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Five folks from the Northwest Chapter were joined by two from the Nashville area for an outing on the Montgomery Bell West Trail. This trail encompasses some historical sites including iron ore pits dug with slave labor and the site of the founding of the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination. October in West Tennessee has been warm and dry, and this day was typical of the weather we have been having. Due to several springs in the area, there was water flowing in some of the streams, but generally speaking the area was extremely dry. We started out at precisely 9:30, after posing for the mandatory shot of the group at the trailhead. We started out in a generally westward direction, skirting the rather crowded camping area, across a creek and down the trail that led to the ore pits. The trail has some gradual ascents and descents. We passed by Hall Cemetery and through a wetlands area (well it would have been wetlands in a normal year). Here there is a walkway in a bad state of repair that provides a testament to the poor state of parts of Tennessee's State Parks due to budgetary constraints. Since it was dry, there was little risk in walking on it, for even if one fell through, one would just drop a couple feet onto dry ground. We stopped for lunch on the edge of Lake Woodhaven and then continued on through brown-and-gold leaved-filtered sunlight. After about 5 miles, our group split, half returning the 2.7 miles along Creech Hollow Lake and three continuing on the Montgomery Bell East trail. Those who returned on the shorter route swore up and down that the stretch along Creech Hollow Lake was the most beautiful section of the entire hike. No doubt their intent was to make the others feel guilty for missing it! The three who continued on the eastern section of the trail passed by Wildcat Creek. Although the flow was, no doubt, lessened by the drought, it still provided a pleasant place to stop and listen to the brook tumbling over the limestone outcroppings. After crossing the creek several time, the trail climbed a ridge. In the distance one could see Lake Acorn and just barely catch a glimpse of the park inn. After descending the ridge, the trail ended up near the park visitor's center and picnic area. Distances: 7.5 for the shorter hike and 11.2 for the longer one. One of the nice things about scheduling a hike like this is that it gives us an opportunity to become familiar with a park that we might not otherwise visit. Even though it was a glorious day in autumn, away from the parking lots, on a Saturday, we saw only three other hikers all day. Participants: Sandy Davis, Anna Clark, Catherine Grove, Nancy Warren, Libby Francis, Teresa Campbell and Jim Clark. To get there: go 7 miles east of Dickson on highway 70 (about 100 miles via US 70 from Martin). |
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