Winter Time Best time for House Mountain Hike!

With clear blue skies and fall leaves gone, the views are spectacular along the trails at House Mountain State Park.  Located out off Rutledge Pike (past East Knox Elem) this unusual outcropping offers a challenging hike but in three miles you can enjoy a lot of great views.   Some of my regular hike buds (Sharon Spezia, Carl Loy, Jerry Owens) joined some of the Biggest Winner team, my sister Tina and Gracie B my 11 year old.  This trail is also a popular for dogs and we had two along, Billy a standard poodle and my 5 pd yorkie named Rocky.  We headed up the west end trail which proves to have a half mile of real steep climbing but we took our time and enjoyed the short rest on top of the west overlook.  You can see back towards Knoxville.  Then you get to hike north/east along a relatively level part of the trail.  You see an old fire ranger station shed on top of the mountain off to the left of the trail then come to the Y where to take a right you head back down to parking lot but we kept going out to two big rocky overlooks.  The second one has a flag pole and old American flag.  The views are amazing as you can see for miles out over millertown pike area and on past that across Corryton, Oaks Farm etc.  Past this area the trail gets more narrow and there is a smaller outcrop area for views towards the east.  

Coming down the windy trail back to the parking lot, is steep and we took our time and saw many other families with kids and dogs along the route.  Even though we only did 3 1/2 to 4 miles we covered over 11,000 steps on my pedometer and had a great workout.  Kudos to our Three Biggest Winner team hikers. This was Amanda's first hike up to House Mountain, Melody has been working overtime (nurse) but still had no problem with this hike and Lee Ann had done part of this hike once and swore it was way to hard. But now after working out for 6 weeks and dropping some wt and gaining strength she was smiling at the top and LOVED the hike.  My 11 year old Gracie thought this was a "terrible idea" to hike on her break but was skipping, singing and having fun with the gang and the two dogs.  My sister was glad I "convinced" her to join us too. 

Sharing 7 Islands with Cousin Pam & Friends
My cousin Pam lives in Nashville in a Group Home (Sertoma) and came up to visit us over the holidays.
After getting to go to WBIR studio to watch Mornings with Fox 43 and getting bear hugs from "foxy men" at the studio (yes she loves men) we headed off to Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge Center close to Kodak off Midway road.  Pam along with my 5 pd yorky Rocky joined hiking buds Carl Loy, Sharon Spezia, Carol Osborne & dog Tara, & Pam and George McClain.   There are over 6 miles of wide natural trails and out of the parking lot a 200 meter climb to the top.  Pam used this as good excuse to grab hold of Carl's hand and practically didn't let go.  At the top there are nice views of the Smokies.  And we could see and hear all sorts of different birds.  Carol says in the mornings she sees many many deer. There are some nice overlook areas with benches which Pam and yorky Rocky enjoyed a few times.  Cutting thru a wooded trail you hit the lower fields that have paths leading to a peninsula where an Eagle resided a year and half ago.  You can head back to the main paved road and make it a short 2-3 miler or go around the edge of the property and add another 2 -3 miles.   Every time I go I try to leave time to hit the Tuckahoe Trading post for old fashion lunch specials.  Pam said she deserved the country fried steak but the rest of us tried to be good with the pinto's, green beans, slaw but had to all try the homemade peach cobbler.

But this is a neat area that is diverse w/ all sorts of wildlife (5 types of owls) and plants.  Ed McAlister @ River Sports also often leads canoe/paddling trips out of this area for Legacy Parks. www.legacyparks.org for more info too.

Melton Hill Park Great little park w/ trails, views and close to town

Melton Hill Park   Great Views, great mowed trails, and great for dog lovers too

Melton Hill park is not far from Knoxville or Oak Ridge.  I went there this fall with the elementary Cross Country program (KTC) but wanted to go back w/ my dogs and family.   It is off Hardin Valley road where you turn between Hardin Valley Elem and the big new Food City.  After half mile you turn left at first intersection and wind around country farm area for a few miles. Look for signs to park and soon you'll be there.   Over 100 acres and a over 2 miles of mowed trails.  We parked down by playground and boat launch area and headed to a little trail in the woods next to the water.  Then we came out on some mowed trails and crossed the man road and then hit an area where you can see the model planes flying.

There are picnic areas, trails for hiking & biking and then in warmer months boating and swimming too. 

Checked out Melton Hill Park
It is out off Hardin Valley Road.  You turn right between Elem School and NIce New FOOD City and then at next intersection turn left and just keep going untill you run into park.  It is on a penninsula with water all around and views of ridges past Oak Ridge.  There are 2 miles of mowed grass trails and some rocky, dirt trails close to the water behind play ground.  We parked close to water and volley ball courts then hit about 3/4 of mile of rocky trail and Gracie and dogs enjoyed the neat rock formations. Then we ended up on a mowed trail and came back out to playground.  We then headed up road like you are leaving again but crossed it and headed up the mowed trails and found the airplane field and watched some model planes being flown. After that we wandered down to waterfront on other side.  You look over the clinch and there is more melton hill park on other side only reached out off Bethel Valley road.  They have cross country meets out here in the fall (KTC) and they are really neat scenic trails which are perfect for those starting to hike or just out like us for a family Sunday afternoon walk. Dogs allowed and pretty sure bikes allowed too.  Lots of places to picnic and in summer boating, and swimming.

Cubs & Courthouse Rock rockin good time

Driving into the parking lot of Suglarlands, we all commented (hubby jim, ellen morrar and 10 year old Gracie) "we hike a lot and never see bears!", then we looked up from parking lot and there was two sleeping in a tree.   A small mom and cub then were encouraged down and away to keep them from getting to cozy next to busiest tourist spot in park.  So that was a neat treat for us all (especially the 10 year old who was complaining of getting up @ 7 on a day off from school + it was damp/cold day)

Our group met up with our Mountain Man leader Glen Cantrell who knows all the listed and non listed trails in the Smokies.  We headed up toward Chimneys but after the big pretty overlook parking you see on your left we found a pull out for quiet walkway and parked there.   Next we walked back down road about 200 yards and crossed over and headed into the woods..  You can kinda see that it was an old road bed (flat wide) and Glen said that was the old highway 71.   We then found a trail and headed up and around thru area where he mentioned corn fields etc used to be.  Sure enough little later before crossing a creek we spotted an old tub w/ bush growing right out from it.

Due to heavy rains we came up another way but were delighted to see that  one of the Brown Book (hikers bible many say) authors Doris Gove and her buddy Jenny and grandson Andrew came in on another side trail (little more direct but more rock hopping) to head up to Court House Rock.  After climbing up thru Rhododendrum thicket there is a side trail on left to take to see the rock but we went straight to first see Lovers Leap and he was a pretty area w/ big rock and nice view back down over Little River and across to Gatlinburg

   We backtracked a little to find that turn and headed upward and then kept lookin for carins (little rock statues folks put to show you where to turn) and headed down to see a beautiful waterfall that Glen called Quillams falls.   The family had a house and barn up on the side of the mountain in early 1900's.

 Then back to the trail we went up further and it was hard to spot but there was a small carin and rock kinda in shape of arrow that was next to a grown over trail and we headed up to see the "famous Court House Rock" and it was impressive! Very misty up there so we didnt climb around on it too much but quite an interesting formation to see!

I know more folks want to go including some of my Biggest Winner Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon crew so I'll work on another date to hook up with some hike legends like Glen and Doris and Hit the Trail again! 

Fontana a Fit and Fun Destination

I always love heading over to Fontana, as it is a great close get a way with lots of fitness options.  Fontana helps sponsor Get on Trails for Friends of the Smokies and also has helped out at the Hope Auction for Covenant Health.  So twice a year I take folks on a fit fun trip.  A few of us bikers headed up the  backside (steep) of Foothills parkway and along the straight part of 129 for 20 miles then hopped in our cars.  We drove the "Dragon" which was sooo pretty and not too many fast motorcycles during the week. At Deals Gap we turn left towards Fontana and then bike along the pretty pretty 28 for 10 miles.   At fontana we stayed in the Lodge and ate at Mountain Bistro   The food is always superb and the pastry chef even whipped up a yummy cake for Sharon Spezia's birthday.   We had 14 of us inluding a "thru AT hiker" johnny who told us about his adventures on the Appalachian Trail.    Day 2 we drove the 2 miles over the Marina and rode Ms HAzel over to EagleCreek area to hike up Lost Cove (straight up) to AT.  There we turned left to off trail to Shuck STack Tower.  You have got to go to That Tower some day as it has 360 gorgeous views.   Then we headed down AT to marina while some went onto Twenty Mile ranger station. 

Get on Trail Thomas Divide Newton Bald to smokemont

Our 4th hike of our GEt on Trail w/ Friends & Missy 2011 Fall Series was filled with vivid color and great vistas.    Rocky Top Tours met us at Smokemont Campground (close to Oconoluftee visitor center) and we headed back up Newfound Gap Road to trailhead to Thomas Divide.   We hiked up and down along a pretty area that often ran across the top of a ridge where you could see out both sides.  Our extreme hike crew met us as they hiked in on Kenati Fork trail 5 miles then headed up to where we started  then were going down to smokemont for their 15 mile hike.   The trail in some areas was rugged and narrow so we took our time and poles came in handy.   We came to the intersection to Newton Bald area and headed to the campsite 52 where we ate our lunch.   Unlike some sites that are more in the woods this one had great views too.  The last 5 miles down Newton Bald were very steep going down and you had to be careful of footing as leaves were covering the rocks and roots. But the color was getting more and more vivid.  We read a little before the hike how the trail was named after William Thomas was one of the only white men to be named a cherokee chief.  He was a self educated attorney who learned the cherokee language and he stood up for their rights in Washington.   He led soldiers including native americans in fighting in the Civil war on the confederate side and their strength and bravery are legendary.    The area close to where we hiked was the site of one of the skirmishes in the Civil War as up along the Thomas Divide was  what was called "the last shot of the civil war".  Historians said if not for Thomas the Easter band of Cherokee Nation might not be in existence.  He lived from 1805-1893 and is buried close to Waynesville NC.