Tennessee | Unicoi County
1 January 2024
Things I love about this trail:
- Fast and easy to get to from Johnson City
- Ample parking
- Restrooms with flush toilets, sinks, and paper towels to dry your hands (no baby changing table)
- Playground at trailhead (though Arlo isn’t old enough to appreciate this yet)
- Feels secluded in many parts despite close proximity to interstate
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Overview
Alltrails lists this as a 9.5-mile hard out-and-back trail with a total elevation gain of 1,768 ft. You can view or download the route if you have a Gaia GPS account. When I’m hiking alone or in an area I’m generally unfamiliar with (and I actually plan my trip far enough in advance), I like to download my hiking route to my Garmin watch so I don’t have to worry if I’m on course and quickly check my trip progress. I love the ability to glance at my watch and know how many more miles and the elevation gain I have left. I don’t so much love my watch erroneously freaking out and telling me I’m off course dozens of times. I can probably change some settings to make it less sensitive, but I haven’t looked into it. Maybe one day.
Trailhead
lat/long: 36.20867, -82.35497
Parking
There are at least two dozen parking spots. The majority of them are unshaded and perpendicular to the road. Four parking spots are at least partially shaded and directly next to the restrooms. It’s unlikely the parking lot will ever be full. But if you plan to breastfeed in your car before your hike, you may be unable to park in the shade, and you may have someone parking directly next to you. I have tinted windows, built-in rear sun shades, and always have my windshield shade in my car, so this isn’t a problem for me.
Picnic areas
Not only are there picnic tables at the trailhead, but there is also a full-blown playground (Jack Snider Park) built from all-natural materials! The playground area is covered in mulch chips, so you don’t have to worry about puddles if you visit after rain. And there are plenty of areas to toss down a picnic blanket in the shade.
On the trail
This trail is popular for mountain bikers. Because of that, you can rest assured of a few things. 1) You don’t have to worry about climbing over major obstacles with a baby on your back; 2) You don’t have to worry about ducking under rhododendron tunnels; and 3) It’s wide enough that you shouldn’t be too concerned with brushing up against vegetation along the trail. If you have a history of tick diseases or are trying to avoid a history with them, then this last one may be particularly exciting for you!
Breastfeeding on the trail
If you use a soft structured carrier, like a Lille or Ergo, and can wear your baby on the front while breastfeeding, then – well, you can breastfeed under any circumstances, and this section is probably irrelevant to you. But, if you hope to find a level patch of dirt where you can plop down and feed your baby out of the carrier – you won’t have many options directly adjacent to the trail. Because the trail is popular with mountain bikers, you don’t want to risk taking a break directly on the trail, either. And despite the extensive rhododendron sprawl along the undergrown, there are still areas you can hike off trail to possibly find a patch of level ground. But not many. The other major issue with this game plan is that the trail switches up the mountain, so the terrain is steep on either side of the trail. It’s not a creekside trail where much of the terrain gently slopes. So plan accordingly.
Cell phone coverage
You will have no issue with coverage at the trailhead. According to the Verizon and AT&T published cell coverage maps, you should have complete coverage throughout the trail with both providers.
Gear
I didn’t pack anything atypical for this trip. I used our Osprey Poco Plus on this trip, which was pretty comfortable for Arlo and me. This was a solo hike, and it was snowing lightly and pretty cold outside. Arlo was layered up and capped with a balaclava, mittens, and booties. Here’s a blog on Arlo’s winter layers if you are curious about how I keep him warm on winter hikes. A blog about what I pack for every hike is coming soon!
Agency Contact/Jurisdiction
This trail falls entirely within the Cherokee National Forest. That means dogs are allowed on the trail! That also means that should there be any closures for trail maintenance, you should be able to find that information on the Forest Service website. And should you make it to the top of the trail, you can check out the fire tower! Alternatively, if you have a high-clearance vehicle, you can drive most of the way and hike the last half mile to the fire tower. Check out the Forest Service page for directions. One day, I hope to update this section with contact information for the appropriate ranger district, but USDA’s website is currently being a pain in the rear, so I can’t do that today. But I do know that Unicoi County has a very active Search and Rescue organization. So, in the unfortunate event you need help, capable volunteers and first responder professionals will gladly assist you.