Just found this forum...

[DustinTN]

Hello all,

Just found this forum through the Facebook page of Stick's Blog. I'm also starting a blog about backpacking myself. I'm sure there is much knowledge to be gained here!

I live in Nashville, and most of my hiking has been in Tennessee, but I look forward to that changing over time. Anyhow, I'm looking forward to digging in to the forums a bit.

Dustin

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Welcome to TrailGroove!

[AdventureMyk]

Hey Dustin, I found the place last night and joined in on a couple of posts. Welcome from Knoxville! I'm a bit closer to some of the more well-known hiking and also transitioning into backpacking. (Normally kayak/motorcycle camping). Maybe we'll catch each other out on a trail!

-Myk

[DustinTN]

Hey Dustin, I found the place last night and joined in on a couple of posts. Welcome from Knoxville! I'm a bit closer to some of the more well-known hiking and also transitioning into backpacking. (Normally kayak/motorcycle camping). Maybe we'll catch each other out on a trail!

-Myk

Hey Myk! I love living in Nashville, but I sometimes envy you guys out East (I was actually born in Knoxville and have family there.) I just got back from Bridgestone/Firestone (by Virgin Falls you prob know) today. Did a quick overnighter. Will keep an eye out for your posts. Do hope to see you out in the woods sometime!

[AdventureMyk]

Not sure where Virgin Falls is but this was an awesome weekend for it! Will keep an eye out.

[DustinTN]

Not sure where Virgin Falls is but this was an awesome weekend for it! Will keep an eye out.

Virgin Falls is in Sparta, TN on the Cumberland Plateau. It is a GREAT place to go backpacking, IMO. It's a 4.5 mile out and back and the main falls are at the very end of the trail. Here's a review I did recently:

http://www.towardsimple.com/2014/05/trail-review-virgin-falls-trail.html#more

[AdventureMyk]

Love the review and checking the links. My friend wants to do an overnight this weekend so it might just be on the radar.

After a bit of mild searching and such it seems right up our alley. I see it is state owned and lots of camping with the state maps, etc. Registrations are a given at the trailhead but I did not see anything mentioning a fee for camping. Assuming there isn't one? (Smokys is $8 a person for a night or something like that and it's still worth it to us)

[DustinTN]

Hey Myk. No fees or permit required! There is a registration book at the trailhead. For my money, the best campsite is right by the falls, just because it's cool to camp right next to such a cool natural feature. When I went, though, we camped along the Caney Fork, just a short hop from the falls. It was nice as well. I thing the trail gets a fair amount of traffic on the weekends, so you might consider trying to get their early to claim the camping spot you want. It is a GREAT trail! Hope you dig it if you head out there.

[AdventureMyk]

That's kind of the game plan. Leave Knoxville at O'Dark-thirty and lay claim to a spot. If I'm not mistaken by a few reviews you register for the spot you want (X tents per site) and a few gave up the same names to go for. I'm looking forward to it.

[DustinTN]

Glad to hear you're heading out there (and a little envious…) Enjoy!