Beginner Trip: Twin Arches Loop, November 15-16, 2025

Please read the entire trip description before signing up (Seriously, you should read it).

Join me on a relatively easy hike to enjoy the Big South Fork NRRA. Intro to Backpacking class attendees attend the trip free of charge (if they have not already had their free trip). For all others, it will be $5/person to cover permit fees. You may pay via Venmo (preferred), Paypal, or Cashapp.

Saturday: We will meet at the Twin Arches parking lot at 12:00 noon Central Time (1:00 Eastern Time). From the Twin Arches parking lot we will hike down to see the arches. We will then continue on to Jake's Place and camp there if it's available. If it is not there are a few nice places down the Slave Falls trail. From the trail head this is 2.5-3 miles depending where we camp. For those who would like to see slave falls we can hike the 3-3.5 mile round trip from camp.

Sunday: We will complete the loop, passing Charit Creek Lodge on the way back to the parking lot. This will be about 2-2.5 miles with a good amount of uphill hiking but nothing too difficult. If you're interested in joining me, I plan to stop at Beaty's Wildwood Grocery for a post-hike meal.

Travel plans: We will meet at the trailhead at 12:00 noon central time. This is about a 2.5 hour drive from Nashville. I encourage carpooling, since parking is limited. I will meet anyone interested in carpooling at the Lebanon Home Depot parking lot. We will leave Home Depot at 9:00 AM CDT. Links to Home Depot and Beaty's are below.

Beaty's Wildwood Grocery

Lebanon Home Depot

This is a dog- and kid-friendly trip, so feel free to bring your well-behaved pups and young relatives.

This is a beginner hike, but please have an idea of the route. It is the twin arches loop with just an offshoot to Slave Falls.

I have posted the links from AllTrails to show the loop and where Slave Falls is.

Twin Arches Loop Trail on AllTrails

Slave Falls Trail on AllTrails

Twin Arches and Slave Falls Loop on AllTrails

Super Important Info:

1. Whether you are a free or paid attendee, please contact me within 24 hours of your RSVP to a) confirm your attendance and b) make payment (where applicable). If I do not already have your contact information, please send it at that time. If you're not sure, send it anyway. If you do not contact me when you RSVP, I will move you back to the waitlist.
2. Just because the waitlist is full doesn't automatically mean the trip is full. Go ahead and contact me when you RSVP, even if you're on the waitlist. You might be pleasantly surprised.
3. Payment info:

Venmo - @BackpackerWill
Paypal - @aretebackpacking
CashApp - $BackpackerWill

4. Refunds: Up until 7 days before the trip, if you cancel AND someone takes your spot and pays, I will refund your fee. Within 7 days of the trip, there will be no refunds.

Weather - We will go rain or shine, unless there are dangerous storms in the forecast. It could be quite cold, so please let me know if you have any concerns or questions about your gear, or if you need to borrow anything.

Water - We will be camped right next to a stream, so water should be plentiful. Please have a filter, or some other way to purify your water.

Food Storage - Please have a canister, Ursack, or means to hang your food. There are bears and other critters in BSF.

If you have any questions about this hike, please let me know. My phone number is 931-267-9378. Please RSVP with integrity....canceling at the last minute keeps someone else from attending.