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This trail takes you toward Round Bald, then Jane Bald, and on toward Grassy Ridge. The origin of these balds is unclear, but many believe Native Americans and grazing animals kept the trees at bay. Regardless, the balds expose panoramic vistas from an impressively high vantage.
Distance from Nashville: 390 miles
Level: Moderate
Length: 4.8 miles
tnstateparks.com
Roan Mountain Highlands
Evergreen forests, stunning 360-degree views, exposed balds (that’s hiker-speak for a low-elevation mountain that’s surrounded by forest but has no trees), and blueberry-bush-lined trails—Roan Mountain Highlands is the farthest from Nashville but a must-do hike because of its ethereal beauty. From Carver’s Gap—open year-round, though there is often substantial snow in the winter and early spring—on the Appalachian Trail, this is the longest stretch of grassy bald in the Appalachian Mountains.This trail takes you toward Round Bald, then Jane Bald, and on toward Grassy Ridge. The origin of these balds is unclear, but many believe Native Americans and grazing animals kept the trees at bay. Regardless, the balds expose panoramic vistas from an impressively high vantage.
Trail tip:
The exposed rock on sections of this hike is among the oldest on the Appalachian Trail, dating back 1.1 billion years.Distance from Nashville: 390 miles
Level: Moderate
Length: 4.8 miles
tnstateparks.com
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Distance from Nashville: 205 miles
Level: Difficult
Length: 13.8 miles (pictured: Alum Cave Trail)
lecontelodge.com
Rainbow Falls Trail to LeConte Lodge
In 1925, a conservationist group gathered and pitched tents atop the 6,593-foot Mount LeConte to promote a national park’s establishment. They hosted influential figures to show off Mount LeConte’s glory—like the peak’s sunrise and sunset, said to be the best around. Today, the Smoky Mountains National Park is the country’s most visited national park. Of the five hikes up to the lodge, Molloy suggests Rainbow Falls for spring: Think far-reaching views (at Rocky Spur), a 70-foot waterfall, and the area’s most amazing wildflower display. There’s 1,750 feet of elevation gain over 2.5 miles, so get ready to huff. To see the true summit of Mount LeConte, hike an additional half-mile to Cliff Top (logging 6.9 miles one way). Beware of snow and ice hanging on in early spring, and check the website for any trail or parking closures.Trail tip:
From LeConte Lodge, hike less than a half-mile to Cliff Top (at sunset) or to Myrtle Point (at sunrise) for dazzling panoramic views of the valley below.Distance from Nashville: 205 miles
Level: Difficult
Length: 13.8 miles (pictured: Alum Cave Trail)
lecontelodge.com
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Distance from Nashville: 148 miles
Level: Moderate or easy
Length: A 4.6-mile loop (moderate) or 1.4 miles (easy)
nps.gov/biso
Twin Arches Loop
Giant twin arches, a rustic lodge, and waterfalls? You’ve got it all on the Twin Arches Loop. Part of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, which is stacked with massive sandstone bluffs and brilliant panoramic views, the Twin Arches Loop serves up a remarkable day hike for the Nashville hiker. From the trailhead, join Twin Arches Trail and head into an oak forest; in less than a mile you’ll encounter stairs descending from the plateau to the Twin Arches. The larger of the two side-by-side arches is the South Arch, which spans more than 150 feet with a clearance of 70 feet. You can return back to the parking lot here (that’s the 1.4-mile option) or continue along the creek, moving clockwise along the Twin Arches Loop Trail to hit Charit Creek Lodge and then Jake’s Place, the remains of an 1800s farmstead. Follow the trail back to the plateau along a string of bluffs and rock houses to loop back to the Twin Arches, then back to where you parked.Trail tip:
The “twins x93 are the largest arches in Tennessee. According to the National Park Service, if both components of the arches are considered parts of a single feature, few natural bridges in the world surpass the Twin Arches in size.Distance from Nashville: 148 miles
Level: Moderate or easy
Length: A 4.6-mile loop (moderate) or 1.4 miles (easy)
nps.gov/biso
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From the parking lot, hike the trail along the river’s edge until you hit a junction. Take the stairs up to the bluff for an expansive overlook on both sides, or continue along the river’s edge toward a pool of water and a tunnel through the cliff. Backtrack the trail to hike out.
Distance from Nashville: 37 miles
Level: Easy
Length: 1.8 miles
tnstateparks.com
Narrows of the Harpeth
Only 45 minutes from downtown Nashville, this is the closest, most accessible hike, and it doles out expansive bluff views and a historic tunnel hand-carved into a cliff. Part of the Harpeth River State Park, the so-called “Narrows x93 run along a section of the Harpeth River that, in a 5-mile bend, curves back within 200 feet of itself to create a bottleneck of land.From the parking lot, hike the trail along the river’s edge until you hit a junction. Take the stairs up to the bluff for an expansive overlook on both sides, or continue along the river’s edge toward a pool of water and a tunnel through the cliff. Backtrack the trail to hike out.
Trail tip:
On the drive in, keep your eyes peeled for Mound Bottom, an 800-year-old town built by Native Americans. Archeologists believe the town had political and ceremonial significance. Today, only its giant manmade temple mound and several smaller mounds remain.Distance from Nashville: 37 miles
Level: Easy
Length: 1.8 miles
tnstateparks.com
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From the ranger station, gain the Stone Door Trail toward the Big Stone Door, a 10-foot-wide, 100-foot-deep slash in the bluffs. Indians and settlers once used this “door x93 to access the gulfs, or gorges, below. The trail then ushers you past the Great Stone Door Overlook—this is one of Tennessee’s finest panoramas, according to trail pro Molloy. If you’re taking the easy route, return to the parking lot here. Otherwise, forge ahead. A huge sandstone slab serves up brilliant perspectives over a handful of gorges, which is the first of many overlooks you’ll see as you hop onto the Big Creek Rim Trail. Continue from overlook to overlook until you join the Laurel Trail. You’ll enter a wetland and soon encounter the remains of a moonshining operation.
Distance from Nashville: 91 miles
Level: Moderate or easy
Length: 7 miles (moderate) or 0.9 miles (easy)
friendsofscsra.org
Stone Door Circuit
Within South Cumberland State Park, this hike is nestled between Tracy City and Monteagle atop the Cumberland Plateau. A great entry-level hike for longer distances, the 7-mile loop has relatively minor elevation changes and yet all the spoils: incredible views, blooming dogwoods and mountain laurel in the spring, and the remains of clandestine operations for which the South is notorious—moonshine still sites.From the ranger station, gain the Stone Door Trail toward the Big Stone Door, a 10-foot-wide, 100-foot-deep slash in the bluffs. Indians and settlers once used this “door x93 to access the gulfs, or gorges, below. The trail then ushers you past the Great Stone Door Overlook—this is one of Tennessee’s finest panoramas, according to trail pro Molloy. If you’re taking the easy route, return to the parking lot here. Otherwise, forge ahead. A huge sandstone slab serves up brilliant perspectives over a handful of gorges, which is the first of many overlooks you’ll see as you hop onto the Big Creek Rim Trail. Continue from overlook to overlook until you join the Laurel Trail. You’ll enter a wetland and soon encounter the remains of a moonshining operation.
Trail tip:
Along the Big Creek Rim Trail, you can find Alum Gap backcountry campsites; a camping permit must be obtained at the ranger’s station.Distance from Nashville: 91 miles
Level: Moderate or easy
Length: 7 miles (moderate) or 0.9 miles (easy)
friendsofscsra.org
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Thankfully, the days of running into escaped convicts are long gone. Rest easy as you move beyond the prison, toward Lookout Tower Trail, to pass over to the north side of the mountain; the ridgeline marks the Tennessee Valley Divide. At the next split, head left toward Lookout Tower and its observation deck, which delivers expansive views that, on a clear day, extend all the way to Mount LeConte. Backtrack the trail to the parking lot.
Distance from Nashville: 260 miles
Level: Moderate
Length: 5.4 miles
tnstateparks.com
Frozen Head Tower via Armes Gap
Gain this trail from Armes Gap and weave through a hardwood forest. Soon you’ll pass the fortress-like facility of the now-defunct 1896 Brushy Mountain State Prison. Most famously, this prison was home to Martin Luther King Jr.’s convicted assassin, James Earl Ray. In a rather dramatic, carefully planned escape attempt, he and six other inmates staged a fight, distracted guards, and scaled a 14-foot wall using ladders they made from plumbing materials to get out. But Ray didn’t last long in what is now Frozen Head State Park—he was found, captured, and returned to the prison two days later.Thankfully, the days of running into escaped convicts are long gone. Rest easy as you move beyond the prison, toward Lookout Tower Trail, to pass over to the north side of the mountain; the ridgeline marks the Tennessee Valley Divide. At the next split, head left toward Lookout Tower and its observation deck, which delivers expansive views that, on a clear day, extend all the way to Mount LeConte. Backtrack the trail to the parking lot.
Trail tip:
This trail takes you to the highest point on the Cumberland Plateau, reaching 3,324 feet.Distance from Nashville: 260 miles
Level: Moderate
Length: 5.4 miles
tnstateparks.com