created village that depicts life in this region during the late 1800s.  The Adena Trail is too long for me at my age and fitness level, but the hike described here combines the Kiwanis Trail with a visit to the Mountain Homeplace Historical Area.  I had a great time on the warm sunny afternoon that I came here, and this park became one of my favorite hiking destinations in eastern Kentucky.

Trailhead for Kiwanis Trail

            From the Mountain Homeplace parking lot, walk northwest across the main park road to find the start of the Kiwanis Trail, which is marked by a small brown Corps sign and a large brown wooden trailhead sign.  The gravel Kiwanis Trail soon enters the woods, which is a mix of pines and broadleaf trees.  Small interpretive signs identify common plants in the forest, and numerous benches offer opportunities to rest.

Interpretive sign

            The trail descends gradually as you pass through a lightly wooded area with the Corps Visitor Center uphill to the left.  Just shy of 0.4 miles, you pass a bench that offers this trail's best view across Paintsville Lake.  The state park's marina is across the lake and through the trees to the right, and the view is surprisingly natural and undeveloped for such a small state park lake.

View across Paintsville Lake

            The gravel trail drops more steeply to reach this hike's lowest elevation before beginning a moderate climb.  Just past 0.5 miles, you pass a small picnic shelter and reach a trail fork in the middle of Paintsville Dam's spillway; a couple of oddly-placed port-o-lets sit here.  The option going left directly down the sunny spillway is the shorter option, and you could go that way if you wanted to shorten this hike.  To hike the full Kiwanis Trail, turn right to quickly head into deeper woods and begin a moderate climb.  The Adena Trail soon exits right; stay left to remain on the Kiwanis Trail.

Entering the spillway

            The next segment of trail gradually curves left as it circles a small hill on the left.  This area is great for spotting wildlife, and I had a rabbit run across the trail in front of me.  At 1.05 miles, you reach the other end of the spillway where the short option comes in from the left.  Go straight to continue around the loop.  The Mountain Homeplace re-created village can be seen through the fence ahead, but a locked gate prevents you from getting there through its rear entrance.

Sidehill trail through forest

            The rest of the Kiwanis Trail uses wide dirt sidehill trail to pass through beautiful mature forest with a steep ravine to the right.  This section would be great for leaf-peeping in the fall.  A gradual climb returns you to the parking lot to close the Kiwanis Trail's loop.

Fishtrap United Baptist Church

Old homestead

Goats in front of barn

            To also explore the Mountain Homeplace, pay the small admission fee at the Visitor Center, then walk west and follow the asphalt trail, which forms a loop through the re-created village.  I enjoyed the old homestead, the live chickens and goats around the barn, and the blacksmith shop, but my favorite building is the old Fish Trap United Baptist Church, which dates to 1843.  Think of the preachers who stood in that pulpit and the people who sat in those back-less pews!  Finishing the asphalt loop returns you to the Visitor Center to complete the hike.

Yatesville Lake State Park: Haunted Trail (Blog Hike #1120)

Trail: Haunted Trail
Hike Location: Yatesville Lake State Park
Geographic Location: west of Louisa, KY (38.09463, -82.68688)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2026
Overview: A loop along Yatesville Lake and through the park's campground.
Park Information: https://parks.ky.gov/explore/yatesville-lake-state-park-7828
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming March 16, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 23 and SR 32 on the west side of Louisa, take SR 32 west 4.4 miles to SR 3215 and turn right on SR 3215.  Drive SR 3215 2.3 miles to the park's boat ramp parking lot on the left.  Park in the smaller non-trailer spaces on the right/east side of this lot.

The hike: Tucked deep in the hills and hollows of eastern Kentucky, Yatesville Lake State Park is the eastern-most state park in Kentucky.  The park sits on a peninsula in its namesake lake, which is a 2300 acre man-made lake on Blaine Creek.  The dam that forms Yatesville Lake was built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1988 for purposes of flood control.  The park opened in 1992, making it one of the newer state parks in Kentucky.

            Considering its remote location, Yatesville Lake State Park has a surprisingly long list of amenities.  This park's most famous amenity is its award-winning golf course, one of many excellent golf courses in the Kentucky state parks system.  The park also offers a 47-site developed campground, the usual aquatic recreation on Yatesville Lake, 2 playgrounds, and 1 picnic shelter.

            For hikers, the park offers 2 trail systems: the Blue Trail on the west side of the boat ramp and the campground trails on the east side of the boat ramp.  The Blue Trail is longer and offers better lake views, but it is also open to horses.  The heavy horse traffic makes trail conditions uninviting for hikers, especially during the wetter months when I came here.  Thus, I chose to do a loop through the campground trail system.  This loop explores both the lakeside and ridgetop areas of the campground trail system, and it gives a nice sample of the hiking this park has to offer.

Entering the campground trail system

            From the east end of the boat ramp parking lot, walk east on the park entrance road for a couple hundred feet.  The trails you see leaving the road to the right lead out of the state park and into an adjacent Lawrence County park, so you want to turn left to leave the pavement and begin a two-track gravel road.  Now heading north with the lake on your left, this gravel road is used mainly to access the lakeside primitive hike-in campsites, and a metal gate forbids entry to vehicles.  Quickly you pass a small wooden sign that marks where the Wildcat Ridge Trail exits right.  Starting what would become a theme for this hike, that trail was very overgrown on my visit.

Primitive campsite access trail

            The wide gravel road undulates gently as it heads north through a mixture of broadleaf and cedar trees.  Ignore for now other narrower trails that head uphill to the right.  Soon Yatesville Lake comes in sight through the trees downhill to your left.  Like most man-made lakes in this part of the state, Yatesville Lake is slender and deep with many winding "fingers."  This finger is a branch off of Greenbrier Creek.  I saw some common birds such as cardinals while hiking along the lake.

Partially obstructed view of Yatesville Lake

            The trail passes several primitive campsites.  While each campsite offers a partially obstructed view of Yatesville Lake, some campsites have better views than others.  All sites have a firepit, a pole to hang a lantern or a sack, and at least 1 picnic table.  Also, 2 vault toilets in cement block buildings serve the campsites.

Starting the Haunted Trail

            The wide gravel trail ends at the last campsite.  To continue this hike, backtrack to the last vault toilet where the signed Haunted Trail, the next leg of this hike, heads uphill.  The next section is the hardest part of this hike: the trail heads straight up the hill on a narrow and slightly overgrown track.  The hill is steep, but after gaining about 100 feet of elevation you reach the ridgetop, where the trail flattens out.

Hiking the Haunted Trail

            The trail system on top of the ridge is poorly marked and various degrees of overgrown.  I turned left at the first 2 intersections; other trails on the park's trail map were too overgrown to be findable when I came here.  Thus, after my first 2 turns I headed straight east on the main arm of the Haunted Trail to take the shortest route to the park's campground.  Some large beech trees live on this ridge, and some large clusters of mayapple live on the forest floor.

Coming out at the campground

            At 1.35 miles, I came out at the campground near campsite #16.  The park map shows other trails that form loops, but they were too overgrown to make for pleasant hiking on my visit.  Thus, I finished my hike by walking through the campground and back out the park entrance road to return to the boat ramp parking lot.  While such a choice makes for an uninspiring way to complete the hike, it beats wading through waist-high brush or falling down steep terrain.

Fiery Gizzard State Park: Grundy Forest Day Loop (Blog Hike #1119)

Trail: Grundy Forest Day Loop
Hike Location: Fiery Gizzard State Park
Geographic Location: Tracy City, TN (35.25186, -85.74755)
Length: 2 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: March 2026
Overview: A loop hike with many rocky areas passing 2 waterfalls.
Park Information: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/fiery-gizzard
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming January 22, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: At the top of the Monteagle grade, take I-24 to exit 135.  Exit, go north on Dixie Lee Avenue for 0.6 miles, then turn right to begin heading south on US 41.  Drive US 41 south 4.5 miles to 3rd Street in Tracy City and turn right on 3rd St.  Drive 3rd St. for 0.4 miles to Marion Street and turn right on Marion St.  Drive Marion St. 0.2 miles to Fiery Gizzard Road and take a sharp right on Fiery Gizzard Rd.  Fiery Gizzard Rd. deadends at the parking lot in less than 0.1 miles.

The hike: Located on the top of Monteagle northwest of Chattanooga, Fiery Gizzard State Park has a long and interesting history as parkland.  The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) had a camp here from 1935 to 1938.  The CCC dug several lakes, worked to prevent forest fires, and built the difficult 12 mile Fiery Gizzard Trail for which this park is named.  The park became known as Grundy Forest at that time, and the Fiery Gizzard Trail gained a reputation as one of Tennessee's best backpacking trails.

            In 1978, Grundy Forest was one of 8 distinct areas that became part of the vast 30,000 acre South Cumberland State Park; nearby Savage Gulf was another one.  By the early 21st century, park leaders began to realize that South Cumberland State Park was too large, varied, and geographically diverse to manage as a single park.  Thus, in the early 2020s South Cumberland State Park was split into 3 separate state parks: Savage Gulf State Park, Head of the Crow State Park, and of course Fiery Gizzard State Park featured here.  The park's name comes from the fiery, or turbulent, stream that travels through its midst and the plentiful American gizzard shad fish that inhabit that stream.

            Today the Fiery Gizzard Trail remains this park's main attraction, but the park also offers primitive camping, a swimming beach, and a playground.  The Fiery Gizzard Trail is a very rocky and difficult trail, and it should only be attempted by fit hikers with adequate preparation.  For people wanting a miniature version of the Fiery Gizzard Trail, the Grundy Forest Day Loop described here is a good option.  Parts of this trail offer the same rockiness and scenery as the full Fiery Gizzard Trail, but at less than 2 miles long it does not peg the length or difficulty meters: it can be hiked in only a little over an hour.

Grundy Forest Trailhead

            The trailhead is located beside the restroom building; a large sign with various mileages marks the trailhead.  The trail immediately enters the woods, and in only a couple hundred feet it forks to form its loop.  To do the most scenic and most difficult part first, I turned left and used the right trail as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.  White aluminum diamonds mark the trail, as do distance markers at 0.25 mile increments.

Initial segment along gorge rim

            The first part of the loop stays in a narrow strip of forest between a gorge dropping to your right and the parking lot through the trees to your left.  The initial segment is pretty easy, but at 0.2 miles the trail curves sharply right to descend into Little Fiery Gizzard Creek's gorge.  While this trail is seldom steep, the section through the gorge is very rocky and rooty with very poor footing.  The gorge is also very scenic: a nice rock shelter welcomes you to the gorge at the base of the short initial descent.

Small rock shelter

            The trail heads downstream with cascading Little Fiery Gizzard Creek usually 10-20 feet below you to the left.  After passing a small unnamed waterfall, you reach Blue Hole Falls at 0.6 miles.  Blue Hole Falls is a ledge-type waterfall 9 feet in height; as its name suggests, it has a large and attractive plunge pool.  A CCC-built pump house used to stand near this waterfall's base.  Only the pump house's foundation remains today, but that foundation makes a great viewing platform for the waterfall.

Blue Hole Falls

            Continuing downstream, you reach a steel bridge and a trail intersection at 0.75 miles.  If you want to extend this hike, you can turn left, cross the bridge, and continue further down Fiery Gizzard Creek.  Such a choice leads to 2 more waterfalls within the next 0.75 miles.  Initially I had planned to do the extension, but my older knees and ankles were not taking this trail's rockiness well.  Thus, I skipped the extension and stayed right to continue around the Grundy Forest Day Loop.

Steel bridge to hike extension

Rocky trail in Fiery Gizzard Gorge

            The trail continues clinging to the north wall of the gorge as a gradual climb begins.  Soon Little Fiery Gizzard Creek is replaced by Big Fiery Gizzard Creek just above their confluence, and you begin heading upstream with Big Fiery Gizzard Creek downhill to your left.  1.1 miles into the hike, you reach Hanes Hole Falls.  Hanes Hole Falls has a more angular look than Blue Hole Falls, but it is also 1 foot taller, has more water volume, and has an equally large plunge pool.  The trail stays well above the waterfall, but gaps in the trees provide excellent views.

Hanes Hole Falls

            Just past Hanes Hole Falls, the trail curves sharply right and climbs a couple of short switchbacks to exit the gorge.  The balance of the hike follows a rim-top course through forest that is a mixture of pines and broadleaf trees with lots of holly.  While this section is not as scenic as the outbound section through the gorge, the dirt trail is mostly flat, rock-free, and easy.

Old CCC camp area

            At 1.45 miles, you reach the site of the old CCC camp; a short loop trail tours what remains of the campsite.  Interpretive signs tell about the CCC's history, and markers indicate where various structures stood.  Another 0.5 miles of hiking along the rim closes the loop, and a left turn quickly brings you back to the trailhead to complete the hike.