What we’re about
This Meetup group will give us a chance to meet and hike with our fellow hikers from Nashville and Chattanooga as we will do a lot of hiking in the Cumberland Plateau and Cumberland Mountains which are between Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga. Most of these hikes will be long day trips but are very awarding hikes.
We will also do hikes in the Smoky Mountains as well as longer hikes that involve overnights. These hikes are from anywhere from from Red River gorge to the Rocky Mountains or anywhere there are good hikes that the group would like to hike.
We will try to plan to go to different National Parks across the country on hiking trips.
In addition to hiking we will be open to all kinds of outdoor activities from kayaking, biking, horseback riding, sitting around a fire, camping, caving, having a picnic, listening to live music outside, rock climbing or pretty much anything that is outdoors. We may also have some social activities as well such as dinners or other activities that will help us all get to know each other.
We are always looking for people who are will to host meetups and I am always willing to help you organize your first few meetup events so let me know if you would like to be an Event Organizer
Upcoming events
6
Bike - Hike - Bike Cades Cove
Cades Cove parking lot, Cades Cove Loop Road, GSM National Park, TN, USHope to have a fun day!!
We will meet at the Cades Cove store parking area, The trip will begin with a 5 mile ride to Abrams Falls parking lot. On the the way we will have plenty of opportunities to stop for some beautiful views of the Cades Cove landscape. Maybe some views of wildlife on the way.
We will leave our bikes in the parking lot. Be sure to bring a cable lock to secure your bike. The hike starts at the edge of the parking lot for 2.5 miles to Abrams Falls, a little over 600 feet elevation gain. The falls is a great spot to have a snack or lunch. After we have soaked in the falls we will retune back to our bikes on the same trail.
We will continue for 5 miles back to the Cades Cove parking lot.
The entire loop has many places to pull off the road and view some great scenery and visit some of the historical sites.
Biking the loop is the best way to see Cades Cove. Don't be fooled ... this is not a flat ride.Things you might want to have:
Food,
Plenty of water,
Spare Tube
Helmet (Strongly recommended ... voice of hard knocks!!)Don't have a bike? They can be rented at the Cades Cove Store.
Waivers
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yDuB0hiCiJ6Yj_UtRDkKiYoFzcO_pNki/view?usp=sharing22 attendees
Update 🌲2.5 mi Gentle River Walk & Cabin Visit or 5 mi - Cades Cove - Smokies
Location not specified yetI will definitely be leading an easy hike on this date, time, and meeting place. Please message me with details of your situation so I can offer options that each person can enjoy! I will offer an option for those who can't do the bike ride portion of Robert's hike.
Original Hike
🌲 Gentle River Walk & Cabin Visit 2.5miles or 5 miles 🌲
Recovering, restarting, or just starting? Perfect. This hike was made for sore knees, rusty legs, and anyone who’s been saying “I’ll get back out there… soon.” Well, soon is now. Let’s ease into the Smokies together!
đź—“ When & Where
Saturday, October 4
Meet at Cades Cove Campground Parking Lot at 9:00am to carpool. (Yes, it’s early. Yes, coffee is recommended. Yes, we’ll all survive.) Look for the Blue Subaru Outback and Pink Hiking Poles.We'll be driving to the Abrams Falls Trailhead Parking Lot.
🌟 Hike Options
🥾Option 1 (Easy/Moderate – 2.5 miles total)
Start with a 0.8 mile out-and-back (1.6 total) right along Abrams Creek. It’s the flattest, friendliest part of the Abrams Falls Trail, basically nature’s welcome mat.
Then wander over to the historic Elijah Oliver Cabin, which is about as close as you’ll get to time-travel without building a DeLorean.
🥾Option 2 (Flexible – choose 5 miles or 2.5 miles)
- Begin with Option 1 on the 0.8 mile creek walk.
- At the turn-around, you get to decide:
- Keep cruising on the full Abrams Falls Trail (5 miles round trip, with a waterfall reward),
or - Skip the extra hills and join Option 1 to the cabin.
🤝 Volunteer Co-Leaders Wanted
Want to be a hero without wearing spandex? Help co-lead one of the options! It’s always nice to have support at different paces/distances so everyone feels encouraged and included. (Co-leader especially needed for O2.)
🥾 What to Bring
- Water and snacks (we won’t judge if your “snacks” look suspiciously like cookies)
- Sturdy shoes or trail runners
- Layers or extras in your pack - it’s fall in the Smokies, which means Mother Nature is indecisive
Carpooling is encouraged (because parking is limited, traffic is crazy, and let’s be honest, road-tripping together is half the fun)
Pace will be gentle and conversational. If you can laugh, you can hike this one.
Waivers
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yDuB0hiCiJ6Yj_UtRDkKiYoFzcO_pNki/view?usp=sharingEvent Leader(s): Bev Chattin - 900 Miler
12 attendees
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