Henry Horton State Park Inner Hickory Ridge Loop

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Henry Horton State Park

Inner Hickory Ridge Loop

Marshall County, TN

Why Go:                                                                            

·         45 Minute drive from Nashville

·         Trails are Blazed and easy to follow

·         Hike along the Duck River

·         Restaurant/Bar located in the park

Disappointments:

·         Highway traffic noise can be heard along most of the trails in the park.

Caution:

·         This park is popular with RVers and the park can become a bit crowded. Early spring and late fall is the best time to visit.

Commentary:

            Henry Horton State Park has over 9 miles of trails and is on 1,535 acres. It is one of Tennessee’s most popular parks. It’s an easy drive from Nashville (south on I-65) and the park has lots of amenities. There is a golf course, trap/skeet shooting range, pool, playgrounds, cabins, Inn, conference center, restaurant and camping. Throughout the year the park staff provides information programs on both nature and historical topics.  The Duck River, which runs through the park is one of Tennessee’s scenic waterways and there are local paddle outfitters that rent equipment outside of the park.  This would be great weekend destination for those that would like to leave the city behind for a few days.

        

Sinkhole along Trail

    The Inner Hickory Ridge Loop hike starts in the campground area by the camp store and then skirts past the Group Camping site. The trail is blazed orange and there is both an inner and outer loop. The fork for the outer loop will be marked with a double orange blaze and will extend the hike for another 1.25 miles. There are three distinct ecosystems that the hike passes through. The first being the Limestone Sinkholes, sometimes referred to as karsts, which result in impressive indentations in the ground. A hiker will then walk through one of the few endangered ecosystems called Cedar Glades that are found in middle Tennessee. These Cedar Glades are barren, and desert like in appearance with a very thin layer of top soil that supports Prickly Pear Cactus. Throughout most of the hike and the last of the ecosystems that can be experienced is the Old Hickory Forest. This includes the hardwood trees of both Hickory and Oaks. These trees provide great shade when hiking during the hot summers of Middle TN.

Old Hickory Forest

            When going to or from the park by way of I-65 there is a great bakery along the way that serves both breakfast and lunch. It is called Marcy Jo’s. I would recommend stopping here for a meal or a snack. The cinnamon rolls are great, and my husband really enjoyed the Butterfinger Cake.  

                                                                                                                                                                                

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”

-John Muir

Cool looking sinkhole

Ellington Agriculture Center - Rogers Walk

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Ellington Agriculture Center

Rogers Walk

Nashville, TN

Why Go:

•          Close to Nashville
•          Never very crowded
•          Scenic Seven Mile Creek is visible on the hike
•          In spring and summer, the flowers will be amazing
•          Visit the horse barn to see the Nashville Police horses
•          Cool museum

Disappointments:

•          Sometimes the trail feels more like a stroll in the neighborhood than a hike.
•          The trail crosses parking lots and roads.

Caution:

•          After a rain the trails will remain muddy for a few days.

Seven Mile Creek

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Roger's Trail

Commentary:

            If you have never been to the Ellington Agriculture Center, I would highly recommend it. Rogers Trail and the other paths on the “campus” may not be a true hike trials but the location is close to town and there are lots of places to explore. The trial goes in and out of the woods, through open fields and into parking lots. I would start on Rogers Walk in the parking lot by the Metrology Center (left hand side). This will take you to a steep decline and the rest of the hike will cover the campus gradually going back up hill. Bathrooms are located in the Museum.

The flower beds and gazebo look amazing in the Spring

            The major institution located in the Ellington Agriculture Center is the TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency). This is the agency that issues all hunting, fishing and boating registration for the state of Tennessee. Also, the Nashville police keep their horses in the big white barn at the top of the hill. Next, is the long white building with a large parking lot in front, this houses the Tennessee State Agriculture Museum. It has some wonderful displays and has some great artifacts. The best part is that it is free. There are some log homes in the back, and makes if feel like you have stepped back in time.

            In the spring the flowers on the “campus” are impressive and many of the local high schools have their prom pictures taken here. The gazebo with the numerous flower beds are a peaceful place to enjoy a lunch in the park during the spring and summer months. I would recommend a visit to the Ellington Agriculture Center even if you did not want to take a hike, especially in the Spring.      The hike itself may not be that memorable but the “campus” is a fun way to spend an afternoon.

One of the many exhibits at the TN State Agriculture Museum

Log home at Museum

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”

-John Muir

Old Stone Fort Archaeological Site

                           

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 Old Stone Fort Archaeological Site

Coffee County, Manchester TN

Why Go:

• Three Waterfalls, this alone is worth the trip! 

  

  Step Falls on the Little Duck River

•  Scenery is a Five
•  Bursting with history
• Well stocked gift shop with bathrooms
• Less than 5 Miles from I-24

Disappointments:

• The museum while informative, needs a makeover. There are a lot of great facts about the site, but the displays are tired and could use an updated presentation.
• Trails are not well marked and at time can be a bit confusing,
• The Devils Backbone Trail along the Little Duck is not an easy trail to hike. Part of the trail is narrow and very close to the river with lots of tree roots and rock, which makes for slow going at times.

The Backbone Trial is narrow and close to the River

Junction of the Little Duck and Duck Rivers

Caution:

• Make sure to grab a map from the museum/park office. GPS and phones are not the most accurate.
• Take extreme care with small children. The falls are very powerful and dangerous.

Commentary:

            We visited the Old Stone Fort on an unseasonably warm day in January and the park was

Big Falls on the Duck River

hopping with hikers, families and dogs. We enjoyed the interpretive signs along the trail and stopped along the way to learn the history of the site.  The signs for trail directions were lacking and we found ourselves confused on which direction to head next. More signs are needed on the trails.

We had a lot of rain the days before our visit and the falls on both the Duck and Little Duck were spectacular. The Step Falls on the Little Duck were tough to get to but if you are sure footed and don’t mind a bit of climbing the view is worth the effort. Don’t miss the "Forks of the River Trail" that takes hikers to the confluence of the Little Duck and Duck Rivers. This is a great place to stop for a brake and enjoy the scenery.  The latter part of our hike along the Duck River took us to the Big Falls which we could hear well before we could see them. There was a worn trail that took us to the edge of the falls. The Big Falls are the biggest falls, with the highest drop along the Duck River.

This is one of Tennessee best day hikes!!!

Side Note:

            After our hike we headed into Manchester for lunch and a beer. We found

a great local restaurant called Bites of Europe, “Restaurant, Pub, Bakery”. Everything is made fresh and locally sourced. In a town with a lot of chain restaurants this was a gem. Also, it is less than 5 miles from the Park and they have a Beer Garden. Make sure to call ahead for hours and to find out what’s the Daily Special.

Blue Hole Falls on the Duck River

“In every walk with nature, one received for more than he seeks.”

-John Muir

Remains of the old paper mill on the Duck River