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Hiking Tennessee
Sixty-two hikes in forests, limestone sinks and caves, and the Great Smoky Mountains.
- GenresReference
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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September 27, 2014
This venerable guide has gotten really long in the tooth, with dated content, questionable layout, no color photographs, and a lack of map detail beyond simple line drawings. It's still a good source of information for where to hike, but I would not rely on it as my sole source of data for any hike. It lacks trailhead GPS coordinates, a must these days. The elevations reported are inconsistently measured and presented; sometimes it shows the difference between high and low points and sometimes it simply states "Elevations: 400 feet." OK, what does that mean? 400 feet of change or differential? The whole hike is at 400 feet ASL? No idea without hiking the trail!
I've also noticed some questionable trail routings. For example, the two trails in Big Hill Pond State Park are oddly laid out. The Azalea Combination Trail makes a fantastic 2.75 mile loop by following the boardwalk and ascending to the observation tower as specified in this guide, then descending to the dam on the horse trail and a steep but short ascent to the trailhead. This guide, however, presents it as an out-and-back. The Dry Ridge Trail as presented in the guide is 5.5 miles. However, as specified in the book, it ends at the observation tower, requiring either a return via the same route or a 1 mile walk to the Azalea trailhead with either a shuttle or a good 3 to 4 mile walk along park roads to get back to the starting point. That's not specified in the hike summary; only a close reading of the description lets you know what you're in for!
On the flip side, I don't know of any other Tennessee hiking guide that covers Big Hill Pond (which is a hidden gem in the Tennessee State Parks system) so it deserves credit for that. Use this book as a starting point, but be aware that the information is insufficient for hiking!
At its publication, this was the bible for hiking in the state. 10 years ago, it would have been 4 stars. Sadly, I can't muster more than 2 stars for it in its current state--an update would be most welcome, Falcon and Ms. Roark!
I've also noticed some questionable trail routings. For example, the two trails in Big Hill Pond State Park are oddly laid out. The Azalea Combination Trail makes a fantastic 2.75 mile loop by following the boardwalk and ascending to the observation tower as specified in this guide, then descending to the dam on the horse trail and a steep but short ascent to the trailhead. This guide, however, presents it as an out-and-back. The Dry Ridge Trail as presented in the guide is 5.5 miles. However, as specified in the book, it ends at the observation tower, requiring either a return via the same route or a 1 mile walk to the Azalea trailhead with either a shuttle or a good 3 to 4 mile walk along park roads to get back to the starting point. That's not specified in the hike summary; only a close reading of the description lets you know what you're in for!
On the flip side, I don't know of any other Tennessee hiking guide that covers Big Hill Pond (which is a hidden gem in the Tennessee State Parks system) so it deserves credit for that. Use this book as a starting point, but be aware that the information is insufficient for hiking!
At its publication, this was the bible for hiking in the state. 10 years ago, it would have been 4 stars. Sadly, I can't muster more than 2 stars for it in its current state--an update would be most welcome, Falcon and Ms. Roark!
Displaying 1 of 1 review