Stinging Fork Falls to Piney Falls Walk

For this joint TCWP/Tennessee Native Plant Society outing we will caravan from the Spring City Exxon station to the Lower Piney River Trailhead to start a shuttle, leaving some cars there. We’ll then carpool to the Stinging Fork Falls Trailhead, and hike back from there to the Piney River Trailhead. (If COVID prevents a shuttle, we’ll do an In-and-back-out.) This section of the Cumberland Trail was completed in the fall 2018. Which spring flowers we will see is hard to predict, but the route is truly scenic. This is the third time this outing has been scheduled. Weather has been a problem, but it is too good an outing for us not to keep trying.

Total walking distance will be about six miles, if you choose. The trail is up and down with many steps. As an alternative, participants are welcome to head back early to the Stinging Falls Fork Trailhead. (They will need a car there or will have a wait till the afternoon, when the shuttle is completed.) With this alternative, participants could drive back from the Stinging Fork Trailhead to the Piney River Trail Head and walk in along the flat trail by Soak Creek to meet the rest of the group as they reach Soak Creek.

We’ll meet for carpooling in Oak Ridge at the Gold’s Gym/Books-A-Million parking lot (at the end close to S. Illinois Avenue, near Salsarita’s) in time to leave Oak Ridge at 8:45 a.m. Eastern; or hikers can meet the group at the Rocky Top/ Exxon/ McDonald’s on US 27 in Spring City at 10 a.m. Eastern. Bring water, a lunch, and bug spray. Your RSVP helps with planning and allows for notification in case of cancellation; contact Larry Pounds at 865-705-8516 or PoundsL471@aol.com.