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Post by miscanthus on Aug 22, 2017 14:52:06 GMT -8
I am looking for a moderate 2 night 20 miler near Chattanooga. A loop is preferred but not necessary. Mid October. Thanks
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schlanky
Trail Wise!
Lead singer, driver of the Winnebago
Posts: 452
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Post by schlanky on Aug 23, 2017 11:33:35 GMT -8
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Post by miscanthus on Aug 23, 2017 15:32:09 GMT -8
Thanks a lot guys!
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Post by ashepabst on Aug 24, 2017 5:46:05 GMT -8
If you can go a bit north of Chattanooga, Savage Gulf is great, but may be crowded. did you hear they started requiring reservations? the last time I thought about going every damn site in the park was booked full.
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schlanky
Trail Wise!
Lead singer, driver of the Winnebago
Posts: 452
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Post by schlanky on Aug 24, 2017 6:04:17 GMT -8
Yep. I haven't been there since reservations started. In years past, Savage Gulf was always one of my fallbacks. If I had a vacation day tagged to a weekend, and the forecast looked bad for wherever I was going, I could easily switch to Savage Gulf at the last minute. With the reservations, it's really not possible to decide to go there last minute any more in peak season because the sites are already reserved.
Frozen Head started a reservation system last spring. Folks there told me that backcountry reservations will eventually be required at all state-run parks in the state.
I have mixed feelings about the reservations. Driving from Birmingham, it's nice to have a site reserved and not have to race to get somewhere to make sure I'm early enough to get a site. But it also kills last minute planning. And if you book it two weeks out and the forecast goes to hell right before the trip, you lose your money if you bail. It's not much money, but still.
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driftwoody
Trail Wise!
Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
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Post by driftwoody on Aug 24, 2017 9:28:15 GMT -8
Switching from tent to hammock has considerably lessened my concerns about hiking to a backcountry site and finding it occupied. Not sure if camping offsite is prohibited in Savage Gulf, but a stealth hang out of sight can solve some problems (as long as you don't get caught).
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Post by ashepabst on Aug 24, 2017 12:05:23 GMT -8
TN State Parks are super anal about their rules... no offtrail, no night hiking, no dispersed camping, no beers for goodness' sake . they actually send rangers out to the backcountry sites at dusk to check for rule violators and junk. it's an awesome park though
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2017 7:50:08 GMT -8
If you haven't done the Fiery Gizzard, it's about a hour west of Chattanooga....
The Cherokee National Forest also has several loops that are often overlooked....the Sylco creek Trail is about a 15 mile loop and has a pretty nice camp site or two on the south side of Parksview Lake....The Sumac Creek trail, if done in a figure 8 is over 15 miles and has a few nice places to camp....it's located about 3 miles west of the Cohutta wilderness area off West Cowpen road...
The Jacks river trail, crossing the Cohutta Wilderness area, with 41 river crossings is pretty nice too....not a loop though....
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driftwoody
Trail Wise!
Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
Posts: 14,984
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Post by driftwoody on Aug 25, 2017 15:03:08 GMT -8
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Post by rustyshackleford on Aug 29, 2017 12:51:55 GMT -8
I've been to savage gulf five times over the past 2 years (since reservations have been required) and never had an issue getting a site. 4 of the 5 trips were in fall/winter/spring and the more remote campsites. However just a few weeks ago I took the family for a Saturday-Sunday stay at savage falls campground when high temps were in the mid 70s and no rain (a weekend that would draw the biggest crowd). There was only one other site reserved on a Saturday night at savage falls, which is only 2 miles from the parking lot. and I've never seen a ranger on any trail or any campsite. most parks say no alcohol but as long as you're not acting like a jacka$$ then no oone will care.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2017 12:08:23 GMT -8
I've never seen a ranger on any trail or any campsite. Same in the Cherokee never seen a ranger on any trail....I've pasted them on the roads a few times and tried to get them to stop but they just kept going....with 12 leo's covering 690,000 acres I suspect they're just to busy to stop. Come to think of it, I can't say I've ever seen one on the trails in the Cohutta's.....or in the Unicoi....
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schlanky
Trail Wise!
Lead singer, driver of the Winnebago
Posts: 452
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Post by schlanky on Aug 31, 2017 7:12:59 GMT -8
I've never seen a ranger on any trail or any campsite. Out of 10 or so trips to Savage Gulf, rangers showed up at dusk on all but two trips---once at Sawmill when I was the only person camped there and once at Hobbs Cabin. Maybe they've eased up on that since I've been there.
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Post by kevinumberger on Aug 31, 2017 13:03:19 GMT -8
the one and only time ive been to savage gulf----the rangers showed up right as it was getting dark.....
and this was winter time, with a few inches of snow on ground....
the campsite (alum gap) had a ton of people in it though.....
the rangers had driven on the road that borders the park and then just hopped the fence.................we were wondering why we could hear a vehicle.....and a few minutes later found out why...
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Post by mountaindreamer on Sept 10, 2017 10:24:49 GMT -8
Are the trails in the Big Frog maintained and suitable for moderate hiking?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2017 12:43:58 GMT -8
Are the trails in the Big Frog maintained and suitable for moderate hiking? That's a good question. Recent fires in the Cohutta's have left many of the trails with down timber. I haven't been north into Big Frog lately.
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