TRAILS of the NORRIS WATERSHED
By Joe Feeman
By Joe Feeman
This serves as a user guide to the Norris Watershed. We will update this guide as new trails are developed, uses change, or for any other factors that may affect the user. The trail descriptions are adaptations of articles published in the Norris Bulletin. A more concise trail guide is in the works.
The Norris Watershed Trail Map has the most up-to-date trail mileages, trail names (some have been changed), and new trails. Also note that the trail map will be updated and revised as needed, and is the definitive source for trail usage.
If you have comments or questions feel free to email me at [email protected]. You may also send an email to [email protected].
Happy Trails!
The Norris Watershed Trail Map has the most up-to-date trail mileages, trail names (some have been changed), and new trails. Also note that the trail map will be updated and revised as needed, and is the definitive source for trail usage.
If you have comments or questions feel free to email me at [email protected]. You may also send an email to [email protected].
Happy Trails!
Click on any trail name in the list below to be taken to it's description.
INTRODUCTION
The Norris Municipal Watershed is a 2300-acre area open to the public for multiple uses. It is bordered by Norris Dam State Park, TVA, and private property, and is located in Anderson County, adjacent to the City of Norris. Approximately 30 miles of trails are managed for various users; foot traffic only; multiple use, non-vehicular; and multiple use, vehicular traffic. (Parts of some trails that are included in this guide are on TVA property, but have been managed by Norris historically; these are indicated in the table below.) Foot traffic trails are only open to human foot traffic (hiking and running); multiple-use, non-vehicular uses include hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, running, and small-game hunting (big game hunting by permit for two-drawn hunts). Vehicular traffic is open on designated roads to licensed and registered vehicles for street use. No ATVs are allowed in any part of the area. Trail signposts have been placed at most trailheads and have the trail name painted in a color that also designates the acceptable use (Red – foot traffic only; Purple – multiple uses, non-vehicular; and Green – multiple use, vehicular traffic). Trail names are posted like street signs; the name of the trail on the post is parallel to the trail. Usage of trails can change and will be updated on this site. The watershed is bisected by two county roads, Upper and Lower Clear Creek. There are trail heads off these roads at several locations including- Lower Clear Creek Road - Lenoir Museum (Rice Grist Mill) and the Norris water treatment plant (pump house); and Upper Clear Creek Road – along the road at Gooseneck Trail (brush dump road), intersection with Clear Creek Trail, intersection with Mockingbird Trail, and along the road at the intersection with Hi Point Road. In addition, the trails can be accessed from Carson Brewer Trail and Reservoir Hill, Eric Harold Park, and Deer Ridge Road (near the intersection with Reservoir Road). Trail maps are in the process of being updated, and efforts are being made to have the current map with edits posted on this site until the new ones are produced. The current version of the map is available from the Norris City Office and Norris Public Safety. The northern portion of the watershed is closed to all users except permitted deer hunters for 10 days in September/October and 10 days in November. Be sure to check and see what is open before you hike during these periods.
The table of trails shown below gives the mileage and acceptable use for the trails described and gives the user a quick look at what is available. The detailed descriptions following the table also have information on elevation gain and physical character, along with historical, ecological, and other tidbits of knowledge about each trail.
The Norris Municipal Watershed is a 2300-acre area open to the public for multiple uses. It is bordered by Norris Dam State Park, TVA, and private property, and is located in Anderson County, adjacent to the City of Norris. Approximately 30 miles of trails are managed for various users; foot traffic only; multiple use, non-vehicular; and multiple use, vehicular traffic. (Parts of some trails that are included in this guide are on TVA property, but have been managed by Norris historically; these are indicated in the table below.) Foot traffic trails are only open to human foot traffic (hiking and running); multiple-use, non-vehicular uses include hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, running, and small-game hunting (big game hunting by permit for two-drawn hunts). Vehicular traffic is open on designated roads to licensed and registered vehicles for street use. No ATVs are allowed in any part of the area. Trail signposts have been placed at most trailheads and have the trail name painted in a color that also designates the acceptable use (Red – foot traffic only; Purple – multiple uses, non-vehicular; and Green – multiple use, vehicular traffic). Trail names are posted like street signs; the name of the trail on the post is parallel to the trail. Usage of trails can change and will be updated on this site. The watershed is bisected by two county roads, Upper and Lower Clear Creek. There are trail heads off these roads at several locations including- Lower Clear Creek Road - Lenoir Museum (Rice Grist Mill) and the Norris water treatment plant (pump house); and Upper Clear Creek Road – along the road at Gooseneck Trail (brush dump road), intersection with Clear Creek Trail, intersection with Mockingbird Trail, and along the road at the intersection with Hi Point Road. In addition, the trails can be accessed from Carson Brewer Trail and Reservoir Hill, Eric Harold Park, and Deer Ridge Road (near the intersection with Reservoir Road). Trail maps are in the process of being updated, and efforts are being made to have the current map with edits posted on this site until the new ones are produced. The current version of the map is available from the Norris City Office and Norris Public Safety. The northern portion of the watershed is closed to all users except permitted deer hunters for 10 days in September/October and 10 days in November. Be sure to check and see what is open before you hike during these periods.
The table of trails shown below gives the mileage and acceptable use for the trails described and gives the user a quick look at what is available. The detailed descriptions following the table also have information on elevation gain and physical character, along with historical, ecological, and other tidbits of knowledge about each trail.
Lower Clear Creek Trail
Clear Creek Trail runs from the grist mill to Boundary Trail, a total of 4.1 miles. There are several access points and parking areas including the Lenoir Museum, pump house (water treatment plant), and Upper Clear Creek Road. The first section that will be discussed is from the grist mill (Lenoir Museum) to Upper Clear Creek Road. This segment, which follows along Clear Creek, is 2.5 miles and is a foot traffic-only trail because of the ecological sensitivity of the area. Since the trail is situated along the creek bottom it is flat with only a few small hills or rises. There are more historic sites on this hike than any other in the watershed. Clear Creek was the site of four water-powered mills that were used to power sawmills, woodworking equipment, and a cotton gin, as well as grinding corn and wheat. A feature of the still prominent mills is the dug mill races; these are large ditches that carry the water to the mills (these will be referenced in the trail description). The only mill race that is still in use is at the first of the trail and provides water to the 18th-century Rice Grist Mill. Clear Creek was also utilized to power an electric generator.
From the grist mill to the water treatment plant (or pump house), which covers .9 miles, the trail goes either above the grist mill, along the stone wall and over the wooden gate on the mill race, or below the mill along the creek and up the hill to the trail. This section follows the ditch-like mill race which brings water to the old mill. As you proceed up the trail you will come to the end of the mill race where water is piped down from the first mill pond (up the trail). This segment of the trail, from the mill to just past the end of the mill race, is on property that is under permanent easement (from TVA) to Norris Dam State Park. The trail then lies along the TVA property to the pump house. You will go under two transmission lines, which originate at Norris Dam, and reach a side trail to the left that goes down wooden steps to the creek and a picnic table. (This side trail continues a short distance and intersects back in with the main trail.) You will then come to the intersection with Dyer Hollow (mile 0.3), to the right, just before you cross a wooden bridge. Notice the large orange spot on the tree to the right; this is the boundary between TVA and the Norris Watershed. This first segment of Clear Creek Trail has some nice spring wildflowers; red trilliums, yellow trilliums, trout lilies, spring beauties, and bloodroot. Continuing across the bridge you will climb a small hill with lots of tree roots and then the trail levels out and becomes smooth. Notice the stone walls on the left side of the trail; these were constructed by the CCCs in the 30s when they built this and other trails in the area. A couple of benches are also situated along this part of the trail; these are memorial benches donated by families and friends. You will see many of these along watershed trails.
At about .5 miles you will reach the first mill dam, a stone structure also built by the CCCs, which is the source of water for the grist mill. If you look just above the dam, in the middle, you will see the metal box that controls the water flow to the mill. In the late 70s, this pond (and the upper mill pond) was dredged by TVA as part of a public works project. Before the dredging, the pond was heavily silted with very little water on the upper half. This created a wetland area with small trees and shrubs that are teeming with frogs, snakes, and other aquatic life.
It was at this point on Clear Creek where a water-powered mill once stood. According to an article by Earl Olson (‘The Clear Creek Mills, Near Norris, Anderson County, Tennessee’), the mill was owned by Doc Williams, who constructed the mill in the 1890s. The only evidence of this now is the dug mill race that runs from just above the dam, upstream to Lower Clear Creek road, just above the ford. The water to power the mill came from a small wooden dam (near where the upper stone mill dam now stands) and down the mill race. The mill itself stood across the creek from the raceway and water was run to the mill through a wooden flume. Williams used the mill for a grist mill, milling flour, sawing lumber, and blacksmithing. Williams sold the mill in 1915 to R. J. Osborne, from Chicago, who removed the flour milling equipment and built a woodworking shop where he manufactured chairs. You will notice posts with plaques on them along this trail. These are historical points and were installed as part of an Eagle Scout project.
The trail continues up along the old dug mill race next to the pond. You will see evidence of beaver activity with chewed trees. Also, notice the fallen trees on the right side. These are mostly old beech trees that have been blown over by the wind. The right side of the trail from the grist mill to Lower Clear Creek Road is occupied by an older upland hardwood forest, comprised of mainly beech, white oak, hickory, red oaks, and red and sugar maples. This area was logged lightly in the mid-60s, but very few trees were harvested. Tree mortality is increasing because of the advanced age of the forest which exceeds 100 years old. Some varieties you will see in this area are Hepatica, Mandarin, Goatsbeard, and Foamflower.
From the upper end of the pond, up the old mill race, the trail can be very wet and sloppy after rains, but a narrow trail runs along the left side above the race so you can get out of the bottom. The trail reaches Lower Clear Creek Road just above the ford and then goes down the road to a low water dam, or weir, with a bridge across the creek. From here, the trail goes next to some old stone fish tanks and is often wet and have a rocky, rough trail surface. These old stone fish tanks were built to rear fish that would then be stocked in Norris Reservoir. Early fish biologists did not think fish would reproduce in the new reservoir so TVA made provisions for raising fish to stock. There was also a series of ponds below Norris Dam and seven sub-impoundments on the reservoir to raise fish. Biologist found that fish reproduced fine in the new reservoir and none of the structures were ever used for their intended use.
Past the fish tanks, you will climb a set of steps to the top of the second mill dam. This dam is the site of the original wooden dam that was used to provide water to the Doc Williams mill. Around 1920, Osborne’s son-in-law hired several local men to tear down the wooden dam and build a new stone structure. When TVA purchased the property, the CCCs reinforced the dam with more stone and mortar. The trail follows next to the pond in a grassy area that has a couple of picnic tables. You will now reach the junction with Hi Point Trail (road) at 0.9 miles and the water treatment plant will be on your right. This is another access point for the trail, with parking on both sides of the creek. Cross Hi-Point (take a right and then immediately left) and continue through the posts and up the trail.
After crossing Hi Point Road and passing through the posts you will hike up a short rocky section along the creek which soon gives way to a nice flat, smooth trail. In a short distance, you will reach an old concrete gauging station and a weir dam. This was built by TVA to measure the flow of water in Clear Creek (Wikipedia says this about weirs: “Since the geometry of the top of the weir is known, and all water flows over the weir, the depth of water behind the weir can be converted to a rate of flow.”). This is also the site where a wooden dam was built in about 1916 by Theodore Sheppard (son-in-law of Osborne) to power an electric generator to provide power to Sheppard’s house and Osborne’s mill.
Clear Creek lies in a large bottom in this area and the creek has changed courses over the years. You can see how much silt has washed in behind the weir dam and the creek runs around the opposite side of the dam than it did originally. This section of trail is flat and can be very wet in rainy weather. About .1 miles beyond the weir the trail splits; the original trail continues straight and a new trail cuts left up the hill (both trails join again further up the creek). The original trail passes through several wet areas in the creek bottom before it crosses Clear Creek on stepping stones. At the other side of this ford, the 2010 trail crew built up the trail with rocks, logs, and gravel so you can traverse this section and stay relatively dry. As you continue up the trail you will notice some erosion which has washed away parts of the trail. The trail climbs a small hill after passing next to the creek (and another memorial bench) and then intersects with an old road, which is the junction of the new alternative trail.
Back at the trail split, the new alternate trail follows an old road up the hill and then turns right, down a set of stone steps to enter another old dug mill race. The trail follows this mill race, overlooking Clear Creek, passing a small rock shelf on the left, to a breech (gap) in the mill race. A set of stone steps leads down to the creek and crosses on stepping stones to an old road leading up to the left; just up from the creek, the road intersects the original trail. This dug mill race was the source of water for another mill which was situated near where the ford on the original trail is now located. Earl Olson’s report surmises that there was a wooden dam about 400 feet below the Big Spring (City water source) and water was carried down the left bank and then crossed over to the right side through a wooden flume. This was probably the oldest mill on Clear Creek and was purchased by George Taylor in 1879. The mill was used primarily to grind corn but was likely used to power a cotton gin as well, and there is some evidence that it was used for a sash sawmill, before Taylor’s ownership. Use caution on either of the trails when crossing the creek in high water; the stepping stones are not very tall and in high flows, they are underwater.
The trail continues up the hill on the old road for almost 0.1 miles to another split, where the road continues straight and a single-track trail cuts down the hill to the left. The trail to the left goes down to the creek and next to Clear Creek Spring, the fenced-in source of the city’s water supply. According to ‘The Norris Project’ this spring was chosen for the municipal water supply because it had a minimum flow of 250 gallons per minute. After passing the spring, the trail becomes an access road for maintenance. A few hundred feet down this road you will come to the intersection with White Pine Trail on the left, 0.9 miles from the pump house. Continue straight when the road turns up the hill to the right; this is where the other trail (old road) comes back together. The road up the hill is the service road for the spring and goes out to Upper Clear Creek Road. At the time of the TVA purchase, this road went all the way to the pump house. The trail is wide at this point but narrows down as you continue.
The creek bottom is broad in this area and was in agricultural use at the time of purchase. This was one of the most fertile spots in the watershed because of its location along the creek and was easy to plow because it is relatively rock-free. The trees now growing on the bottom are sycamore, black walnut, yellow-poplar, and boxelder. The trail then crosses a wet-weather section of the creek which is dry except during high rainfall events. As the trail continues along this bottom, there are several invasive, exotic plant species including Japanese wineberry (most people think these are raspberries), multiflora rose, privet, Japanese honeysuckle, and ground ivy. The introduction of exotic plants in the watershed comes from various sources; before purchase, many homesteads had exotic shrubs and flowers (forsythia, periwinkle, bush honeysuckle, daffodils, and others) which have spread in some areas, while after purchase TVA planted numerous species for erosion control and agroforestry studies (kudzu, multiflora rose, Japanese wineberry, and others). Many others have been spread by birds and other wildlife (privet, Japanese honeysuckle, and recently autumn olive and oriental bittersweet). Exotic plants can become a real management problem because they often out-compete native species. The trail comes to a creek crossing, but a new, alternate trail cuts left to bypass the ford. If you choose the original trail you will cross the creek twice in a short distance. During normal flow, the creek is easily crossed. The alternate trail stays on the left side, traversing over a railroad tie bridge and some rock-enforced areas. After the two trails meet there is another alternate section to the left which was constructed to bypass the original trail during wet weather. The trail crosses the creek again, this time on a little wider part, with crude stepping stones. On your right you will see gray rock in the ditches; these were placed by the 2010 trail crew to control erosion coming off Upper Clear Creek Road. A trail takes off up the hill to the right and goes to Upper Clear Creek Road to access Gooseneck Trail (brush dump road). This small drain has an abundance of the exotic plants periwinkle (Vinca) and kudzu. The kudzu has been treated several times in the past and will be continued in future years. Clear Creek Trail continues on an old road up a slight slope. To the left, you can see another concrete weir on the creek. TVA was diligent in the management of the watershed, and efforts to stabilize the area. They also conducted many watershed studies to measure water yield and the effects of erosion.
The trail now enters a sparsely forested area that is mowed periodically. Scattered black walnut, sycamore, yellow poplar, and redcedar are present. The trail then intersects White Oak Spring Trail on the left (which goes to Red Hill Road) just before reaching Upper Clear Creek Road at 2.5 miles from the gristmill. This ends the section of Clear Creek Trail that is designated for foot traffic only.
Clear Creek Trail runs from the grist mill to Boundary Trail, a total of 4.1 miles. There are several access points and parking areas including the Lenoir Museum, pump house (water treatment plant), and Upper Clear Creek Road. The first section that will be discussed is from the grist mill (Lenoir Museum) to Upper Clear Creek Road. This segment, which follows along Clear Creek, is 2.5 miles and is a foot traffic-only trail because of the ecological sensitivity of the area. Since the trail is situated along the creek bottom it is flat with only a few small hills or rises. There are more historic sites on this hike than any other in the watershed. Clear Creek was the site of four water-powered mills that were used to power sawmills, woodworking equipment, and a cotton gin, as well as grinding corn and wheat. A feature of the still prominent mills is the dug mill races; these are large ditches that carry the water to the mills (these will be referenced in the trail description). The only mill race that is still in use is at the first of the trail and provides water to the 18th-century Rice Grist Mill. Clear Creek was also utilized to power an electric generator.
From the grist mill to the water treatment plant (or pump house), which covers .9 miles, the trail goes either above the grist mill, along the stone wall and over the wooden gate on the mill race, or below the mill along the creek and up the hill to the trail. This section follows the ditch-like mill race which brings water to the old mill. As you proceed up the trail you will come to the end of the mill race where water is piped down from the first mill pond (up the trail). This segment of the trail, from the mill to just past the end of the mill race, is on property that is under permanent easement (from TVA) to Norris Dam State Park. The trail then lies along the TVA property to the pump house. You will go under two transmission lines, which originate at Norris Dam, and reach a side trail to the left that goes down wooden steps to the creek and a picnic table. (This side trail continues a short distance and intersects back in with the main trail.) You will then come to the intersection with Dyer Hollow (mile 0.3), to the right, just before you cross a wooden bridge. Notice the large orange spot on the tree to the right; this is the boundary between TVA and the Norris Watershed. This first segment of Clear Creek Trail has some nice spring wildflowers; red trilliums, yellow trilliums, trout lilies, spring beauties, and bloodroot. Continuing across the bridge you will climb a small hill with lots of tree roots and then the trail levels out and becomes smooth. Notice the stone walls on the left side of the trail; these were constructed by the CCCs in the 30s when they built this and other trails in the area. A couple of benches are also situated along this part of the trail; these are memorial benches donated by families and friends. You will see many of these along watershed trails.
At about .5 miles you will reach the first mill dam, a stone structure also built by the CCCs, which is the source of water for the grist mill. If you look just above the dam, in the middle, you will see the metal box that controls the water flow to the mill. In the late 70s, this pond (and the upper mill pond) was dredged by TVA as part of a public works project. Before the dredging, the pond was heavily silted with very little water on the upper half. This created a wetland area with small trees and shrubs that are teeming with frogs, snakes, and other aquatic life.
It was at this point on Clear Creek where a water-powered mill once stood. According to an article by Earl Olson (‘The Clear Creek Mills, Near Norris, Anderson County, Tennessee’), the mill was owned by Doc Williams, who constructed the mill in the 1890s. The only evidence of this now is the dug mill race that runs from just above the dam, upstream to Lower Clear Creek road, just above the ford. The water to power the mill came from a small wooden dam (near where the upper stone mill dam now stands) and down the mill race. The mill itself stood across the creek from the raceway and water was run to the mill through a wooden flume. Williams used the mill for a grist mill, milling flour, sawing lumber, and blacksmithing. Williams sold the mill in 1915 to R. J. Osborne, from Chicago, who removed the flour milling equipment and built a woodworking shop where he manufactured chairs. You will notice posts with plaques on them along this trail. These are historical points and were installed as part of an Eagle Scout project.
The trail continues up along the old dug mill race next to the pond. You will see evidence of beaver activity with chewed trees. Also, notice the fallen trees on the right side. These are mostly old beech trees that have been blown over by the wind. The right side of the trail from the grist mill to Lower Clear Creek Road is occupied by an older upland hardwood forest, comprised of mainly beech, white oak, hickory, red oaks, and red and sugar maples. This area was logged lightly in the mid-60s, but very few trees were harvested. Tree mortality is increasing because of the advanced age of the forest which exceeds 100 years old. Some varieties you will see in this area are Hepatica, Mandarin, Goatsbeard, and Foamflower.
From the upper end of the pond, up the old mill race, the trail can be very wet and sloppy after rains, but a narrow trail runs along the left side above the race so you can get out of the bottom. The trail reaches Lower Clear Creek Road just above the ford and then goes down the road to a low water dam, or weir, with a bridge across the creek. From here, the trail goes next to some old stone fish tanks and is often wet and have a rocky, rough trail surface. These old stone fish tanks were built to rear fish that would then be stocked in Norris Reservoir. Early fish biologists did not think fish would reproduce in the new reservoir so TVA made provisions for raising fish to stock. There was also a series of ponds below Norris Dam and seven sub-impoundments on the reservoir to raise fish. Biologist found that fish reproduced fine in the new reservoir and none of the structures were ever used for their intended use.
Past the fish tanks, you will climb a set of steps to the top of the second mill dam. This dam is the site of the original wooden dam that was used to provide water to the Doc Williams mill. Around 1920, Osborne’s son-in-law hired several local men to tear down the wooden dam and build a new stone structure. When TVA purchased the property, the CCCs reinforced the dam with more stone and mortar. The trail follows next to the pond in a grassy area that has a couple of picnic tables. You will now reach the junction with Hi Point Trail (road) at 0.9 miles and the water treatment plant will be on your right. This is another access point for the trail, with parking on both sides of the creek. Cross Hi-Point (take a right and then immediately left) and continue through the posts and up the trail.
After crossing Hi Point Road and passing through the posts you will hike up a short rocky section along the creek which soon gives way to a nice flat, smooth trail. In a short distance, you will reach an old concrete gauging station and a weir dam. This was built by TVA to measure the flow of water in Clear Creek (Wikipedia says this about weirs: “Since the geometry of the top of the weir is known, and all water flows over the weir, the depth of water behind the weir can be converted to a rate of flow.”). This is also the site where a wooden dam was built in about 1916 by Theodore Sheppard (son-in-law of Osborne) to power an electric generator to provide power to Sheppard’s house and Osborne’s mill.
Clear Creek lies in a large bottom in this area and the creek has changed courses over the years. You can see how much silt has washed in behind the weir dam and the creek runs around the opposite side of the dam than it did originally. This section of trail is flat and can be very wet in rainy weather. About .1 miles beyond the weir the trail splits; the original trail continues straight and a new trail cuts left up the hill (both trails join again further up the creek). The original trail passes through several wet areas in the creek bottom before it crosses Clear Creek on stepping stones. At the other side of this ford, the 2010 trail crew built up the trail with rocks, logs, and gravel so you can traverse this section and stay relatively dry. As you continue up the trail you will notice some erosion which has washed away parts of the trail. The trail climbs a small hill after passing next to the creek (and another memorial bench) and then intersects with an old road, which is the junction of the new alternative trail.
Back at the trail split, the new alternate trail follows an old road up the hill and then turns right, down a set of stone steps to enter another old dug mill race. The trail follows this mill race, overlooking Clear Creek, passing a small rock shelf on the left, to a breech (gap) in the mill race. A set of stone steps leads down to the creek and crosses on stepping stones to an old road leading up to the left; just up from the creek, the road intersects the original trail. This dug mill race was the source of water for another mill which was situated near where the ford on the original trail is now located. Earl Olson’s report surmises that there was a wooden dam about 400 feet below the Big Spring (City water source) and water was carried down the left bank and then crossed over to the right side through a wooden flume. This was probably the oldest mill on Clear Creek and was purchased by George Taylor in 1879. The mill was used primarily to grind corn but was likely used to power a cotton gin as well, and there is some evidence that it was used for a sash sawmill, before Taylor’s ownership. Use caution on either of the trails when crossing the creek in high water; the stepping stones are not very tall and in high flows, they are underwater.
The trail continues up the hill on the old road for almost 0.1 miles to another split, where the road continues straight and a single-track trail cuts down the hill to the left. The trail to the left goes down to the creek and next to Clear Creek Spring, the fenced-in source of the city’s water supply. According to ‘The Norris Project’ this spring was chosen for the municipal water supply because it had a minimum flow of 250 gallons per minute. After passing the spring, the trail becomes an access road for maintenance. A few hundred feet down this road you will come to the intersection with White Pine Trail on the left, 0.9 miles from the pump house. Continue straight when the road turns up the hill to the right; this is where the other trail (old road) comes back together. The road up the hill is the service road for the spring and goes out to Upper Clear Creek Road. At the time of the TVA purchase, this road went all the way to the pump house. The trail is wide at this point but narrows down as you continue.
The creek bottom is broad in this area and was in agricultural use at the time of purchase. This was one of the most fertile spots in the watershed because of its location along the creek and was easy to plow because it is relatively rock-free. The trees now growing on the bottom are sycamore, black walnut, yellow-poplar, and boxelder. The trail then crosses a wet-weather section of the creek which is dry except during high rainfall events. As the trail continues along this bottom, there are several invasive, exotic plant species including Japanese wineberry (most people think these are raspberries), multiflora rose, privet, Japanese honeysuckle, and ground ivy. The introduction of exotic plants in the watershed comes from various sources; before purchase, many homesteads had exotic shrubs and flowers (forsythia, periwinkle, bush honeysuckle, daffodils, and others) which have spread in some areas, while after purchase TVA planted numerous species for erosion control and agroforestry studies (kudzu, multiflora rose, Japanese wineberry, and others). Many others have been spread by birds and other wildlife (privet, Japanese honeysuckle, and recently autumn olive and oriental bittersweet). Exotic plants can become a real management problem because they often out-compete native species. The trail comes to a creek crossing, but a new, alternate trail cuts left to bypass the ford. If you choose the original trail you will cross the creek twice in a short distance. During normal flow, the creek is easily crossed. The alternate trail stays on the left side, traversing over a railroad tie bridge and some rock-enforced areas. After the two trails meet there is another alternate section to the left which was constructed to bypass the original trail during wet weather. The trail crosses the creek again, this time on a little wider part, with crude stepping stones. On your right you will see gray rock in the ditches; these were placed by the 2010 trail crew to control erosion coming off Upper Clear Creek Road. A trail takes off up the hill to the right and goes to Upper Clear Creek Road to access Gooseneck Trail (brush dump road). This small drain has an abundance of the exotic plants periwinkle (Vinca) and kudzu. The kudzu has been treated several times in the past and will be continued in future years. Clear Creek Trail continues on an old road up a slight slope. To the left, you can see another concrete weir on the creek. TVA was diligent in the management of the watershed, and efforts to stabilize the area. They also conducted many watershed studies to measure water yield and the effects of erosion.
The trail now enters a sparsely forested area that is mowed periodically. Scattered black walnut, sycamore, yellow poplar, and redcedar are present. The trail then intersects White Oak Spring Trail on the left (which goes to Red Hill Road) just before reaching Upper Clear Creek Road at 2.5 miles from the gristmill. This ends the section of Clear Creek Trail that is designated for foot traffic only.
Upper Clear Creek Trail
Clear Creek Trail follows an old farm road after it crosses Upper Clear Creek Road. The trail becomes a green trail that is open to all users, including motorized vehicles. As the trail leaves Upper Clear Creek Road, it travels up a rocky surface with several wet seeps along the way which keep parts of the trail wet year round. The first mile or so of the Trail (road) lies at the bottom of a hollow and is susceptible to washing during heavy rains. A small, ephemeral (wet-weather) drainage, will be on the right for about 0.2 miles before crossing a culvert to the left-hand side. This trail (road) goes up what was known as Robinson Hollow by locals because it lies on the former 206-acre farm of J. M. Robinson. Because of the topography of the land, all of the structures (houses, barn, smokehouse, shop, etc.) were located along the road at the bottom.
At 0.6 miles, you will reach the recently gated Belmont Trail (road), which turns to the left. On the right side of Clear Creek Trail is the first area of the watershed where timber was harvested by clearcutting. The 50-acre area was cut in 1971 as part of a 10-year contract with Longleaf Timber Company to harvest 3 million board feet of timber from the Norris Watershed. I helped mark this timber sale in 1970; I worked for the City that summer and assisted TVA forester Ben Cobb and city maintenance worker Bill Hutchison. It was a very nice stand of big oaks and Bill and I would measure the diameter while Ben calculated the height and tallied the trees. We used the old method of marking the trees that were tallied by hitting them with a sock filled with chalk. After harvest, TVA did several inventories to see how many, and what kind of trees regenerated. The first counts of trees found 20-40 thousand trees per acre in the first few years. The trees came from root and stump sprouts, seedlings, and saplings. A later count found that the canopy was comprised of over 20 percent oaks, which was the target species for regeneration. The 50 acres were not large hardwoods when cut, but had several areas of Virginia pine. Looking at the site today you will see many oaks that exceed 12 inches in diameter. TVA foresters decided that the size of the clearcut was rather large, so future clearcuts were kept to a maximum of 25 acres. From these post-harvest inventories and other studies elsewhere, clearcutting looked like the best option to regenerate oak trees. During the Longleaf Contract, both clearcutting and selective harvesting were used to achieve the 3 million board foot target.
On your left, you will pass a large wildlife opening and a small pond. The opening is bush-hogged periodically to create a grassland/early successional habitat for deer, turkey, songbirds, and small mammals. There are several openings in the watershed, but this is the largest. This type of habitat is important, creating diversity and providing feeding and hiding areas for various species of wildlife. The watershed has become primarily hardwood forests of varying sizes with only scattered pines and limited grassland/open lands. At about 1 mile you will pass East Trail, a gated road to the right. The trail climbs a small rocky slope and then flattens out in a nice older forest that is situated on a dry, west-facing slope. Tree species on this rather poor site are scarlet oak, chestnut oak, sourwood, red maple, and white oak. You will curve right, then left, before climbing another short slope. As you climb, the right side of the trail has increasing numbers of white pine. When you hit the top of the slope there is a nice white pine stand that is approaching sawtimber size. This was a poor hardwood stand with white pine saplings underneath in the late 80s. A timber stand improvement operation was conducted to release the white pine by cutting the hardwood for firewood. Although the hardwoods have regrown somewhat, the pine is now tall enough to grow unimpeded.
You will descend into a small, wet drainage before climbing the final grade, which is moderately steep. At the top of the slope, you will reach Boundary Trail and the terminus of Clear Creek Trail, 1.6 miles from Upper Clear Creek Road, and 4.1 miles from the Grist Mill. The elevation gain from Upper Clear Creek Road to Boundary Trail is about 350 feet. Clear Creek Trail is integral to users on the east side of Upper Clear Creek Road and can be used in conjunction with Belmont, Boundary, and East Trails to create some excellent loops.
Clear Creek Trail follows an old farm road after it crosses Upper Clear Creek Road. The trail becomes a green trail that is open to all users, including motorized vehicles. As the trail leaves Upper Clear Creek Road, it travels up a rocky surface with several wet seeps along the way which keep parts of the trail wet year round. The first mile or so of the Trail (road) lies at the bottom of a hollow and is susceptible to washing during heavy rains. A small, ephemeral (wet-weather) drainage, will be on the right for about 0.2 miles before crossing a culvert to the left-hand side. This trail (road) goes up what was known as Robinson Hollow by locals because it lies on the former 206-acre farm of J. M. Robinson. Because of the topography of the land, all of the structures (houses, barn, smokehouse, shop, etc.) were located along the road at the bottom.
At 0.6 miles, you will reach the recently gated Belmont Trail (road), which turns to the left. On the right side of Clear Creek Trail is the first area of the watershed where timber was harvested by clearcutting. The 50-acre area was cut in 1971 as part of a 10-year contract with Longleaf Timber Company to harvest 3 million board feet of timber from the Norris Watershed. I helped mark this timber sale in 1970; I worked for the City that summer and assisted TVA forester Ben Cobb and city maintenance worker Bill Hutchison. It was a very nice stand of big oaks and Bill and I would measure the diameter while Ben calculated the height and tallied the trees. We used the old method of marking the trees that were tallied by hitting them with a sock filled with chalk. After harvest, TVA did several inventories to see how many, and what kind of trees regenerated. The first counts of trees found 20-40 thousand trees per acre in the first few years. The trees came from root and stump sprouts, seedlings, and saplings. A later count found that the canopy was comprised of over 20 percent oaks, which was the target species for regeneration. The 50 acres were not large hardwoods when cut, but had several areas of Virginia pine. Looking at the site today you will see many oaks that exceed 12 inches in diameter. TVA foresters decided that the size of the clearcut was rather large, so future clearcuts were kept to a maximum of 25 acres. From these post-harvest inventories and other studies elsewhere, clearcutting looked like the best option to regenerate oak trees. During the Longleaf Contract, both clearcutting and selective harvesting were used to achieve the 3 million board foot target.
On your left, you will pass a large wildlife opening and a small pond. The opening is bush-hogged periodically to create a grassland/early successional habitat for deer, turkey, songbirds, and small mammals. There are several openings in the watershed, but this is the largest. This type of habitat is important, creating diversity and providing feeding and hiding areas for various species of wildlife. The watershed has become primarily hardwood forests of varying sizes with only scattered pines and limited grassland/open lands. At about 1 mile you will pass East Trail, a gated road to the right. The trail climbs a small rocky slope and then flattens out in a nice older forest that is situated on a dry, west-facing slope. Tree species on this rather poor site are scarlet oak, chestnut oak, sourwood, red maple, and white oak. You will curve right, then left, before climbing another short slope. As you climb, the right side of the trail has increasing numbers of white pine. When you hit the top of the slope there is a nice white pine stand that is approaching sawtimber size. This was a poor hardwood stand with white pine saplings underneath in the late 80s. A timber stand improvement operation was conducted to release the white pine by cutting the hardwood for firewood. Although the hardwoods have regrown somewhat, the pine is now tall enough to grow unimpeded.
You will descend into a small, wet drainage before climbing the final grade, which is moderately steep. At the top of the slope, you will reach Boundary Trail and the terminus of Clear Creek Trail, 1.6 miles from Upper Clear Creek Road, and 4.1 miles from the Grist Mill. The elevation gain from Upper Clear Creek Road to Boundary Trail is about 350 feet. Clear Creek Trail is integral to users on the east side of Upper Clear Creek Road and can be used in conjunction with Belmont, Boundary, and East Trails to create some excellent loops.
White Oak Spring Trail (connector from Clear Creek Trail to Red Hill Trail)
This new trail, which was completed in 2010, connects Lower Clear Creek Trail to Red Hill Trail. The trail keeps the hiker on the west side of Upper Clear Creek Road and is an extension of Clear Creek Trail. It is a red trail, open only to hikers, and is 0.4 miles in length. The trail starts in the opening at the junction of Clear Creek Trail and Upper Clear Creek Road. In wet weather, there is a drainage that may be full of water at the beginning of the trail, but you can get across downstream a bit. You will hike through the field, parallel to the road, for about 0.1 miles before entering the woods. The trail continues along a small stream, which is fed by a spring up the road; this spring was a small picnic area at one time. There was a very large white oak next to the spring which provided a nice shady spot for picnicking. A short road off of Upper Clear Creek provided access. The tree fell over 10 years ago and the road has been closed for many years, so access is now limited to bushwhacking through the woods.
As you hike along this stretch see if you can find the old stone structure on the left. This is probably an old root cellar because it is near the site of a house that was occupied by J.S. Reynolds when TVA purchased the area. The house was located on a flat area at the foot of the slope. This stretch along the stream is dominated by sycamore trees with scattered walnut, boxelder, and blue beech. Up the slope, along the entire length of this trail is an old field that was planted to shortleaf pine by the CCCs in the mid-30s. There are still scattered pines, but most were killed by the southern pine beetle over the years. After a short distance along the creek, the trail leaves the bottom and climbs left up the slope. This section is an old road that separates the field from the house of C.J. Nine, which is located up the hill. Over the years the road has washed badly so the trail follows along the outer edge. As you climb this slope, old-field gullies are still evident on the left; these are typical of many hillside farms from the period. Redcedar, sugar maple, and yellow poplar line the right side of the trail, which drops off steeply. If you look closely, down the slope, you will see the fallen white oak at the spring, mentioned earlier. Several hundred feet up the trail, on the right side, is the old foundation of the Nine house. There are several yard plants including bush honeysuckle, periwinkle, and privet. Also present is a large patch of kudzu; this has been treated in the past and will be a priority in the future. If you want to explore the old home site, use extreme caution because copperheads have been seen in the ruins. Actually, in the watershed, I have only seen or heard of copperheads along Clear Creek, from the grist mill up to this area. The trail veers right, away from the old road, for a short stretch before returning, just before the trail reaches its end at Red Hill Trail.
This new trail, which was completed in 2010, connects Lower Clear Creek Trail to Red Hill Trail. The trail keeps the hiker on the west side of Upper Clear Creek Road and is an extension of Clear Creek Trail. It is a red trail, open only to hikers, and is 0.4 miles in length. The trail starts in the opening at the junction of Clear Creek Trail and Upper Clear Creek Road. In wet weather, there is a drainage that may be full of water at the beginning of the trail, but you can get across downstream a bit. You will hike through the field, parallel to the road, for about 0.1 miles before entering the woods. The trail continues along a small stream, which is fed by a spring up the road; this spring was a small picnic area at one time. There was a very large white oak next to the spring which provided a nice shady spot for picnicking. A short road off of Upper Clear Creek provided access. The tree fell over 10 years ago and the road has been closed for many years, so access is now limited to bushwhacking through the woods.
As you hike along this stretch see if you can find the old stone structure on the left. This is probably an old root cellar because it is near the site of a house that was occupied by J.S. Reynolds when TVA purchased the area. The house was located on a flat area at the foot of the slope. This stretch along the stream is dominated by sycamore trees with scattered walnut, boxelder, and blue beech. Up the slope, along the entire length of this trail is an old field that was planted to shortleaf pine by the CCCs in the mid-30s. There are still scattered pines, but most were killed by the southern pine beetle over the years. After a short distance along the creek, the trail leaves the bottom and climbs left up the slope. This section is an old road that separates the field from the house of C.J. Nine, which is located up the hill. Over the years the road has washed badly so the trail follows along the outer edge. As you climb this slope, old-field gullies are still evident on the left; these are typical of many hillside farms from the period. Redcedar, sugar maple, and yellow poplar line the right side of the trail, which drops off steeply. If you look closely, down the slope, you will see the fallen white oak at the spring, mentioned earlier. Several hundred feet up the trail, on the right side, is the old foundation of the Nine house. There are several yard plants including bush honeysuckle, periwinkle, and privet. Also present is a large patch of kudzu; this has been treated in the past and will be a priority in the future. If you want to explore the old home site, use extreme caution because copperheads have been seen in the ruins. Actually, in the watershed, I have only seen or heard of copperheads along Clear Creek, from the grist mill up to this area. The trail veers right, away from the old road, for a short stretch before returning, just before the trail reaches its end at Red Hill Trail.
Lower White Pine Trail
Lower White Pine Trail begins just upstream of the Big Spring (city water source) off of Clear Creek Trail, 0.7 miles from the pump house (and 0.6 miles from Upper Clear Creek road). I would rate the trail as easy to moderate as it gains 220 feet in elevation in 0.9 miles. At its beginning, the trail crosses a small creek on crude stepping stones and continues up the creek bottom where there is an abundance of spicebush, a native shrub with very fragrant stems. You can see the small yellow blooms in early to mid-March. You will then come to another small stream branch where the trail skirts along the side. Across the stream, at the base of the slope, there is a small spring that has a concrete weir, constructed by TVA in the late 30s. The trail continues along the stream where you will see trout lilies, spring beauties, Jacob’s ladder, and toothwort in the spring, and the tropical-looking umbrella magnolias are plentiful in the understory. A short distance up the stream is another concrete weir with the remnants of the measuring stick; this weir is full of silt. About a hundred feet up from the weir, the creek goes underground but will reappear again about 300 feet upstream. It is not uncommon for small streams to go underground in East Tennessee because of the karst geology (underlying limestone dissolves and the water goes underground).
n red oak. It appears that some pine was planted along the upper slopes, but most has since died from southern pine beetle. The right side is an older forest with predominantly white oak, hickory, and black oak. There is a difference in the ‘aspect’ of these two forest areas. Aspect is the direction the slope is facing. The left side is generally facing northeast, where there is more moisture and little afternoon sun. On the right side, the slope is more southwest facing, which is drier because of the afternoon sun. The lower slopes of both sides are moister because of their relative position in the hollow, which receives less sun and also more water from upslope.
The trail becomes an old road and climbs a short hill before it flattens out. A short downhill section brings you back along the creek and then to a ford. This ford crosses several large, flat rocks (bedrock) that can be very slick when wet, so be very careful when crossing. I usually cross on rocks below the bedrock when it is wet. There are several remnants of old structures along this section of the trail, the first of which is just below the ford, on the right side. As you hike up the trail you will see daffodils, forsythia, and other ‘yard shrubs’ where home sites were present. Several different families lived in this area with the creek being one of the property lines.
Once you cross the creek the trail is still an old road and there are several wet seeps at the base of the slope which keep the trail wet in some areas. The 2010 trail crew constructed a stone culvert in one of these wet areas and it is now dry. See if you can spot this nice piece of work. The creek still has a pretty good flow along this section, but will soon disappear. White pines become more numerous as you continue up the trail and several old home sites are evident. Old home sites are a common sight in the watershed and can be spotted by their old stone foundations, but also by the vegetation that is present. Often you will see black walnut trees, daffodils, vinca (periwinkle), forsythia, yucca, and other common yard plants. This trail is a good example of these conditions. There are also many other exotic plants along the trail including multiflora rose, Japanese wine berry, and Japanese honeysuckle.
The trail crosses several wet weather drainages before reaching Raccoon Run Road. As you approach the end of this section you will see a clearcut timber harvest upslope on the right. The cut parallels Raccoon Run, a short distance up from the road, and extends to the beginning of the Upper White Pine Trail. This 25-acre harvest was conducted in 1973.
Lower White Pine Trail begins just upstream of the Big Spring (city water source) off of Clear Creek Trail, 0.7 miles from the pump house (and 0.6 miles from Upper Clear Creek road). I would rate the trail as easy to moderate as it gains 220 feet in elevation in 0.9 miles. At its beginning, the trail crosses a small creek on crude stepping stones and continues up the creek bottom where there is an abundance of spicebush, a native shrub with very fragrant stems. You can see the small yellow blooms in early to mid-March. You will then come to another small stream branch where the trail skirts along the side. Across the stream, at the base of the slope, there is a small spring that has a concrete weir, constructed by TVA in the late 30s. The trail continues along the stream where you will see trout lilies, spring beauties, Jacob’s ladder, and toothwort in the spring, and the tropical-looking umbrella magnolias are plentiful in the understory. A short distance up the stream is another concrete weir with the remnants of the measuring stick; this weir is full of silt. About a hundred feet up from the weir, the creek goes underground but will reappear again about 300 feet upstream. It is not uncommon for small streams to go underground in East Tennessee because of the karst geology (underlying limestone dissolves and the water goes underground).
n red oak. It appears that some pine was planted along the upper slopes, but most has since died from southern pine beetle. The right side is an older forest with predominantly white oak, hickory, and black oak. There is a difference in the ‘aspect’ of these two forest areas. Aspect is the direction the slope is facing. The left side is generally facing northeast, where there is more moisture and little afternoon sun. On the right side, the slope is more southwest facing, which is drier because of the afternoon sun. The lower slopes of both sides are moister because of their relative position in the hollow, which receives less sun and also more water from upslope.
The trail becomes an old road and climbs a short hill before it flattens out. A short downhill section brings you back along the creek and then to a ford. This ford crosses several large, flat rocks (bedrock) that can be very slick when wet, so be very careful when crossing. I usually cross on rocks below the bedrock when it is wet. There are several remnants of old structures along this section of the trail, the first of which is just below the ford, on the right side. As you hike up the trail you will see daffodils, forsythia, and other ‘yard shrubs’ where home sites were present. Several different families lived in this area with the creek being one of the property lines.
Once you cross the creek the trail is still an old road and there are several wet seeps at the base of the slope which keep the trail wet in some areas. The 2010 trail crew constructed a stone culvert in one of these wet areas and it is now dry. See if you can spot this nice piece of work. The creek still has a pretty good flow along this section, but will soon disappear. White pines become more numerous as you continue up the trail and several old home sites are evident. Old home sites are a common sight in the watershed and can be spotted by their old stone foundations, but also by the vegetation that is present. Often you will see black walnut trees, daffodils, vinca (periwinkle), forsythia, yucca, and other common yard plants. This trail is a good example of these conditions. There are also many other exotic plants along the trail including multiflora rose, Japanese wine berry, and Japanese honeysuckle.
The trail crosses several wet weather drainages before reaching Raccoon Run Road. As you approach the end of this section you will see a clearcut timber harvest upslope on the right. The cut parallels Raccoon Run, a short distance up from the road, and extends to the beginning of the Upper White Pine Trail. This 25-acre harvest was conducted in 1973.
Upper White Pine Trail
Upper White Pine Trail begins where Lower White Pine ends at Raccoon Run Road and runs 0.7 miles, climbing 280 feet, to Hi Point Road. I would rate this section of the trail as easy to moderate; there are some hills to climb with short steep parts, but the trail surface is good over most of the trail. The trail follows the road to the right after leaving Lower White Pine and passes through a small wildlife opening with a pond on the left. If you look to the right, across from the pond, you can see the remnants of the large white pine that this trail was named for. When the road turns right (up the hill), White Pine goes straight, into the woods. At this point, the trail climbs a small hill, then flattens out and continues on an old road. The trail travels through an older upland hardwood forest dominated by black oak, white oak, chestnut oak, and hickory in the overstory, and red maple, sourwood, beech, and blackgum in the understory. This is typical of older forests in the watershed; most were selectively harvested in the past and are now changing from oak-dominated woods to maple, beech, and other non-oak hardwood trees. Over time there will be fewer and fewer oaks in the watershed because of competition from other hardwoods. Oaks need plentiful sunlight to develop, while beech, maple, black gum, sourwood, and various other hardwoods can tolerate and develop in shaded conditions. In silviculture, the culture of growing trees and forests, this concept is known as shade tolerance. Oaks are considered ‘shade intolerant’ and the other hardwoods mentioned above are ‘shade tolerant’. You can see this in older, oak-dominated woods; oaks are prevalent in the canopy, but there are few small oaks in the understory.
At about 0.1 miles the trail leaves the road (which ends) and veers right up the slope. The trail becomes a single track and starts to climb, passing left, through a new section that was recently built because of trees falling along the old route (you will notice where mountain bikes continue to use an informal trail to the right). A short steep climb leads to the top of a side ridge, which was once dominated by shortleaf pines that have since been killed by southern pine beetles. This small ‘nose’ is very dry and rocky with scattered trees and shrubby plants. In May there are often Pinxter-flowers (a native azalea) blooming on this spot with beautiful and fragrant pink flowers. This is one of the two native species of azaleas found in the watershed. The other is a flame azalea, found in some areas with underlying sandstone rock.
The trail descends a short hill and then climbs up through some large chestnut oaks whose roots crisscross the trail, creating an uneven surface. You will see yellow paint on some of the trees; this is the safety zone that extends down the hill from Hi-Point Road. There is a 300-foot safety zone where hunting is not allowed along Hi Point Road, from Hi Point to Upper Clear Creek Road. This allows non-deer hunting users to access the watershed on Hi Point Road (from Hi Point to Upper Clear Creek Road) during deer season. As you reach the top of this slope, and curve to the left, notice the change in forest types. There is an abrupt change from chestnut oak-dominated woods to yellow poplar-dominated woods. This is because of a change in the aspect (the direction the slope is facing); the chestnut oak is on a south- and west-facing slope and the yellow poplar is on a more east-facing slope. The yellow poplar originated through natural regeneration on an old field that was abandoned after the TVA purchase. Yellow poplar is a common ‘pioneer species’ on productive sites in the watershed area. A pioneer species invades open areas or old fields and quickly takes over the site. These species are usually fast-growing trees with light seeds that are dispersed by the wind. The most common pioneer species in this area are yellow poplar, Virginia pine, and to a lesser degree sweetgum.
The trail climbs steadily up the slope. You will see the many ‘dips’ in the trail surface as you hike along. These are erosion control structures that have been installed to divert the water off the trail surface. Water is a strong force, which gains energy as it travels down the trail and can cause gullies to form if not diverted off the surface. You will see these types of structures on other trails and the roads, as well. The road structures are called ‘broad-based dips’ and are an integral component of ‘best management practices (BMPs) for silvicultural activities’, a set of guidelines to minimize erosion associated with forestry operations.
As you climb, notice the flat bench on the hill to the right; this is an old foundation for a structure, probably a barn. This is an old field because of the dominance of yellow poplar, which is uniform in size. There are few wildflowers on upper White Pine, but you may see pennywort, toothworts, and wild oats, a diminutive bellwort. You will soon reach Hi Point Road, the end of White Pine Trail.
White Pine Trail is a long trail with many opportunities to create loops with other trails. Hikers can utilize its entire length while horses and bikes can only ride on the upper section. One possibility is to start on Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail and go up to Hi Point Road, take a left and go less than a hundred feet and turn left on Red Hill Road, then go down to Raccoon Run, right and down the hill to Upper White Pine which cuts right. Travel up White Pine to Hi Point Road; go right, up to Hi-Point (the tallest point in the watershed at 1460 feet) and continue to the right on Hi Point Road to Mockingbird Road, to the right and back down to the start of Eli Nine, at Upper Clear Creek Road. This loop is about 3.7 miles long and is not difficult, gaining about 600 feet in elevation for the loop.
Upper White Pine Trail begins where Lower White Pine ends at Raccoon Run Road and runs 0.7 miles, climbing 280 feet, to Hi Point Road. I would rate this section of the trail as easy to moderate; there are some hills to climb with short steep parts, but the trail surface is good over most of the trail. The trail follows the road to the right after leaving Lower White Pine and passes through a small wildlife opening with a pond on the left. If you look to the right, across from the pond, you can see the remnants of the large white pine that this trail was named for. When the road turns right (up the hill), White Pine goes straight, into the woods. At this point, the trail climbs a small hill, then flattens out and continues on an old road. The trail travels through an older upland hardwood forest dominated by black oak, white oak, chestnut oak, and hickory in the overstory, and red maple, sourwood, beech, and blackgum in the understory. This is typical of older forests in the watershed; most were selectively harvested in the past and are now changing from oak-dominated woods to maple, beech, and other non-oak hardwood trees. Over time there will be fewer and fewer oaks in the watershed because of competition from other hardwoods. Oaks need plentiful sunlight to develop, while beech, maple, black gum, sourwood, and various other hardwoods can tolerate and develop in shaded conditions. In silviculture, the culture of growing trees and forests, this concept is known as shade tolerance. Oaks are considered ‘shade intolerant’ and the other hardwoods mentioned above are ‘shade tolerant’. You can see this in older, oak-dominated woods; oaks are prevalent in the canopy, but there are few small oaks in the understory.
At about 0.1 miles the trail leaves the road (which ends) and veers right up the slope. The trail becomes a single track and starts to climb, passing left, through a new section that was recently built because of trees falling along the old route (you will notice where mountain bikes continue to use an informal trail to the right). A short steep climb leads to the top of a side ridge, which was once dominated by shortleaf pines that have since been killed by southern pine beetles. This small ‘nose’ is very dry and rocky with scattered trees and shrubby plants. In May there are often Pinxter-flowers (a native azalea) blooming on this spot with beautiful and fragrant pink flowers. This is one of the two native species of azaleas found in the watershed. The other is a flame azalea, found in some areas with underlying sandstone rock.
The trail descends a short hill and then climbs up through some large chestnut oaks whose roots crisscross the trail, creating an uneven surface. You will see yellow paint on some of the trees; this is the safety zone that extends down the hill from Hi-Point Road. There is a 300-foot safety zone where hunting is not allowed along Hi Point Road, from Hi Point to Upper Clear Creek Road. This allows non-deer hunting users to access the watershed on Hi Point Road (from Hi Point to Upper Clear Creek Road) during deer season. As you reach the top of this slope, and curve to the left, notice the change in forest types. There is an abrupt change from chestnut oak-dominated woods to yellow poplar-dominated woods. This is because of a change in the aspect (the direction the slope is facing); the chestnut oak is on a south- and west-facing slope and the yellow poplar is on a more east-facing slope. The yellow poplar originated through natural regeneration on an old field that was abandoned after the TVA purchase. Yellow poplar is a common ‘pioneer species’ on productive sites in the watershed area. A pioneer species invades open areas or old fields and quickly takes over the site. These species are usually fast-growing trees with light seeds that are dispersed by the wind. The most common pioneer species in this area are yellow poplar, Virginia pine, and to a lesser degree sweetgum.
The trail climbs steadily up the slope. You will see the many ‘dips’ in the trail surface as you hike along. These are erosion control structures that have been installed to divert the water off the trail surface. Water is a strong force, which gains energy as it travels down the trail and can cause gullies to form if not diverted off the surface. You will see these types of structures on other trails and the roads, as well. The road structures are called ‘broad-based dips’ and are an integral component of ‘best management practices (BMPs) for silvicultural activities’, a set of guidelines to minimize erosion associated with forestry operations.
As you climb, notice the flat bench on the hill to the right; this is an old foundation for a structure, probably a barn. This is an old field because of the dominance of yellow poplar, which is uniform in size. There are few wildflowers on upper White Pine, but you may see pennywort, toothworts, and wild oats, a diminutive bellwort. You will soon reach Hi Point Road, the end of White Pine Trail.
White Pine Trail is a long trail with many opportunities to create loops with other trails. Hikers can utilize its entire length while horses and bikes can only ride on the upper section. One possibility is to start on Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail and go up to Hi Point Road, take a left and go less than a hundred feet and turn left on Red Hill Road, then go down to Raccoon Run, right and down the hill to Upper White Pine which cuts right. Travel up White Pine to Hi Point Road; go right, up to Hi-Point (the tallest point in the watershed at 1460 feet) and continue to the right on Hi Point Road to Mockingbird Road, to the right and back down to the start of Eli Nine, at Upper Clear Creek Road. This loop is about 3.7 miles long and is not difficult, gaining about 600 feet in elevation for the loop.
Ridgecrest Trail
Ridgecrest Trail is one of the steepest trails in the watershed, climbing 340 feet in the first 0.5 miles before leveling out and climbing just 60 feet over the final 0.4 miles. This trail is open to all but motorized vehicles (purple trail). The trail begins on Hi Point Road, taking off to the left, about 0.1 miles up from the pump house. You will cross a stone bridge over a muddy area that was constructed by the 2010 trail crew. This bridge is constructed with a large rock on the bottom to facilitate the movement of water and is capped with cut limestone rocks that were recovered from an old section of the wall at Reservoir Hill which had fallen. Across the bridge, you will climb an old rocky road that was the access road for a CCC camp which is located a short distance ahead. As the trail bends to the right you will see old concrete steps and a concrete post. This is the site of the CCC camp; the concrete post appears to be a historical marker that was placed sometime after the camp closed. Engraved on the metal plate on top of the post is: “Site H, CCC Camp TVA P1, 1934, Formerly, Camp TVA-8 in 1933”. The only evidence of the camp, besides the steps, are several excavated flat areas that were likely the location of buildings or planned buildings and a hole on the left side of the trail with remnants of a concrete structure. Over the years I have tried to get more information on the CCC camps on Norris Reservoir but have not been able to find much. The TVA library has little material, so most of the old records must have been sent to the national archives. I will discuss more about the CCCs in future articles.
The trail narrows and starts to climb, before turning left in a switchback. This trail was originally an old farm road and went straight up the hill. Several years ago the watershed board put in switchbacks to help control erosion. The trail is located along the convergence of two ridges and runs over a half mile up this ‘nose’ before turning away. As you travel up this section, notice the stark difference in the forest on the two sides of the trail. The left side is an old forest with large white oak, black oak, northern red oak, and chestnut oak. The tree health is declining and you will notice many down trees. On the right side of the trail, you will see primarily yellow-poplar, hickory, and maples. This was an old field at the time of purchase and much of it was planted in pine. Most of the pine was killed by pine beetles in the mid-70s and was hit again by beetles in the early 2000s. After the pine died, hardwoods that were in the understory took over the site.
The trail climbs through several switchbacks before straightening out. Numerous dips have been constructed in this steep section to control erosion. As you approach the top of this climb you will pass a pile of cut stone on the right, probably an old barn or other field structure. Ridgecrest Trail is on the former property of W.H. Longmire, by far the largest landowner on what is now the Norris Watershed. TVA purchased over 1100 acres of the farm which was roughly located from Norris Dam, downstream to below the weir dam, up to Eagle Trail, over observation point and below reservoir hill, then up clear creek to the trail ford and then paralleling White Pine Trail to the reservoir (originally went to the Clinch River). The trail bends right and starts to level out along a very nice lane through the forested old fields. Notice on the left that the large trees have given way to a younger forest. This lane was probably the dividing line between the two fields; the left side had a high bank with a row of trees (sassafras and larger yellow poplar) that was the fence row. In spring, this long alley-like section has good coverage of sea oats (a bellwort) and wild comfrey. As you hike this section in the winter you can see Hi Point road at the bottom of the slope.
After about 0.3 miles, the trail makes a sharp left turn, up a slope, and through some large oaks (you can see the old trail go straight at this point). This small pocket of large trees is a mature oak stand that is in declining health. If you look straight ahead you might notice a timber harvest up the slope. This area was cut in 1992 and contained similar trees; very large oaks in declining condition. The trail quickly switches back to the right and continues a short distance before turning left and back on the original trail. A short climb takes you up to the end of Ridgecrest at Freeway Trail.
Ridgecrest Trail is one of the steepest trails in the watershed, climbing 340 feet in the first 0.5 miles before leveling out and climbing just 60 feet over the final 0.4 miles. This trail is open to all but motorized vehicles (purple trail). The trail begins on Hi Point Road, taking off to the left, about 0.1 miles up from the pump house. You will cross a stone bridge over a muddy area that was constructed by the 2010 trail crew. This bridge is constructed with a large rock on the bottom to facilitate the movement of water and is capped with cut limestone rocks that were recovered from an old section of the wall at Reservoir Hill which had fallen. Across the bridge, you will climb an old rocky road that was the access road for a CCC camp which is located a short distance ahead. As the trail bends to the right you will see old concrete steps and a concrete post. This is the site of the CCC camp; the concrete post appears to be a historical marker that was placed sometime after the camp closed. Engraved on the metal plate on top of the post is: “Site H, CCC Camp TVA P1, 1934, Formerly, Camp TVA-8 in 1933”. The only evidence of the camp, besides the steps, are several excavated flat areas that were likely the location of buildings or planned buildings and a hole on the left side of the trail with remnants of a concrete structure. Over the years I have tried to get more information on the CCC camps on Norris Reservoir but have not been able to find much. The TVA library has little material, so most of the old records must have been sent to the national archives. I will discuss more about the CCCs in future articles.
The trail narrows and starts to climb, before turning left in a switchback. This trail was originally an old farm road and went straight up the hill. Several years ago the watershed board put in switchbacks to help control erosion. The trail is located along the convergence of two ridges and runs over a half mile up this ‘nose’ before turning away. As you travel up this section, notice the stark difference in the forest on the two sides of the trail. The left side is an old forest with large white oak, black oak, northern red oak, and chestnut oak. The tree health is declining and you will notice many down trees. On the right side of the trail, you will see primarily yellow-poplar, hickory, and maples. This was an old field at the time of purchase and much of it was planted in pine. Most of the pine was killed by pine beetles in the mid-70s and was hit again by beetles in the early 2000s. After the pine died, hardwoods that were in the understory took over the site.
The trail climbs through several switchbacks before straightening out. Numerous dips have been constructed in this steep section to control erosion. As you approach the top of this climb you will pass a pile of cut stone on the right, probably an old barn or other field structure. Ridgecrest Trail is on the former property of W.H. Longmire, by far the largest landowner on what is now the Norris Watershed. TVA purchased over 1100 acres of the farm which was roughly located from Norris Dam, downstream to below the weir dam, up to Eagle Trail, over observation point and below reservoir hill, then up clear creek to the trail ford and then paralleling White Pine Trail to the reservoir (originally went to the Clinch River). The trail bends right and starts to level out along a very nice lane through the forested old fields. Notice on the left that the large trees have given way to a younger forest. This lane was probably the dividing line between the two fields; the left side had a high bank with a row of trees (sassafras and larger yellow poplar) that was the fence row. In spring, this long alley-like section has good coverage of sea oats (a bellwort) and wild comfrey. As you hike this section in the winter you can see Hi Point road at the bottom of the slope.
After about 0.3 miles, the trail makes a sharp left turn, up a slope, and through some large oaks (you can see the old trail go straight at this point). This small pocket of large trees is a mature oak stand that is in declining health. If you look straight ahead you might notice a timber harvest up the slope. This area was cut in 1992 and contained similar trees; very large oaks in declining condition. The trail quickly switches back to the right and continues a short distance before turning left and back on the original trail. A short climb takes you up to the end of Ridgecrest at Freeway Trail.
Hi-Point Trail
Hi-Point Trail is the longest trail in the watershed, covering 4.2 miles from the pump house to Upper Clear Creek Road. The old road traversed many farms but appears to have been a county road on only one section (from Upper Clear Creek Road to the Lakeside Loop Trail). This is a green trail, open to all users. Beginning at the pump house, you cross the bridge across Clear Creek and go straight. It’s hard to believe, but the previous bridge washed out in a large flood in the early 90s. The current bridge was paid for by revenue from a timber sale. You will walk along a small stream on the left for several hundred feet before meeting the junction of Ridgecrest Trail to the left. Just past this junction, you will see orange paint on some of the trees; this is the boundary between TVA and the watershed. So the first section is on TVA property. Hi-Point Trail climbs about 1.9 miles to the top of High Point and gains approximately 560 feet. This is the largest elevation gain in the watershed, but not the steepest climb because it is spread out over such a long distance.
The trail climbs up a large hollow with an old field forest (former planted pine stand that is now yellow poplar, red maple, and sugar maple) on the left and an older upland hardwood forest on the right. This section is deceivingly steep, but very noticeable on a mountain bike. The trail surface could be best described as rocky and rockier but is not a bad tread to travel on. You will get to a sharp right turn and the trail flattens a little. At this point, the forest is older upland hardwood on both sides, occupied by large black oak, white oak, and chestnut oak, with smaller red maple, sourwood, and black gum. There are also some large shortleaf pines mixed in the stand. At 1.0 miles the trail makes a sharp left turn and the intersection with Raccoon Run Trail is to the right (through the gate). Hi-Point Trail was called the ‘Mae West’ Road in the early years because it had so many curves. As you travel this section you will understand the unofficial name that was used. Be careful when you go around a curve because there could be someone coming down. The trail winds up the hill and flattens, and then climbs again and flattens until you reach Freeway Trail on the left at 1.6 miles. An informal road cuts to the right but is in the process of being closed to vehicular traffic. You will then climb a short hill before leveling out for a ways. The forest on the right is an old field that is primarily yellow-poplar and is doing well on the northeast-facing aspect. After 0.2 miles Upper White Pine Trail cuts off down the hill to the right and then Longmire Trail turns left down the hill. After a short, steep hill you will reach High Point.
High Point is the highest elevation in the Norris Watershed at 1460 feet (by comparison Observation Point is 1380 feet and Reservoir Hill 1360 feet). At the top, Hi Point Trail turns right, down the slope. The road which goes straight to High-Point leads to the park cabins in about 0.6 miles and passes the spur trail to Lakeview Trail (a short distance on the right). The boundary between the Norris Watershed and Norris Dam State Park crosses at High Point and parallels Hi Point Trail for most of the way onward, going back and forth between the two interties. You will see park boundary signs, flagging, and orange posts along the trail, as well as yellow safety zone signs (for the watershed). Over the next 0.8 miles, the trail drops 240 feet. Leaving High-Point, you will descend to a level section with older upland hardwood (black oak, white oak, chestnut oak, hickory, and red maple) on the left and the old field with yellow-poplar still on your right. In a short distance, the yellow poplar gives way to upland hardwood when the aspect changes and the site becomes drier. The trail starts down again over a long steady slope with lots of broad-based dips for erosion control. At 0.7 miles from High Point you reach Red Hill Trail to the right and then in a very short distance, Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail turns off to the right. The trail continues down a long hill that is gravely toward the bottom. An old road to ‘Scenic Cove’ cut off to the left at one time, but has since been closed by the state park. Although it is not maintained, and somewhat difficult to locate, it is a good access to Lakeview Trail. Scenic Cove was a popular place for locals to swim when the road was open.
From the bottom, you will start to climb again, reaching Mockingbird Trail (at 0.9 miles from High Point) to the right. The trail continues to climb on a clay surface, moderately at first, and then steeper as you go. An old road turns left partway up the slope and goes to the old E. S. Atkin's home place is now on park property. The trail flattens out and passes a sinkhole on the left then makes a sharp left turn and climbs a small hill. The forest along this section is older upland hardwood dominated by oaks, hickory, and yellow poplar. Logging has been limited in the watershed along Hi Point Trail and the state park has not been harvested since the property was acquired in the 30s. Shortly you will come to a flat area with an old parking area on the left; this is the former trailhead to Hill Cave. A Boy Scout had developed this parking area many years ago as an eagle project, but since Hill Cave is now closed, the trail and signage have been abandoned. After another short hill, you will come to the entrance to Lakeside Loop Trail on the left (1.5 miles from High Point). This is an old road that goes to the lake and was at one time used by some Norrisonians to go swimming and picnicking. When I was a youngster we went down this road with Elmer Snow in his 1955 Chrysler sedan to swim. Elmer was a forester at TVA and was quite revered for his ability to drive a car on any woods road, no matter how bad it was.
The trail goes down another slope, flattens, and then turns right. Another road goes straight in this turn and leads to the other end of Lakeside Loop (0.2 miles from the previous trailhead). As you round the curve there will be another road to the left which also goes to Lakeside Loop Trail. This section of road, from the Lakeside Loop junction to Upper Clear Creek Road, was a county road with a 16-foot right of way at the time of purchase. All but the last few hundred feet of the road were on the farm of A. H. Metzger, who owned 354 acres. An old farm road turns down the hill to the right but soon ends. This road is closed to vehicular traffic because of continued abuse. Hi-Point Trail follows the ridge down a long slope through upland hardwood forest with a small patch of white pine on the right. Notice the sandstone along this section. The trail makes a long curve to the left on a clay surface and reaches a split in the road; the original road is to the left and was moved years ago because it had become eroded. Lakeview Trail (state park) starts on the left road and there is a kiosk with maps and other information installed by the state park. Lakeview is a new trail that goes from this point to the old cabins in the park, traversing 4.9 miles.
The TVA acquisition map shows a cemetery, with one grave, on the right side of the road in this area. I have never looked for this grave but it is likely marked with stones and would be difficult to locate. The trail crosses a saddle before climbing a short steep hill and then flattens out and passes a sinkhole on the left. Another old road then cuts to the left and goes a short distance to the state park property before ending. Hi-Point then descends a small hill and ends at Upper Clear Creek Road, 4.2 miles from the pump house. There is a large sinkhole on the left which is occupied by yellow poplar.
Hi-Point Trail is the longest trail in the watershed, covering 4.2 miles from the pump house to Upper Clear Creek Road. The old road traversed many farms but appears to have been a county road on only one section (from Upper Clear Creek Road to the Lakeside Loop Trail). This is a green trail, open to all users. Beginning at the pump house, you cross the bridge across Clear Creek and go straight. It’s hard to believe, but the previous bridge washed out in a large flood in the early 90s. The current bridge was paid for by revenue from a timber sale. You will walk along a small stream on the left for several hundred feet before meeting the junction of Ridgecrest Trail to the left. Just past this junction, you will see orange paint on some of the trees; this is the boundary between TVA and the watershed. So the first section is on TVA property. Hi-Point Trail climbs about 1.9 miles to the top of High Point and gains approximately 560 feet. This is the largest elevation gain in the watershed, but not the steepest climb because it is spread out over such a long distance.
The trail climbs up a large hollow with an old field forest (former planted pine stand that is now yellow poplar, red maple, and sugar maple) on the left and an older upland hardwood forest on the right. This section is deceivingly steep, but very noticeable on a mountain bike. The trail surface could be best described as rocky and rockier but is not a bad tread to travel on. You will get to a sharp right turn and the trail flattens a little. At this point, the forest is older upland hardwood on both sides, occupied by large black oak, white oak, and chestnut oak, with smaller red maple, sourwood, and black gum. There are also some large shortleaf pines mixed in the stand. At 1.0 miles the trail makes a sharp left turn and the intersection with Raccoon Run Trail is to the right (through the gate). Hi-Point Trail was called the ‘Mae West’ Road in the early years because it had so many curves. As you travel this section you will understand the unofficial name that was used. Be careful when you go around a curve because there could be someone coming down. The trail winds up the hill and flattens, and then climbs again and flattens until you reach Freeway Trail on the left at 1.6 miles. An informal road cuts to the right but is in the process of being closed to vehicular traffic. You will then climb a short hill before leveling out for a ways. The forest on the right is an old field that is primarily yellow-poplar and is doing well on the northeast-facing aspect. After 0.2 miles Upper White Pine Trail cuts off down the hill to the right and then Longmire Trail turns left down the hill. After a short, steep hill you will reach High Point.
High Point is the highest elevation in the Norris Watershed at 1460 feet (by comparison Observation Point is 1380 feet and Reservoir Hill 1360 feet). At the top, Hi Point Trail turns right, down the slope. The road which goes straight to High-Point leads to the park cabins in about 0.6 miles and passes the spur trail to Lakeview Trail (a short distance on the right). The boundary between the Norris Watershed and Norris Dam State Park crosses at High Point and parallels Hi Point Trail for most of the way onward, going back and forth between the two interties. You will see park boundary signs, flagging, and orange posts along the trail, as well as yellow safety zone signs (for the watershed). Over the next 0.8 miles, the trail drops 240 feet. Leaving High-Point, you will descend to a level section with older upland hardwood (black oak, white oak, chestnut oak, hickory, and red maple) on the left and the old field with yellow-poplar still on your right. In a short distance, the yellow poplar gives way to upland hardwood when the aspect changes and the site becomes drier. The trail starts down again over a long steady slope with lots of broad-based dips for erosion control. At 0.7 miles from High Point you reach Red Hill Trail to the right and then in a very short distance, Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail turns off to the right. The trail continues down a long hill that is gravely toward the bottom. An old road to ‘Scenic Cove’ cut off to the left at one time, but has since been closed by the state park. Although it is not maintained, and somewhat difficult to locate, it is a good access to Lakeview Trail. Scenic Cove was a popular place for locals to swim when the road was open.
From the bottom, you will start to climb again, reaching Mockingbird Trail (at 0.9 miles from High Point) to the right. The trail continues to climb on a clay surface, moderately at first, and then steeper as you go. An old road turns left partway up the slope and goes to the old E. S. Atkin's home place is now on park property. The trail flattens out and passes a sinkhole on the left then makes a sharp left turn and climbs a small hill. The forest along this section is older upland hardwood dominated by oaks, hickory, and yellow poplar. Logging has been limited in the watershed along Hi Point Trail and the state park has not been harvested since the property was acquired in the 30s. Shortly you will come to a flat area with an old parking area on the left; this is the former trailhead to Hill Cave. A Boy Scout had developed this parking area many years ago as an eagle project, but since Hill Cave is now closed, the trail and signage have been abandoned. After another short hill, you will come to the entrance to Lakeside Loop Trail on the left (1.5 miles from High Point). This is an old road that goes to the lake and was at one time used by some Norrisonians to go swimming and picnicking. When I was a youngster we went down this road with Elmer Snow in his 1955 Chrysler sedan to swim. Elmer was a forester at TVA and was quite revered for his ability to drive a car on any woods road, no matter how bad it was.
The trail goes down another slope, flattens, and then turns right. Another road goes straight in this turn and leads to the other end of Lakeside Loop (0.2 miles from the previous trailhead). As you round the curve there will be another road to the left which also goes to Lakeside Loop Trail. This section of road, from the Lakeside Loop junction to Upper Clear Creek Road, was a county road with a 16-foot right of way at the time of purchase. All but the last few hundred feet of the road were on the farm of A. H. Metzger, who owned 354 acres. An old farm road turns down the hill to the right but soon ends. This road is closed to vehicular traffic because of continued abuse. Hi-Point Trail follows the ridge down a long slope through upland hardwood forest with a small patch of white pine on the right. Notice the sandstone along this section. The trail makes a long curve to the left on a clay surface and reaches a split in the road; the original road is to the left and was moved years ago because it had become eroded. Lakeview Trail (state park) starts on the left road and there is a kiosk with maps and other information installed by the state park. Lakeview is a new trail that goes from this point to the old cabins in the park, traversing 4.9 miles.
The TVA acquisition map shows a cemetery, with one grave, on the right side of the road in this area. I have never looked for this grave but it is likely marked with stones and would be difficult to locate. The trail crosses a saddle before climbing a short steep hill and then flattens out and passes a sinkhole on the left. Another old road then cuts to the left and goes a short distance to the state park property before ending. Hi-Point then descends a small hill and ends at Upper Clear Creek Road, 4.2 miles from the pump house. There is a large sinkhole on the left which is occupied by yellow poplar.
Freeway Trail
Freeway Trail, which is an old logging road, begins at Hi Point Trail, about 1.5 miles up from the pump house and 0.3 miles below Hi-Point. This 1.0-mile trail is open to all but motorized users (purple trail) and is one of the steepest trails in the watershed, falling (or climbing) about 520 feet. As you begin, there is a cable across the road to restrict vehicular traffic. The trail climbs a short hill before descending a gradual slope and passes an old log road to the right. Most of the area on the right was selectively harvested in 1955 and 1977 and was clear-cut in 1980. The resulting forest composition varies with each microsite; yellow poplar, red maple, black cherry, and sourwood are common on the richer, more productive sites, while oaks are predominant on the medium to poor-quality sites. Continuing down the trail you will soon meet the junction with Ridgecrest Trail on the left, just before the bottom of the hill. A short flat section soon gives way to another descent, just past an overgrown road to the left. This road was used to access a 10-acre timber harvest on top of the ridge in 1992. From this point, the trail travels down a long slope, varying from moderately steep to very steep. The surface has a slick cherty layer on top and can be tricky to navigate. Some sections have larger rocks, which have been uncovered by erosion. Vehicles were barred from this road in the early 90s because of maintenance costs and it was re-graded after closure with large, deep dips constructed to control runoff. These have been very effective in protecting the surface but will need to be re-graded soon, as they are filling in with silt.
On the left side of the trail, the forest is older, occupied by large, poor-quality chestnut oak and white oak, smaller red maple, and scattered shortleaf pine. You will pass a pocket of white pine on the left, where at one time, a population of pink lady slippers was present. Notice the tall grassy plant on the road surface; this is Nepal grass (woods grass), which is another invasive exotic plant that is found throughout the watershed. You will reach a road to the left, which is an access road to the power line. Freeway Trail now drops sharply and bends to the right before flattening out and following the contour to the back of the hollow and around. Again, the trail drops sharply on a rocky, eroded section and soon reaches the power line. The Norris Watershed boundary is just above the power line, with TVA property beyond that point. Under the power line, the trail is badly eroded and has a heavy cover of sericea lespedeza. Longmire Trail cuts up the hill to the right as Freeway Trail continues straight, then turns left and then right, ending at Hwy 441 in a couple of hundred feet.
Freeway Trail is used primarily by horseback riders who park across from the old TVA Fisheries Lab on Hwy 441. To combine other trails for a loop, you can take the trail across the grass field along Hwy 441 to the Grist Mill or hike Longmire Trail back up the ridge to Hi Point Trail. Another option is to hike along 441 to Camp Sam Hollow or use Songbird Trail, then cross back over to Camp Sam. I sometimes utilize Songbird from Camp Sam Hollow to get back to the Lenoir Museum. This is one of the nicest features of the watershed; you can be creative in making loops that combine a variety of trails.
Freeway Trail, which is an old logging road, begins at Hi Point Trail, about 1.5 miles up from the pump house and 0.3 miles below Hi-Point. This 1.0-mile trail is open to all but motorized users (purple trail) and is one of the steepest trails in the watershed, falling (or climbing) about 520 feet. As you begin, there is a cable across the road to restrict vehicular traffic. The trail climbs a short hill before descending a gradual slope and passes an old log road to the right. Most of the area on the right was selectively harvested in 1955 and 1977 and was clear-cut in 1980. The resulting forest composition varies with each microsite; yellow poplar, red maple, black cherry, and sourwood are common on the richer, more productive sites, while oaks are predominant on the medium to poor-quality sites. Continuing down the trail you will soon meet the junction with Ridgecrest Trail on the left, just before the bottom of the hill. A short flat section soon gives way to another descent, just past an overgrown road to the left. This road was used to access a 10-acre timber harvest on top of the ridge in 1992. From this point, the trail travels down a long slope, varying from moderately steep to very steep. The surface has a slick cherty layer on top and can be tricky to navigate. Some sections have larger rocks, which have been uncovered by erosion. Vehicles were barred from this road in the early 90s because of maintenance costs and it was re-graded after closure with large, deep dips constructed to control runoff. These have been very effective in protecting the surface but will need to be re-graded soon, as they are filling in with silt.
On the left side of the trail, the forest is older, occupied by large, poor-quality chestnut oak and white oak, smaller red maple, and scattered shortleaf pine. You will pass a pocket of white pine on the left, where at one time, a population of pink lady slippers was present. Notice the tall grassy plant on the road surface; this is Nepal grass (woods grass), which is another invasive exotic plant that is found throughout the watershed. You will reach a road to the left, which is an access road to the power line. Freeway Trail now drops sharply and bends to the right before flattening out and following the contour to the back of the hollow and around. Again, the trail drops sharply on a rocky, eroded section and soon reaches the power line. The Norris Watershed boundary is just above the power line, with TVA property beyond that point. Under the power line, the trail is badly eroded and has a heavy cover of sericea lespedeza. Longmire Trail cuts up the hill to the right as Freeway Trail continues straight, then turns left and then right, ending at Hwy 441 in a couple of hundred feet.
Freeway Trail is used primarily by horseback riders who park across from the old TVA Fisheries Lab on Hwy 441. To combine other trails for a loop, you can take the trail across the grass field along Hwy 441 to the Grist Mill or hike Longmire Trail back up the ridge to Hi Point Trail. Another option is to hike along 441 to Camp Sam Hollow or use Songbird Trail, then cross back over to Camp Sam. I sometimes utilize Songbird from Camp Sam Hollow to get back to the Lenoir Museum. This is one of the nicest features of the watershed; you can be creative in making loops that combine a variety of trails.
Longmire Trail
Longmire Trail begins under the power line at the junction with Freeway Trail just behind the old TVA Fisheries Lab on Hwy 441. One of the steepest trails in the watershed, Longmire climbs (or falls) about 500 feet in 0.8 miles. The trail is rocky and eroded as you climb under the power line and along the side of a hollow up to the woods. This is one of the most unique hollows in the watershed; the area is heavily forested but the hollow is very open, visually. Longmire is a steep, rocky trail that has received no maintenance in years. It is used primarily by horseback riders, but some hikers do stumble on it occasionally (most watershed users expect all of the trails to be in good condition and when they see this trail on the map they think it will be like the others, but it is not typical of other trails). Although Longmire is a purple trail, open to all but motorized users, it is a difficult bicycle trail and should only be ridden by technically competent riders.
An old logging road cuts to the left soon after you enter the woods. The forest on this side of the hollow is an uncommon type for the watershed, composed primarily of northern red oak, white ash, sugar maple, white oak, and yellow poplar. This forest type is a mixture of cove and northern hardwoods which prefer north and east aspects with rich, moist soils. You will climb for a while and then the trail flattens out somewhat on a rocky surface. Notice the large embedded rock and bedrock that are on the road surface. I am not sure of the origin of this road but I would imagine it was used before TVA purchase to traverse the Longmire farm, which totaled over 1000 acres. In 1959, the road was used by Boyd Cupp to harvest storm-damaged timber and was the site of a portable sawmill. Most of this harvest was on the upper end of the trail. In 1971, as part of the Longleaf contract, 50 acres were selectively harvested in this hollow and the main road and lateral skid roads were used to haul logs.
The trail starts to climb steeply on a difficult surface with rocks and roots. Just before you reach the top of this climb an old log road enters on the right. The trail drops slightly before starting to climb an easy slope. Notice that the forest on the right side of the trail has changed to chestnut oak, black oak, and white oak while the left side is dominated by yellow poplar. An old log road will be on your left and you will see an abundance of Japanese wineberries, another invasive exotic plant. The trail becomes more rocky and eroded as you climb. On your left, another log road takes off. These last two roads which cut off to the left can be used to reach the road that runs from High Point to the cabins at Norris Dam State Park. You will have to ‘bushwhack’ (hike through the woods with no trail) a short distance where there is no road, but it is a beautiful hike. The trail now starts to climb, moderately at first, and then steeply, up the rocky eroded trail surface. This old road is what a forester calls a ‘slot’ road because it has become a drainage ditch with no outlet for the water and just gets deeper over time. Notice again the forest composition; as you climb toward the top, yellow poplar gradually gives way to oaks as the site becomes drier. The road bends left and makes the final, steep climb to the top, where you will pass by a cable and then reach Hi Point Trail, just below High Point (to the left).
Longmire Trail is the most difficult trail in the watershed. I find that hiking up it is much easier because you can navigate the rocks better. You should wear hiking boots or other sturdy shoes to hike the trail. By all means, don’t just write this trail off, because it is in a beautiful hollow, unlike others in the watershed. I often hike through the woods from Freeway Trail, down the ridge, and meet Longmire Trail via the old log road which comes in on the right, about halfway up. From there, go up to the second log road to the left and take it across the hollow and up to the next ridge. An old road, which is faintly obvious in places, leads up along the side ridge to the State Park and road that goes from Hi Point to the cabins. You will see the property line for the park which is marked with signs and paint. I then go over to Hi-Point and beyond. The watershed is not a difficult area to ‘bushwhack’ in, but people can get lost, so if you do try this, it would be a good idea to have a map and compass with you.
Longmire Trail begins under the power line at the junction with Freeway Trail just behind the old TVA Fisheries Lab on Hwy 441. One of the steepest trails in the watershed, Longmire climbs (or falls) about 500 feet in 0.8 miles. The trail is rocky and eroded as you climb under the power line and along the side of a hollow up to the woods. This is one of the most unique hollows in the watershed; the area is heavily forested but the hollow is very open, visually. Longmire is a steep, rocky trail that has received no maintenance in years. It is used primarily by horseback riders, but some hikers do stumble on it occasionally (most watershed users expect all of the trails to be in good condition and when they see this trail on the map they think it will be like the others, but it is not typical of other trails). Although Longmire is a purple trail, open to all but motorized users, it is a difficult bicycle trail and should only be ridden by technically competent riders.
An old logging road cuts to the left soon after you enter the woods. The forest on this side of the hollow is an uncommon type for the watershed, composed primarily of northern red oak, white ash, sugar maple, white oak, and yellow poplar. This forest type is a mixture of cove and northern hardwoods which prefer north and east aspects with rich, moist soils. You will climb for a while and then the trail flattens out somewhat on a rocky surface. Notice the large embedded rock and bedrock that are on the road surface. I am not sure of the origin of this road but I would imagine it was used before TVA purchase to traverse the Longmire farm, which totaled over 1000 acres. In 1959, the road was used by Boyd Cupp to harvest storm-damaged timber and was the site of a portable sawmill. Most of this harvest was on the upper end of the trail. In 1971, as part of the Longleaf contract, 50 acres were selectively harvested in this hollow and the main road and lateral skid roads were used to haul logs.
The trail starts to climb steeply on a difficult surface with rocks and roots. Just before you reach the top of this climb an old log road enters on the right. The trail drops slightly before starting to climb an easy slope. Notice that the forest on the right side of the trail has changed to chestnut oak, black oak, and white oak while the left side is dominated by yellow poplar. An old log road will be on your left and you will see an abundance of Japanese wineberries, another invasive exotic plant. The trail becomes more rocky and eroded as you climb. On your left, another log road takes off. These last two roads which cut off to the left can be used to reach the road that runs from High Point to the cabins at Norris Dam State Park. You will have to ‘bushwhack’ (hike through the woods with no trail) a short distance where there is no road, but it is a beautiful hike. The trail now starts to climb, moderately at first, and then steeply, up the rocky eroded trail surface. This old road is what a forester calls a ‘slot’ road because it has become a drainage ditch with no outlet for the water and just gets deeper over time. Notice again the forest composition; as you climb toward the top, yellow poplar gradually gives way to oaks as the site becomes drier. The road bends left and makes the final, steep climb to the top, where you will pass by a cable and then reach Hi Point Trail, just below High Point (to the left).
Longmire Trail is the most difficult trail in the watershed. I find that hiking up it is much easier because you can navigate the rocks better. You should wear hiking boots or other sturdy shoes to hike the trail. By all means, don’t just write this trail off, because it is in a beautiful hollow, unlike others in the watershed. I often hike through the woods from Freeway Trail, down the ridge, and meet Longmire Trail via the old log road which comes in on the right, about halfway up. From there, go up to the second log road to the left and take it across the hollow and up to the next ridge. An old road, which is faintly obvious in places, leads up along the side ridge to the State Park and road that goes from Hi Point to the cabins. You will see the property line for the park which is marked with signs and paint. I then go over to Hi-Point and beyond. The watershed is not a difficult area to ‘bushwhack’ in, but people can get lost, so if you do try this, it would be a good idea to have a map and compass with you.
Raccoon Run Trail
Raccoon Run was a single-track trail until 1973 when the areas on each end were harvested for timber. There was a scout campsite (for jamborees) at the junction with Red Hill Trail. The trail went down the hill to the giant white pine tree (which was just above the current location of the pond). It was a beautiful trail that went through some very nice woodland.
Raccoon Run Trail begins at the junction with Red Hill Trail, about 0.4 miles from Hi Point Trail. It is a purple trail, open to all but motorized users, and is 1.1 miles long. The trail drops (about 120 feet) for the first 0.2 miles, reaching the bottom and junction with White Pine Trail near the pond. After a sharp left turn, the trail is flat for a while, traveling along the bottom which is maintained in an open condition. The pond was constructed in the early 90s to create a watering hole for wildlife. In the spring you can hear the frogs singing away and if you are lucky you may see a water snake sunning on the rocks. In a short distance, you will come to the other junction with White Pine Trail on the left. There are numerous large white pines in this section. The trail starts to climb slightly, before the big hill, which rises rather steeply (160 feet) in an open forest. Most of the forest on the right was selectively harvested in the 70s as part of the Longleaf Contract. The trail flattens out as you reach the top and travels through a very nice woodland of yellow poplar, sugar maple, hickory, and red maple. Soon the trail turns right and descends a short hill. Both sides of the trail in this section were cleared in 1973 as part of a 25-acre timber harvest. The trail is more open and wider through this area; an effort to ‘daylight’ the trail was made in the early 90s. Daylighting opens the trail and lets more sunshine hit the surface to dry out the track and also promote the growth of plants for wildlife.
The trail follows along the contour before reaching a steep downhill section that crosses a gully and then climbs out on the other side. After reaching the top of the short hill, the trail flattens and bends gently to the right just before reaching Hi Point Trail, about 0.9 miles up from the pump hose.
Raccoon Run was a single-track trail until 1973 when the areas on each end were harvested for timber. There was a scout campsite (for jamborees) at the junction with Red Hill Trail. The trail went down the hill to the giant white pine tree (which was just above the current location of the pond). It was a beautiful trail that went through some very nice woodland.
Raccoon Run Trail begins at the junction with Red Hill Trail, about 0.4 miles from Hi Point Trail. It is a purple trail, open to all but motorized users, and is 1.1 miles long. The trail drops (about 120 feet) for the first 0.2 miles, reaching the bottom and junction with White Pine Trail near the pond. After a sharp left turn, the trail is flat for a while, traveling along the bottom which is maintained in an open condition. The pond was constructed in the early 90s to create a watering hole for wildlife. In the spring you can hear the frogs singing away and if you are lucky you may see a water snake sunning on the rocks. In a short distance, you will come to the other junction with White Pine Trail on the left. There are numerous large white pines in this section. The trail starts to climb slightly, before the big hill, which rises rather steeply (160 feet) in an open forest. Most of the forest on the right was selectively harvested in the 70s as part of the Longleaf Contract. The trail flattens out as you reach the top and travels through a very nice woodland of yellow poplar, sugar maple, hickory, and red maple. Soon the trail turns right and descends a short hill. Both sides of the trail in this section were cleared in 1973 as part of a 25-acre timber harvest. The trail is more open and wider through this area; an effort to ‘daylight’ the trail was made in the early 90s. Daylighting opens the trail and lets more sunshine hit the surface to dry out the track and also promote the growth of plants for wildlife.
The trail follows along the contour before reaching a steep downhill section that crosses a gully and then climbs out on the other side. After reaching the top of the short hill, the trail flattens and bends gently to the right just before reaching Hi Point Trail, about 0.9 miles up from the pump hose.
Red Hill Trail
Red Hill Trail begins off Upper Clear Creek Road, about 0.7 miles after leaving the pavement (it is the first road that turns left after leaving the pavement). This was a county road with a 16-foot right of way when TVA purchased the watershed property. It is a green trail, open to all users, and is 1.1 miles in length, gaining about 300 feet in elevation. There is a wide spot in Upper Clear Creek Road just before the junction that could be used for parking to start from this point.
The trail leaves the county road and parallels it for a couple of hundred feet, crossing the hollow and then turning left up a short steep hill. At the top, the trail flattens and then passes an unauthorized road to the right. Once you reach the top of this first hill, both sides of the trail are old fields that were planted to pine by the CCCs in the 1930s. Some scattered pines remain, but most have died. At 0.2 miles you will pass a bottom and then reach the trailhead for one of the newly constructed trails which connects to Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail. Red Hill starts up another slope and then turns right, reaching the trailhead for White Oak Sp[ring Trail (another newly constructed trail) which turns down the hill to the left and goes to Clear Creek Trail at Upper Clear Creek Road. This trail follows an old road that went to Upper Clear Creek Road at the bottom of the hill and was used by C.J. Nine, who lived on this farm before the TVA purchase. Although covered in kudzu, the Nine’s old house foundation can still be seen about 100 yards down the trail on the left.
Red Hill continues to climb, a little over 0.1 miles to the Red Hill Cemetery on the right. This cemetery was named ‘Hunley Heirs Cemetery’ on the TVA acquisition map for the C.J. Nine property. Adjacent to the cemetery (up the hill) was Red Hill Baptist Church. A later TVA map from 1942 calls the cemetery Red Hill Cemetery. This cemetery is still maintained in very good condition by descendents of those buried there. The trail makes a sharp left turn and climbs steeply for a short distance before turning again to the right. On the left, you will see an old road that has been closed to vehicles (although it is still being used illegally, new posts have been installed to close the road). This old road was used for a 1988 timber harvest but was probably used originally by C.J. Nine for farming because it runs down the ridge where a field was located. Just past this road is another logging road that is closed with a cable to restrict vehicular traffic.
In about 0.1 miles the trail flattens out. The left side of the trail was cleared in 1973 as part of the Longleaf Contract and a total of 25 acres was cut. Citizens of Norris can obtain a wood-cutting permit to cut firewood in the watershed and this was the first area in which I used a chainsaw to cut. It was quite an experience and I was lucky that I had someone with experience to instruct me in the use of a chainsaw. After years of cutting experience and several training classes, I look back on my first experience and am thankful that I still have all my arms and legs. Chainsaws were not very safe at that time and I was young and bulletproof. Thank goodness for experience and chain breaks. You will soon reach Raccoon Run Trail which turns off to the left. Red Hill trail zigs and zags somewhat up the ridge before turning more sharply to the right and then starts to climb through an older forest of white oak, black oak, and yellow poplar. Soon you will see yellow paint on the left which is the safety zone for Hi Point Trail. The trail ends at a short distance at the junction with Hi Point Trail, just above the junction of Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail.
Red Hill Trail begins off Upper Clear Creek Road, about 0.7 miles after leaving the pavement (it is the first road that turns left after leaving the pavement). This was a county road with a 16-foot right of way when TVA purchased the watershed property. It is a green trail, open to all users, and is 1.1 miles in length, gaining about 300 feet in elevation. There is a wide spot in Upper Clear Creek Road just before the junction that could be used for parking to start from this point.
The trail leaves the county road and parallels it for a couple of hundred feet, crossing the hollow and then turning left up a short steep hill. At the top, the trail flattens and then passes an unauthorized road to the right. Once you reach the top of this first hill, both sides of the trail are old fields that were planted to pine by the CCCs in the 1930s. Some scattered pines remain, but most have died. At 0.2 miles you will pass a bottom and then reach the trailhead for one of the newly constructed trails which connects to Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail. Red Hill starts up another slope and then turns right, reaching the trailhead for White Oak Sp[ring Trail (another newly constructed trail) which turns down the hill to the left and goes to Clear Creek Trail at Upper Clear Creek Road. This trail follows an old road that went to Upper Clear Creek Road at the bottom of the hill and was used by C.J. Nine, who lived on this farm before the TVA purchase. Although covered in kudzu, the Nine’s old house foundation can still be seen about 100 yards down the trail on the left.
Red Hill continues to climb, a little over 0.1 miles to the Red Hill Cemetery on the right. This cemetery was named ‘Hunley Heirs Cemetery’ on the TVA acquisition map for the C.J. Nine property. Adjacent to the cemetery (up the hill) was Red Hill Baptist Church. A later TVA map from 1942 calls the cemetery Red Hill Cemetery. This cemetery is still maintained in very good condition by descendents of those buried there. The trail makes a sharp left turn and climbs steeply for a short distance before turning again to the right. On the left, you will see an old road that has been closed to vehicles (although it is still being used illegally, new posts have been installed to close the road). This old road was used for a 1988 timber harvest but was probably used originally by C.J. Nine for farming because it runs down the ridge where a field was located. Just past this road is another logging road that is closed with a cable to restrict vehicular traffic.
In about 0.1 miles the trail flattens out. The left side of the trail was cleared in 1973 as part of the Longleaf Contract and a total of 25 acres was cut. Citizens of Norris can obtain a wood-cutting permit to cut firewood in the watershed and this was the first area in which I used a chainsaw to cut. It was quite an experience and I was lucky that I had someone with experience to instruct me in the use of a chainsaw. After years of cutting experience and several training classes, I look back on my first experience and am thankful that I still have all my arms and legs. Chainsaws were not very safe at that time and I was young and bulletproof. Thank goodness for experience and chain breaks. You will soon reach Raccoon Run Trail which turns off to the left. Red Hill trail zigs and zags somewhat up the ridge before turning more sharply to the right and then starts to climb through an older forest of white oak, black oak, and yellow poplar. Soon you will see yellow paint on the left which is the safety zone for Hi Point Trail. The trail ends at a short distance at the junction with Hi Point Trail, just above the junction of Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail.
Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail
Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail is one of the nicest hiking trails in the watershed. It starts at a small parking area just off Upper Clear Creek Road, next to Mockingbird Trail, which is just beyond the rifle range. Gaining about 240 feet in elevation, the foot traffic-only trail (red trail), is 0.8 miles long and ends at Hi Point Road, near the junction of Red Hill Trail. Taking off to the left (from Mockingbird Trail/Road just before the gate) the trail crosses through a post and cable exclusion to deter horses and bicycles. The trail goes through a bottom with a drainage that carries quite a bit of water in heavy rains. This property was owned by A. H. Metzger at the time of the TVA purchase and was occupied by several houses, a smokehouse, and several other sheds. If you look to the left of the trail you will see old foundation stones from one of the houses and an old concrete structure. The trail map shows a post office in this area (Peril, TN), but it is not marked on the TVA sale/acquisition map; it actually could have been in one of the houses or may have predated Metzger. This bottom, which was an open area at purchase, was planted to loblolly pine in the 60s.
After crossing the drainage you will start to climb on a narrow trail through a mixed hardwood stand with white oaks, sugar maple, white ash, northern red oak, and beech. Although this forested area was probably grazed before purchase, it was woodland grazing, not open pasture, and represents one of the oldest stands of trees in the watershed. Woodland grazing was a common practice in East Tennessee at that time and is still practiced today, even though it can cause many problems to the forest such as trampling of desirable young seedlings and saplings (which decreases forest stocking), root compaction, and grazing of beneficial shrubs and flowers. As you climb you will see a pile of rocks on the left; these were probably removed from a nearby field. The geology of this small valley is primarily sandstone, an oddity in the watershed; most of the underlying geology is limestone.
The trail climbs for about 0.1 miles before you reach the top of the slope, then starts down and passes a small sinkhole on the left before flattening out. As you continue, you will come to a large sinkhole on the left; the name of the trail comes from this sinkhole and the person who previously owned the property, Eli Nine. The sinkhole itself was not forested at the time of purchase and the vegetation is much smaller than that along the trail. In the early 90s, several black oak trees died along the trail in this area and were cut for safety considerations; a count of the annual rings showed the trees to be over 210 years old. ADD SAF NATURAL AREA DESIGNATION Because of this advanced age, you will notice many dead and declining trees on the trail. The trail meanders with slight climbs, passing another sinkhole on the right, then one on the left. This is an especially tranquil trail, winding through the large trees. However, your peaceful experience will likely be interrupted by gunshots from the nearby rifle range; rarely do you hike in this area when there is quiet. I have hiked this trail in driving rain and still heard gunshots. As you hear the gunshots, just remember that the watershed is a multiple-use area and the rifle range has been in existence from the beginning.
As you continue up the slope you will notice that the older forest with large trees gives way to a younger forest. This area was a pasture at the time of purchase and was planted to pine by the CCCs, but southern pine beetles killed the pines years ago. The forest is now primarily yellow poplar, hickory, dogwood, and other hardwoods. If you look up on the right side of the trail you can see an old fence line or field edge, with a row of larger trees. The trail climbs a little steeper, passing a tree with yellow paint. This yellow marks the safety zone for deer hunters along Hi Point Trail, so you know you are 300 feet from the trail's end. Passing through a rocky area in a pocket of older trees you soon reach Hi Point Trail and another post and cable exclusion.
Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail is one of the nicest hiking trails in the watershed. It starts at a small parking area just off Upper Clear Creek Road, next to Mockingbird Trail, which is just beyond the rifle range. Gaining about 240 feet in elevation, the foot traffic-only trail (red trail), is 0.8 miles long and ends at Hi Point Road, near the junction of Red Hill Trail. Taking off to the left (from Mockingbird Trail/Road just before the gate) the trail crosses through a post and cable exclusion to deter horses and bicycles. The trail goes through a bottom with a drainage that carries quite a bit of water in heavy rains. This property was owned by A. H. Metzger at the time of the TVA purchase and was occupied by several houses, a smokehouse, and several other sheds. If you look to the left of the trail you will see old foundation stones from one of the houses and an old concrete structure. The trail map shows a post office in this area (Peril, TN), but it is not marked on the TVA sale/acquisition map; it actually could have been in one of the houses or may have predated Metzger. This bottom, which was an open area at purchase, was planted to loblolly pine in the 60s.
After crossing the drainage you will start to climb on a narrow trail through a mixed hardwood stand with white oaks, sugar maple, white ash, northern red oak, and beech. Although this forested area was probably grazed before purchase, it was woodland grazing, not open pasture, and represents one of the oldest stands of trees in the watershed. Woodland grazing was a common practice in East Tennessee at that time and is still practiced today, even though it can cause many problems to the forest such as trampling of desirable young seedlings and saplings (which decreases forest stocking), root compaction, and grazing of beneficial shrubs and flowers. As you climb you will see a pile of rocks on the left; these were probably removed from a nearby field. The geology of this small valley is primarily sandstone, an oddity in the watershed; most of the underlying geology is limestone.
The trail climbs for about 0.1 miles before you reach the top of the slope, then starts down and passes a small sinkhole on the left before flattening out. As you continue, you will come to a large sinkhole on the left; the name of the trail comes from this sinkhole and the person who previously owned the property, Eli Nine. The sinkhole itself was not forested at the time of purchase and the vegetation is much smaller than that along the trail. In the early 90s, several black oak trees died along the trail in this area and were cut for safety considerations; a count of the annual rings showed the trees to be over 210 years old. ADD SAF NATURAL AREA DESIGNATION Because of this advanced age, you will notice many dead and declining trees on the trail. The trail meanders with slight climbs, passing another sinkhole on the right, then one on the left. This is an especially tranquil trail, winding through the large trees. However, your peaceful experience will likely be interrupted by gunshots from the nearby rifle range; rarely do you hike in this area when there is quiet. I have hiked this trail in driving rain and still heard gunshots. As you hear the gunshots, just remember that the watershed is a multiple-use area and the rifle range has been in existence from the beginning.
As you continue up the slope you will notice that the older forest with large trees gives way to a younger forest. This area was a pasture at the time of purchase and was planted to pine by the CCCs, but southern pine beetles killed the pines years ago. The forest is now primarily yellow poplar, hickory, dogwood, and other hardwoods. If you look up on the right side of the trail you can see an old fence line or field edge, with a row of larger trees. The trail climbs a little steeper, passing a tree with yellow paint. This yellow marks the safety zone for deer hunters along Hi Point Trail, so you know you are 300 feet from the trail's end. Passing through a rocky area in a pocket of older trees you soon reach Hi Point Trail and another post and cable exclusion.
Mockingbird Trail
Mockingbird Trail/Road was a county road at the time of TVA purchase with a 16-foot right of way. The trail has been open to vehicular traffic until recently when it was gated closed. This was done to protect the road from vehicular traffic in wet conditions and reduce management costs in the watershed. Although this road was closed, there is still vehicular access to Hi Point Road from other points. The trail will change from a green trail to a purple trail, open to all non-motorized users. This trail starts at Upper Clear Creek Road, just past the rifle range, and has a small parking area (this is also the parking spot for Eli Nine Trail). Mockingbird Trail is 0.8 miles long and gains about 180 feet in elevation.
The trail climbs a short hill, then levels out and becomes rockier. To the right is a forest of white oak, scarlet oak, and sourwood on a very poor, rocky site. In the late 80s, most of the red oaks on this site died from oak decline, a complex of environmental and pathological conditions that caused oaks to die. There is also an abundance of greenbrier (sawbrier) in the understory. On the left side of the road is an old field that doesn’t appear to have been planted in pine by the CCCs. Red maple, yellow poplar, dogwood, and scattered shortleaf pine now occupy the site. The trail follows this flat lane for about 0.3 miles, then turns right and climbs another short hill. Along this stretch, notice the knob (hill) on the left, across the drain. This was in large hardwood trees when TVA purchased the property and has not been cut since. It contains some very large, old trees, although mortality has increased steadily. You will also notice the big leaf magnolias along the road; this is the only location I know of for this tropical-looking understory tree in the watershed. This is also one of the few places in the watershed where sandstone is located. This is not a coincidence; bigleaf magnolia is our native magnolia that grows in sandstone conditions. (The Big South Fork Park, which is dominated by sandstone geology, has an abundance of this magnolia.) Our other native magnolia, umbrella magnolia, which is common in the watershed, is found in limestone areas. The third native magnolia in the watershed is the cucumber tree, which gets much larger (can exceed 20 inches in diameter) and is found on both rock types.
You will drop down and over a rocky drain and then climb up to a flat area. Both sides of the road were old fields when purchased and don’t appear to have been planted. The field on the left is a wildlife opening, maintained by bush hogging. Past the end of the field (away from the road) is a small pond that serves as a waterhole for wildlife. The road turns left and begins to climb on a deceivingly long, moderately steep ascent. After a right turn, you will see yellow paint spots on trees which signify the safety zone along Hi Point Trail. In 300 feet you will reach Hi Point Trail and another metal gate.
Mockingbird Trail/Road was a county road at the time of TVA purchase with a 16-foot right of way. The trail has been open to vehicular traffic until recently when it was gated closed. This was done to protect the road from vehicular traffic in wet conditions and reduce management costs in the watershed. Although this road was closed, there is still vehicular access to Hi Point Road from other points. The trail will change from a green trail to a purple trail, open to all non-motorized users. This trail starts at Upper Clear Creek Road, just past the rifle range, and has a small parking area (this is also the parking spot for Eli Nine Trail). Mockingbird Trail is 0.8 miles long and gains about 180 feet in elevation.
The trail climbs a short hill, then levels out and becomes rockier. To the right is a forest of white oak, scarlet oak, and sourwood on a very poor, rocky site. In the late 80s, most of the red oaks on this site died from oak decline, a complex of environmental and pathological conditions that caused oaks to die. There is also an abundance of greenbrier (sawbrier) in the understory. On the left side of the road is an old field that doesn’t appear to have been planted in pine by the CCCs. Red maple, yellow poplar, dogwood, and scattered shortleaf pine now occupy the site. The trail follows this flat lane for about 0.3 miles, then turns right and climbs another short hill. Along this stretch, notice the knob (hill) on the left, across the drain. This was in large hardwood trees when TVA purchased the property and has not been cut since. It contains some very large, old trees, although mortality has increased steadily. You will also notice the big leaf magnolias along the road; this is the only location I know of for this tropical-looking understory tree in the watershed. This is also one of the few places in the watershed where sandstone is located. This is not a coincidence; bigleaf magnolia is our native magnolia that grows in sandstone conditions. (The Big South Fork Park, which is dominated by sandstone geology, has an abundance of this magnolia.) Our other native magnolia, umbrella magnolia, which is common in the watershed, is found in limestone areas. The third native magnolia in the watershed is the cucumber tree, which gets much larger (can exceed 20 inches in diameter) and is found on both rock types.
You will drop down and over a rocky drain and then climb up to a flat area. Both sides of the road were old fields when purchased and don’t appear to have been planted. The field on the left is a wildlife opening, maintained by bush hogging. Past the end of the field (away from the road) is a small pond that serves as a waterhole for wildlife. The road turns left and begins to climb on a deceivingly long, moderately steep ascent. After a right turn, you will see yellow paint spots on trees which signify the safety zone along Hi Point Trail. In 300 feet you will reach Hi Point Trail and another metal gate.
Belmont Trail
Belmont Trail is an old road that runs from Clear Creek Trail to Upper Clear Creek Road. Although the road is not shown on the original TVA acquisition maps, it can be seen on aerial photos from the 1940s as a farm road. This area was owned and farmed by L.A. Reynolds at the time of purchase. The trail is 1.1 miles and gains a total of about 250 feet in elevation. Usage on this trail has been changed; motorized vehicles are not allowed anymore, but it is open to all other users (Purple Trail). Beginning at Clear Creek Trail (0.6 miles north of Upper Clear Creek Road), Belmont Trail goes a short distance before you pass by a metal gate, which has been installed to prohibit motorized vehicles. The trail goes up the bottom of a hollow for 0.3 miles or so on a dirt surface and then climbs a steep hill and drops down into the upper end of the hollow. As you reach the bottom of the hill, notice the sandstone rocks along this section, which continue until you cross a ditch and start to climb again. The hollow to the right has sandstone as well and there are scattered flame azaleas, although I haven’t seen any bloom for many years. The trail climbs a moderately steep slope that is wet most of the year because of seeps along the road edge. Ferns are abundant along this damp section and scattered pink lady’s slippers on the road’s edge. At the top of this slope, the trail bends left and flattens out. The forest along this section of road was harvested by clearcut in 1975 as part of the Longleaf contract. A total of 23 acres was cut.
The trail stays straight for a short distance before making a long bend to the right. You will start to see signs on the left that delineate the safety zone around the rifle range. The trail then starts to descend, slowly at first and then steeply, down a cherty, clay hill. Notice the deep dips in the road which are erosion control structures. You will reach another metal gate just before reaching the trail end at Upper Clear Creek Road. Just past the gate, an old road turns right and goes to Boundary Trail (Joe’s Trail 1).
Belmont Trail is an old road that runs from Clear Creek Trail to Upper Clear Creek Road. Although the road is not shown on the original TVA acquisition maps, it can be seen on aerial photos from the 1940s as a farm road. This area was owned and farmed by L.A. Reynolds at the time of purchase. The trail is 1.1 miles and gains a total of about 250 feet in elevation. Usage on this trail has been changed; motorized vehicles are not allowed anymore, but it is open to all other users (Purple Trail). Beginning at Clear Creek Trail (0.6 miles north of Upper Clear Creek Road), Belmont Trail goes a short distance before you pass by a metal gate, which has been installed to prohibit motorized vehicles. The trail goes up the bottom of a hollow for 0.3 miles or so on a dirt surface and then climbs a steep hill and drops down into the upper end of the hollow. As you reach the bottom of the hill, notice the sandstone rocks along this section, which continue until you cross a ditch and start to climb again. The hollow to the right has sandstone as well and there are scattered flame azaleas, although I haven’t seen any bloom for many years. The trail climbs a moderately steep slope that is wet most of the year because of seeps along the road edge. Ferns are abundant along this damp section and scattered pink lady’s slippers on the road’s edge. At the top of this slope, the trail bends left and flattens out. The forest along this section of road was harvested by clearcut in 1975 as part of the Longleaf contract. A total of 23 acres was cut.
The trail stays straight for a short distance before making a long bend to the right. You will start to see signs on the left that delineate the safety zone around the rifle range. The trail then starts to descend, slowly at first and then steeply, down a cherty, clay hill. Notice the deep dips in the road which are erosion control structures. You will reach another metal gate just before reaching the trail end at Upper Clear Creek Road. Just past the gate, an old road turns right and goes to Boundary Trail (Joe’s Trail 1).
Joe’s Trail 1 (Belmont Trail/Boundary Trail Connector)
Joe’s Trail 1 connects Belmont Trail and Boundary Trail. It is 0.6 miles in length and is open to foot traffic only (red trail). The forest along this trail is large upland hardwood, dominated by black and white oak, red maple, hickory, and yellow poplar. Following an old logging road that begins off Belmont Trail (a single metal post is in the center of the trail), just above the junction with Upper Clear Creek Road, the trail parallels Upper Clear Creek Road for 0.4 miles to a small wildlife opening. The opening is mowed periodically and has scattered walnut trees and a small water hole. A new connector trail, which leads to the Hi-Point Trail at Upper Clear Creek Road, enters the opening from the left. Leaving the wildlife opening, the trail goes up the hollow to the right and then turns up the hill to the left on a single track. As you climb, the trail switches back to the left and continues up a steady, but moderate slope. The trail makes a sweeping right-hand curve before heading up a little steeper slope toward Boundary Trail. It reaches Boundary Trail 0.1 miles from Upper Clear Creek Road (to the left).
Joe’s Trail 1 connects Belmont Trail and Boundary Trail. It is 0.6 miles in length and is open to foot traffic only (red trail). The forest along this trail is large upland hardwood, dominated by black and white oak, red maple, hickory, and yellow poplar. Following an old logging road that begins off Belmont Trail (a single metal post is in the center of the trail), just above the junction with Upper Clear Creek Road, the trail parallels Upper Clear Creek Road for 0.4 miles to a small wildlife opening. The opening is mowed periodically and has scattered walnut trees and a small water hole. A new connector trail, which leads to the Hi-Point Trail at Upper Clear Creek Road, enters the opening from the left. Leaving the wildlife opening, the trail goes up the hollow to the right and then turns up the hill to the left on a single track. As you climb, the trail switches back to the left and continues up a steady, but moderate slope. The trail makes a sweeping right-hand curve before heading up a little steeper slope toward Boundary Trail. It reaches Boundary Trail 0.1 miles from Upper Clear Creek Road (to the left).
Joe’s Trail 2 (Red Hill Trail/ Eli Nine Trail Connector)
This new connector trail is 0.4 miles in length and was constructed in 2011 to connect the White Oak Spring Trail and Eli Nine Trail (via a short walk on Red Hill Trail). The trail starts to the left, off Red Hill Trail, just down the hill from where White Oak Spring Trail meets Red Hill. (The start is about 0.1 miles up Red Hill Trail from Upper Clear Creek Road on the right.) Following an old farm road, the trail is next to an area that was most likely in row crops at the time of purchase. You will hike up this little flat hollow that is now occupied by yellow poplar, red maple, and redbud. On the left, you will see old gullies that developed in what was a field before TVA's purchase. After 0.2 or so miles of winding up the bottom, the trail turns right, and then up a short, moderately steep slope onto a more obvious old road. Notice the forest you are entering is older, with white oaks, hickory, and red oaks. A little further up and you will see the Eli Nine sinkhole on the left. Continue up the old road and you will connect with Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail, about 0.3 miles up from the parking area on Upper Clear Creek Road; if you turn left, Hi Point Trail is 0.5 miles. This short trail allows for many new loops as well. I recently started at Upper Clear Creek Road, up Eli Nine to Hi Point Trail, and down to the old road to Scenic Cove (this barely noticeable road is to the left just before Mockingbird; most old timers around here remember the road which has since been closed by the park, but still makes a nice entrance to, or exit from, Lakeview Trail) and to Lakeview Trail, left back to Hi-Point and down to White Pine, and then down to Clear Creek Trail, turning left up to Red Hill and down to the new trail and back to Eli Nine, right and back to my car. This nice little loop was about 5.5 miles.
This new connector trail is 0.4 miles in length and was constructed in 2011 to connect the White Oak Spring Trail and Eli Nine Trail (via a short walk on Red Hill Trail). The trail starts to the left, off Red Hill Trail, just down the hill from where White Oak Spring Trail meets Red Hill. (The start is about 0.1 miles up Red Hill Trail from Upper Clear Creek Road on the right.) Following an old farm road, the trail is next to an area that was most likely in row crops at the time of purchase. You will hike up this little flat hollow that is now occupied by yellow poplar, red maple, and redbud. On the left, you will see old gullies that developed in what was a field before TVA's purchase. After 0.2 or so miles of winding up the bottom, the trail turns right, and then up a short, moderately steep slope onto a more obvious old road. Notice the forest you are entering is older, with white oaks, hickory, and red oaks. A little further up and you will see the Eli Nine sinkhole on the left. Continue up the old road and you will connect with Eli Nine Sinkhole Trail, about 0.3 miles up from the parking area on Upper Clear Creek Road; if you turn left, Hi Point Trail is 0.5 miles. This short trail allows for many new loops as well. I recently started at Upper Clear Creek Road, up Eli Nine to Hi Point Trail, and down to the old road to Scenic Cove (this barely noticeable road is to the left just before Mockingbird; most old timers around here remember the road which has since been closed by the park, but still makes a nice entrance to, or exit from, Lakeview Trail) and to Lakeview Trail, left back to Hi-Point and down to White Pine, and then down to Clear Creek Trail, turning left up to Red Hill and down to the new trail and back to Eli Nine, right and back to my car. This nice little loop was about 5.5 miles.
Joe’s Trail 3 (HiPointTrail/Joe’s Trail 1 connector
This short trail was constructed by the 2012 trail crew to allow foot traffic access from Upper Clear Creek Road to Joe’s Trail 1. It begins across from Hi Point Trail in the sharp curve just below Boundary Trail. The trail traverses through upland hardwood for about 0.1 miles to the wildlife opening on Joe’s Trail 1. This short connector trail is open to foot traffic only.
This short trail was constructed by the 2012 trail crew to allow foot traffic access from Upper Clear Creek Road to Joe’s Trail 1. It begins across from Hi Point Trail in the sharp curve just below Boundary Trail. The trail traverses through upland hardwood for about 0.1 miles to the wildlife opening on Joe’s Trail 1. This short connector trail is open to foot traffic only.
Boundary Trail
At the time of purchase, the Norris Watershed boundary was along this old county road, with a 30-foot right of way; the boundary was on the “south edge of the road” for the first section, then on the “north edge of the road”, and then back to the “south edge of the road”. Most of the road was on the property of Thomas Jones before purchase. In the late 1980s, on the eastern section of the road, where there were private homes, problems arose when users were challenged by homeowners who did not want the public to use it. The watershed board decided to build a new road that was entirely on the watershed property rather than challenge the right of use over the old county road. This was a wise decision because the new road was built along the contour and drains well and needs less maintenance than the old road, which had some very large mud holes that were virtually impossible to drain.
Boundary Trail is 1.2 miles long and gains about 100 feet in elevation, although it is relatively flat. It begins at the north end of the watershed, off Upper Clear Creek Road, and is open to all users (green trail). The trail starts on a flat area and soon begins a gradual climb. At about 0.1 miles, the new trail (Joe’s Trail 1) turns down the hill to the right on a single track and eventually reaches Belmont Trail. The boundary continues up the slope and makes a bend to the right before descending a slight slope through upland hardwood forest with oaks (white, red, and chestnut), hickory, and yellow poplar. The trail bends back to the left and passes an old field on the left that was planted in shortleaf pine by the CCCs. There are few of the original planted pines remaining, but scattered white pines are present in the understory. You will reach an old road that crosses the trail; the road to the left goes to the property line and old original Boundary Trail, while the right-hand road is an old logging road that originally went to Belmont Trail. The right-hand road is closed to vehicular traffic, and posts were recently installed to restrict traffic. Continuing on the trail, it starts down a slope and forks into two roads; during recent road work, a new road was built to the right to bypass a very wet area on the road. Straight down the trail, on the original route, there is a low spot where water drains and has created a large mud hole that has no place to drain. The new route crosses the bottom of the hollow as well, but will hopefully drain and not collect water. It goes through a white pine stand that was planted some 25 years ago. Both options are still open and you will climb up the other side of the small hollow before the trail flattens out. On the left side of the road, you will see private residences. In a short distance, you will reach the trail end at the upper end of Clear Creek Trail, which goes down the hill.
At the time of purchase, the Norris Watershed boundary was along this old county road, with a 30-foot right of way; the boundary was on the “south edge of the road” for the first section, then on the “north edge of the road”, and then back to the “south edge of the road”. Most of the road was on the property of Thomas Jones before purchase. In the late 1980s, on the eastern section of the road, where there were private homes, problems arose when users were challenged by homeowners who did not want the public to use it. The watershed board decided to build a new road that was entirely on the watershed property rather than challenge the right of use over the old county road. This was a wise decision because the new road was built along the contour and drains well and needs less maintenance than the old road, which had some very large mud holes that were virtually impossible to drain.
Boundary Trail is 1.2 miles long and gains about 100 feet in elevation, although it is relatively flat. It begins at the north end of the watershed, off Upper Clear Creek Road, and is open to all users (green trail). The trail starts on a flat area and soon begins a gradual climb. At about 0.1 miles, the new trail (Joe’s Trail 1) turns down the hill to the right on a single track and eventually reaches Belmont Trail. The boundary continues up the slope and makes a bend to the right before descending a slight slope through upland hardwood forest with oaks (white, red, and chestnut), hickory, and yellow poplar. The trail bends back to the left and passes an old field on the left that was planted in shortleaf pine by the CCCs. There are few of the original planted pines remaining, but scattered white pines are present in the understory. You will reach an old road that crosses the trail; the road to the left goes to the property line and old original Boundary Trail, while the right-hand road is an old logging road that originally went to Belmont Trail. The right-hand road is closed to vehicular traffic, and posts were recently installed to restrict traffic. Continuing on the trail, it starts down a slope and forks into two roads; during recent road work, a new road was built to the right to bypass a very wet area on the road. Straight down the trail, on the original route, there is a low spot where water drains and has created a large mud hole that has no place to drain. The new route crosses the bottom of the hollow as well, but will hopefully drain and not collect water. It goes through a white pine stand that was planted some 25 years ago. Both options are still open and you will climb up the other side of the small hollow before the trail flattens out. On the left side of the road, you will see private residences. In a short distance, you will reach the trail end at the upper end of Clear Creek Trail, which goes down the hill.
East Trail
East Trail begins at Clear Creek Trail, about 1.0 miles up from Upper Clear Creek Roa,d and is a purple trail, open to all but motorized users. It is 1.4 miles long and climbs about 200 feet in the first third of the trail and then descends 200 feet over the remaining two-thirds. The trail is on parts of several old farm roads that traversed five different farms before the TVA purchase. Although the trail is situated in a forest today, much of the area was previously in pasture and grazed woodland. As you begin up the trail there is a large pipe gate to restrict vehicles and then you will make a sharp turn to the left. The trail then starts to climb, rather steeply, up a cherty rock surface that is somewhat slick. You will then turn sharply to the right and continue to climb steeply. The area on the right was the first clearcut timber harvest in the watershed, totaling 50 acres, and was cut in 1971 as part of the Longleaf Contract. Forest composition varies with the aspect and slope position, but former hardwood stands that were cut are comprised of primarily white oak, red maple, yellow poplar, and various red oaks. Virginia pine and dogwood dominate several small areas that were in pine when harvested. The left side of the trail, which is a low ridge top, is dry and rocky and is occupied by large chestnut oaks, white oak, and red maple with farkleberry, wild azaleas, and moss underneath. Pink lady slippers were once found along this section, but I haven’t seen any in recent years.
As the trail flattens, you will notice a change in the forest composition on the left side; this was a field when purchased and most likely planted to pine. Most of the pine has died and yellow poplar, hickory, red maple, and sourwood have taken over the site. The trail follows along the crest of a low ridge for a distance before climbing again to the highest point on the trail. Notice that the clearcut is still on the right side. This early ‘experimental’ harvest was found to be too large, so subsequent clearcuts were kept to a maximum of 25 acres. Since 1971 the practice of clearcutting has been controversial, primarily because of the extensive harvests that were conducted in the western U.S. and the conversion of hardwoods to pine in the east. Clearcutting has often been called ‘deforestation’, which is a completely erroneous statement in eastern hardwood forests. Conversely, an area that is clearcut and allowed to regenerate naturally becomes a dense young forest with thousands of saplings per acre. The goal of clear-cuts in the watershed is to promote the establishment of oaks in the future forest. Oaks have been a dominant tree in the watershed but have reached physiological maturity and are declining in health and vigor and mortality increases each year. If left to natural forest succession, oaks will be a small percentage of the future forests. This is because oaks need sunlight to regenerate and grow while other species such as red maple, sourwood, beech, and blackgum can tolerate the shaded condition. If you look under an older forest in the watershed which has many large oaks in the canopy you will see an abundance of shade-tolerant trees, but few oaks. Clearcutting takes down all of the shade and gives the oaks a fighting chance to be a part of the new forest.
The trail turns left and stays flat for a couple of hundred feet before starting to drop. If you look to the left you will see a tree with three orange stripes and a concrete post below it. This is a property corner, number 2401-1; the watershed goes left and straight (a tree with three stripes is called a witness tree and points toward the property corner which is usually a concrete post or metal stake). The private land has been what is commonly called ‘high graded’, where loggers cut the best trees (oaks and other high-value trees) and leave the unwanted trees which have little value. This practice leaves a stand of low-quality and undesirable species of trees with poor genetic traits and little future wildlife and economic value. The trail follows along the property line for a short distance before turning to the right. A small wildlife opening is situated on your left and is maintained by periodic bush hogging. The original road went straight, down the property line, but was moved during a timber harvest in the late 70s. Another road was built for that harvest and it became very eroded and rutted over the years so we moved the road to its current location in the late 90s. The trail makes a moderately steep descent down a cherty, clay hill in a rather open forest. As you reach the bottom, the forest is much denser, with large oaks and hickories. You will see a road going up the hollow to your left which is the original road that was closed some years ago. The trail now follows the bottom of a wide hollow with a shaded canopy. Soon an old road will cut to the right which was used in a timber harvest in 1999. Notice the number of standing dead trees in this area. Just before an opening, you pass another road that cuts back to the right. This road has been used for several timber harvests over the years. After the 1999 harvest, a wildlife opening was cleared about 0.1 miles up the road, on top of the ridge. Although originally planted in orchard grass, the opening has slowly transitioned into a field of the native warm season grass, broomsedge, a very beneficial wildlife plant. Unfortunately, on a recent hike up this road, I discovered another highly invasive exotic plant that can be very prolific. Its common name is miniature beefsteak (Mosla dianthera) and it is listed as a significant threat in Kentucky, although Tennessee has not listed it as yet. The small plant is in the mint family and has very pretty, small purple flowers that are attractive to bees (the day I saw them they were covered and abuzz with bees). I am not sure how it got on this road but I suspect it came in with some winter wheat we planted on the road after it was regarded last fall. I will keep an eye on it and see if spreads significantly.
The trail now reaches an opening that is periodically mowed. Originally the trail went along the outside of the field but over the years people started driving through the middle of it. In the fall of 2011, we regraded the road and it was moved back to its original location along the edge. It seems this section of the watershed has become the ‘breeding ground’ for exotic invasive plants. I discovered a patch of Japanese knotweed in the middle of the road in the summer of 2011, oriental bittersweet seems to be increasing significantly, autumn olive is popping up along the trail, bicolor lespedeza is spreading through the field, and miniature beefsteak is now present. Control of exotic plants is going to be an increasing challenge in years to come and it is unrealistic to believe we can eradicate them all. The new species we are trying to control are a greater challenge than some of the old nemesis like kudzu because many of the new species are spread by animals dispersing seeds. Kudzu is not easy to eradicate but can be easily contained because it spreads by vines, not seeds. In many cases we are our own worst enemy when it comes to exotic plants; TVA promoted autumn olive as a wildlife food, bicolor lespedeza was also introduced for wildlife, kudzu, and muliflora rose were planted for erosion control, and many other species were imported for the nursery trade. As you leave the opening the road climbs a short distance to another pipe gate at the intersection with Gooseneck Trail (Brush Dump Road).
East Trail begins at Clear Creek Trail, about 1.0 miles up from Upper Clear Creek Roa,d and is a purple trail, open to all but motorized users. It is 1.4 miles long and climbs about 200 feet in the first third of the trail and then descends 200 feet over the remaining two-thirds. The trail is on parts of several old farm roads that traversed five different farms before the TVA purchase. Although the trail is situated in a forest today, much of the area was previously in pasture and grazed woodland. As you begin up the trail there is a large pipe gate to restrict vehicles and then you will make a sharp turn to the left. The trail then starts to climb, rather steeply, up a cherty rock surface that is somewhat slick. You will then turn sharply to the right and continue to climb steeply. The area on the right was the first clearcut timber harvest in the watershed, totaling 50 acres, and was cut in 1971 as part of the Longleaf Contract. Forest composition varies with the aspect and slope position, but former hardwood stands that were cut are comprised of primarily white oak, red maple, yellow poplar, and various red oaks. Virginia pine and dogwood dominate several small areas that were in pine when harvested. The left side of the trail, which is a low ridge top, is dry and rocky and is occupied by large chestnut oaks, white oak, and red maple with farkleberry, wild azaleas, and moss underneath. Pink lady slippers were once found along this section, but I haven’t seen any in recent years.
As the trail flattens, you will notice a change in the forest composition on the left side; this was a field when purchased and most likely planted to pine. Most of the pine has died and yellow poplar, hickory, red maple, and sourwood have taken over the site. The trail follows along the crest of a low ridge for a distance before climbing again to the highest point on the trail. Notice that the clearcut is still on the right side. This early ‘experimental’ harvest was found to be too large, so subsequent clearcuts were kept to a maximum of 25 acres. Since 1971 the practice of clearcutting has been controversial, primarily because of the extensive harvests that were conducted in the western U.S. and the conversion of hardwoods to pine in the east. Clearcutting has often been called ‘deforestation’, which is a completely erroneous statement in eastern hardwood forests. Conversely, an area that is clearcut and allowed to regenerate naturally becomes a dense young forest with thousands of saplings per acre. The goal of clear-cuts in the watershed is to promote the establishment of oaks in the future forest. Oaks have been a dominant tree in the watershed but have reached physiological maturity and are declining in health and vigor and mortality increases each year. If left to natural forest succession, oaks will be a small percentage of the future forests. This is because oaks need sunlight to regenerate and grow while other species such as red maple, sourwood, beech, and blackgum can tolerate the shaded condition. If you look under an older forest in the watershed which has many large oaks in the canopy you will see an abundance of shade-tolerant trees, but few oaks. Clearcutting takes down all of the shade and gives the oaks a fighting chance to be a part of the new forest.
The trail turns left and stays flat for a couple of hundred feet before starting to drop. If you look to the left you will see a tree with three orange stripes and a concrete post below it. This is a property corner, number 2401-1; the watershed goes left and straight (a tree with three stripes is called a witness tree and points toward the property corner which is usually a concrete post or metal stake). The private land has been what is commonly called ‘high graded’, where loggers cut the best trees (oaks and other high-value trees) and leave the unwanted trees which have little value. This practice leaves a stand of low-quality and undesirable species of trees with poor genetic traits and little future wildlife and economic value. The trail follows along the property line for a short distance before turning to the right. A small wildlife opening is situated on your left and is maintained by periodic bush hogging. The original road went straight, down the property line, but was moved during a timber harvest in the late 70s. Another road was built for that harvest and it became very eroded and rutted over the years so we moved the road to its current location in the late 90s. The trail makes a moderately steep descent down a cherty, clay hill in a rather open forest. As you reach the bottom, the forest is much denser, with large oaks and hickories. You will see a road going up the hollow to your left which is the original road that was closed some years ago. The trail now follows the bottom of a wide hollow with a shaded canopy. Soon an old road will cut to the right which was used in a timber harvest in 1999. Notice the number of standing dead trees in this area. Just before an opening, you pass another road that cuts back to the right. This road has been used for several timber harvests over the years. After the 1999 harvest, a wildlife opening was cleared about 0.1 miles up the road, on top of the ridge. Although originally planted in orchard grass, the opening has slowly transitioned into a field of the native warm season grass, broomsedge, a very beneficial wildlife plant. Unfortunately, on a recent hike up this road, I discovered another highly invasive exotic plant that can be very prolific. Its common name is miniature beefsteak (Mosla dianthera) and it is listed as a significant threat in Kentucky, although Tennessee has not listed it as yet. The small plant is in the mint family and has very pretty, small purple flowers that are attractive to bees (the day I saw them they were covered and abuzz with bees). I am not sure how it got on this road but I suspect it came in with some winter wheat we planted on the road after it was regarded last fall. I will keep an eye on it and see if spreads significantly.
The trail now reaches an opening that is periodically mowed. Originally the trail went along the outside of the field but over the years people started driving through the middle of it. In the fall of 2011, we regraded the road and it was moved back to its original location along the edge. It seems this section of the watershed has become the ‘breeding ground’ for exotic invasive plants. I discovered a patch of Japanese knotweed in the middle of the road in the summer of 2011, oriental bittersweet seems to be increasing significantly, autumn olive is popping up along the trail, bicolor lespedeza is spreading through the field, and miniature beefsteak is now present. Control of exotic plants is going to be an increasing challenge in years to come and it is unrealistic to believe we can eradicate them all. The new species we are trying to control are a greater challenge than some of the old nemesis like kudzu because many of the new species are spread by animals dispersing seeds. Kudzu is not easy to eradicate but can be easily contained because it spreads by vines, not seeds. In many cases we are our own worst enemy when it comes to exotic plants; TVA promoted autumn olive as a wildlife food, bicolor lespedeza was also introduced for wildlife, kudzu, and muliflora rose were planted for erosion control, and many other species were imported for the nursery trade. As you leave the opening the road climbs a short distance to another pipe gate at the intersection with Gooseneck Trail (Brush Dump Road).
Gooseneck Trail
The 1961 Norris Watershed trail map has this trail labeled as Gooseneck Trail. On subsequent trail maps, it is not labeled at all. So I am going to call this Gooseneck Trail as it was called originally. The trail begins at Upper Clear Creek Road, turning right in a sharp left turn, about 0.2 miles into the watershed (a very healthy kudzu patch is on the left side of the road). This is the access road to the city brush dump and there is a large orange pipe gate at the entrance. This is a purple trail, open to all but motorized users (except authorized vehicular users of the brush dump), and is 0.6 miles long with an elevation gain of about 240 feet. The upper end of the trail ends at Old Red Hill Road, which is the boundary of the watershed in that area.
At the time of the TVA purchase, this was a county road with a 20-foot right of way. Miss Ruby Robbins owned the first section and had a house and shed on the right side. The trail climbs up a moderately steep slope through a transitional forest on the right, first dominated by yellow poplar, ash, sugar maple, and northern red oak and then older white oak as you climb. On the left side, which is a rich hollow, yellow poplar is the most common tree. The trail climbs about 0.2 miles before reaching the brush dump on the right. East Trail turns to the left through the pipe gate. The area to the right was owned by William Reynolds, who had a one-floor house, barn, and 2 sheds, as well as a 30-year-old apple orchard with 15 trees on a 16-acre cleared area which is now the brush dump. His farm was a total of 36 acres and followed the Gooseneck Trail almost to the end.
The trail from the Brush Dump/East Trail intersection to Old Red Hill Road, where it ends, doesn’t get used much anymore because it has been closed to vehicular traffic. Some horseback riders from the area utilize it, but most of the traffic is unauthorized ATV users. The trail goes up through an older upland hardwood stand with scattered shortleaf pine. There is a unique species of tree, striped maple, on the right side of the road, several hundred feet up from the brush dump, that is common in the mountains but I have only seen it in a couple of places in this area. The tree is rather large for the species and has been alive for many years. It could have been planted by TVA, although the area where it is located doesn’t appear to have been open when the property was purchased. As the trail continues, the road is the property line and is on watershed property, but in the last several hundred feet the property line goes on the other side of the road and the road is then on private property (the watershed has access because it was a county road with access at the time of purchase). You will see the property line marked with orange paint. An old pipe gate is across the end of the trail. If you want to access the watershed from Old Red Hill Road and utilize Gooseneck Trail, there is room to park along the road.
The 1961 Norris Watershed trail map has this trail labeled as Gooseneck Trail. On subsequent trail maps, it is not labeled at all. So I am going to call this Gooseneck Trail as it was called originally. The trail begins at Upper Clear Creek Road, turning right in a sharp left turn, about 0.2 miles into the watershed (a very healthy kudzu patch is on the left side of the road). This is the access road to the city brush dump and there is a large orange pipe gate at the entrance. This is a purple trail, open to all but motorized users (except authorized vehicular users of the brush dump), and is 0.6 miles long with an elevation gain of about 240 feet. The upper end of the trail ends at Old Red Hill Road, which is the boundary of the watershed in that area.
At the time of the TVA purchase, this was a county road with a 20-foot right of way. Miss Ruby Robbins owned the first section and had a house and shed on the right side. The trail climbs up a moderately steep slope through a transitional forest on the right, first dominated by yellow poplar, ash, sugar maple, and northern red oak and then older white oak as you climb. On the left side, which is a rich hollow, yellow poplar is the most common tree. The trail climbs about 0.2 miles before reaching the brush dump on the right. East Trail turns to the left through the pipe gate. The area to the right was owned by William Reynolds, who had a one-floor house, barn, and 2 sheds, as well as a 30-year-old apple orchard with 15 trees on a 16-acre cleared area which is now the brush dump. His farm was a total of 36 acres and followed the Gooseneck Trail almost to the end.
The trail from the Brush Dump/East Trail intersection to Old Red Hill Road, where it ends, doesn’t get used much anymore because it has been closed to vehicular traffic. Some horseback riders from the area utilize it, but most of the traffic is unauthorized ATV users. The trail goes up through an older upland hardwood stand with scattered shortleaf pine. There is a unique species of tree, striped maple, on the right side of the road, several hundred feet up from the brush dump, that is common in the mountains but I have only seen it in a couple of places in this area. The tree is rather large for the species and has been alive for many years. It could have been planted by TVA, although the area where it is located doesn’t appear to have been open when the property was purchased. As the trail continues, the road is the property line and is on watershed property, but in the last several hundred feet the property line goes on the other side of the road and the road is then on private property (the watershed has access because it was a county road with access at the time of purchase). You will see the property line marked with orange paint. An old pipe gate is across the end of the trail. If you want to access the watershed from Old Red Hill Road and utilize Gooseneck Trail, there is room to park along the road.
Reservoir Hill Trail
Reservoir Hill Trail starts at the pump house and climbs about 430 feet to the top of Reservoir Hill. The 0.9-mile trail is open to all but vehicular traffic (purple trail) and is primarily a single-track trail. The trail starts just below the intersection of Lower Clear Creek Road and the access road to the pump house (Hi Point Road), across from the water treatment plant. It enters the woods off the road and crosses a drainage ditch before climbing a short rocky slope. The trail is on an old road at this point and follows it for 0.3 miles before it (the old road) turns left up the hollow. This is the original road to the pump house area which was relocated to the present location by Doc Williams around 1900 to get an easier grade (the original road went straight where Lower Clear Creek Road now makes a sharp left turn at the top of the hill, and ran down the right side of the hollow to the location of this segment of Reservoir Hill Trail). After a short climb, the trail flattens somewhat and becomes more gravelly. The forest in this area is older upland hardwood with white oak, black oak, and hickories and scattered large white pine. Notice the number of dead trees, an indication that the forest has reached or surpassed maturity.
You will leave the old road in a right-hand bend and begin to climb on a single track toward Lower Clear Creek Road. Be sure to check traffic as you cross the road. The trail now climbs a little steeper on a very gravelly surface that has eroded in places. For the next 0.2 or so miles there is an abundance of black cohosh, maidenhair fern, yellow mandarin, and various other ferns. As you climb, the trail first turns left and then right. At the right turn, there is a trail that leads off to the left and loops around and back to the main trail in 0.1 miles. The main trail continues and meets the other trail very quickly. Three trails are meeting at this point, with the third being a short access from Reservoir Hill Road. This gives a good entry point to the watershed off of the concrete sidewalk that follows Reservoir Road from downtown. Continuing on the trail, you will pass a sinkhole on the left just before reaching Reservoir Hill Circle Trail. The forest here is older hardwoods (chestnut oak, white oak, and black oak) on the left and younger hardwoods (yellow poplar, red maple, and hickories) on what was once an old field, on the right.
The trail makes a steady climb to the top from this point. An abundance of sea oats lines the trail which bends to the left and soon meets another trail coming in from the left. This is an access from the Carson Brewer Trail, which is a ¼ mile paved loop that is handicap accessible. Parking for Carson Brewer Trail is located near the top of Reservoir Hill on the right. Carson Brewer was a long-time Norris resident who was a columnist and outdoor writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel for 40 years. He and his wife Alberta wrote many books about life, and the history of East Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains. Carson was an avid hiker and trout fisherman and spent many hours in the Smokies pursuing those interests. The Brewers lived on Dale Road, across the street from where I grew up, and their only child Kit was a classmate and play pal of mine. Unfortunately, Carson and Alberta both passed away during the last 10 years. You will notice the shelter just up this access trail, which makes a good spot to picnic or rest. This shelter is a remnant of many structures that once stood in this area. Originally, there was a group camp, often used by the Girl Scouts, and a picnic area for the public.
The trail passes under a small power line, which is also the location of the waterline from the treatment plant to the city reservoir, and then reaches Observation Point Trail, just below the overlook at Reservoir Hill. Reservoir Hill Trail can be incorporated with other trails to make some nice loops. It has good parking access from the pump house, Carson Brewer Trail, and Reservoir Hill. Be sure to make the short trip to the overlook at the top of Reservoir Hill. There is a stone stairway that goes up from Observation Point Trail.
Reservoir Hill Trail starts at the pump house and climbs about 430 feet to the top of Reservoir Hill. The 0.9-mile trail is open to all but vehicular traffic (purple trail) and is primarily a single-track trail. The trail starts just below the intersection of Lower Clear Creek Road and the access road to the pump house (Hi Point Road), across from the water treatment plant. It enters the woods off the road and crosses a drainage ditch before climbing a short rocky slope. The trail is on an old road at this point and follows it for 0.3 miles before it (the old road) turns left up the hollow. This is the original road to the pump house area which was relocated to the present location by Doc Williams around 1900 to get an easier grade (the original road went straight where Lower Clear Creek Road now makes a sharp left turn at the top of the hill, and ran down the right side of the hollow to the location of this segment of Reservoir Hill Trail). After a short climb, the trail flattens somewhat and becomes more gravelly. The forest in this area is older upland hardwood with white oak, black oak, and hickories and scattered large white pine. Notice the number of dead trees, an indication that the forest has reached or surpassed maturity.
You will leave the old road in a right-hand bend and begin to climb on a single track toward Lower Clear Creek Road. Be sure to check traffic as you cross the road. The trail now climbs a little steeper on a very gravelly surface that has eroded in places. For the next 0.2 or so miles there is an abundance of black cohosh, maidenhair fern, yellow mandarin, and various other ferns. As you climb, the trail first turns left and then right. At the right turn, there is a trail that leads off to the left and loops around and back to the main trail in 0.1 miles. The main trail continues and meets the other trail very quickly. Three trails are meeting at this point, with the third being a short access from Reservoir Hill Road. This gives a good entry point to the watershed off of the concrete sidewalk that follows Reservoir Road from downtown. Continuing on the trail, you will pass a sinkhole on the left just before reaching Reservoir Hill Circle Trail. The forest here is older hardwoods (chestnut oak, white oak, and black oak) on the left and younger hardwoods (yellow poplar, red maple, and hickories) on what was once an old field, on the right.
The trail makes a steady climb to the top from this point. An abundance of sea oats lines the trail which bends to the left and soon meets another trail coming in from the left. This is an access from the Carson Brewer Trail, which is a ¼ mile paved loop that is handicap accessible. Parking for Carson Brewer Trail is located near the top of Reservoir Hill on the right. Carson Brewer was a long-time Norris resident who was a columnist and outdoor writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel for 40 years. He and his wife Alberta wrote many books about life, and the history of East Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains. Carson was an avid hiker and trout fisherman and spent many hours in the Smokies pursuing those interests. The Brewers lived on Dale Road, across the street from where I grew up, and their only child Kit was a classmate and play pal of mine. Unfortunately, Carson and Alberta both passed away during the last 10 years. You will notice the shelter just up this access trail, which makes a good spot to picnic or rest. This shelter is a remnant of many structures that once stood in this area. Originally, there was a group camp, often used by the Girl Scouts, and a picnic area for the public.
The trail passes under a small power line, which is also the location of the waterline from the treatment plant to the city reservoir, and then reaches Observation Point Trail, just below the overlook at Reservoir Hill. Reservoir Hill Trail can be incorporated with other trails to make some nice loops. It has good parking access from the pump house, Carson Brewer Trail, and Reservoir Hill. Be sure to make the short trip to the overlook at the top of Reservoir Hill. There is a stone stairway that goes up from Observation Point Trail.
Observation Point Trail
Observation Point Trail starts at Reservoir Hill and goes to Observation Point. The trail is an old road, open to all but motorized traffic (purple trail). If you start at Reservoir Hill, the elevation is 1360 feet, and then descends to a low point of about 1190 feet before climbing back to 1380 feet at the top of Observation Point. The trail distance is 1.1 miles, which includes the loop up and back down Observation Point.
There are two ways to access the trail from Reservoir Hill; you can take the old road on the right side of the circle or take the steps down through the center of the wall. The trail descends from Reservoir Hill on a moderately steep grade through a rocky, dry slope that is facing west and south. Forest vegetation is primarily chestnut oak, red maple, sourwood, black gum, and scattered shortleaf pine in the overstory with inedible blueberry, pinxter-flower, and saw brier in the understory. At one time there was a population of pink lady slippers as well, but like several other spots in the watershed, they seem to have disappeared. This lovely native orchid has declined throughout its range for several reasons; digging for commercial sale and by home gardeners; deer browsing; and changing ecological conditions (they need some direct sunlight and as the forest becomes denser the plant populations decline). It is very tempting to dig up the beautiful pink-flowered orchids, but they are extremely difficult to successfully transplant because of their specific needs for highly acidic soil, certain soil fungi, and preferred forest light conditions. It is best to enjoy them in nature and take only pictures, especially since it is unlawful to dig plants in the Norris Watershed and other public lands. This species is now listed as endangered in Tennessee because of commercial exploitation.
The trail begins to flatten on a surface with numerous roots and runs parallel to a power line. In a short distance, you will see the Baxter Blueberry farm on the left; the Norris Watershed boundary is on the far edge of the road under the power line. In 1999, the watershed board purchased a 3.6-acre parcel from Paul Baxter that ran across Observation Point Trail. As the trail smoothes out you will come to the junction of Reservoir Hill Circle Trail on the right. The trail then crosses under two power lines separated by a short section of wood. These are the main power lines from Norris Dam. You will enter a woodland of large oak trees and pass a house on the left. Gristmill Trail then branches off to the right as the main trail turns left and then back right before reaching Eagle Trail on the left. You now reach a split in the trail; both options go up to Observation Point. It is nice to go up one trail and then back down the other. The straight option is the steeper of the two, climbing up a moderate to steep slope. The trail to the right is a more gradual climb that is slightly longer. If you want an aerobic workout go up the first (straight) option which climbs steeply for the first two-thirds before leveling out somewhat before reaching the top.
Once you reach Observation Point the view is very nice. In 1970, the trail crew enlarged the vista, cutting several large chestnut oak trees. It has been maintained periodically over the years and was opened up significantly by the 2010 trail crew to provide better views of the dam and Walden’s Ridge, in the distance. There are some incredible sunsets from this viewpoint. Also, notice the large horseshoe bend in the river. The CCCs built a shelter at the top in the mid-30s that was still standing in the 80s. But because of deterioration, the shelter was dismantled. In the early 90s a group of men from Norris, who called themselves the ‘knights of the round table’, rebuilt the shelter on the original stone foundation, using redcedar posts cut from the watershed. In the spring of 2013, the Norris Lions Club did significant reconstruction on the shelter and installed a metal roof which should ensure the structure’s survival for many years. There is also a memorial bench that looks out over the river below.
Notice the very large chestnut oaks around the top. These trees are very old and many have fallen in the last 10 years or so. After a stop at the top proceed on around to the right to make the descent on the other trail. This old road was grown up and not used when the 1970 trail crew came through. We opened up the road and it has been used ever since. A nice option down, it goes through an old field that is now in yellow poplar, hickory, red maple, and sugar maple. We seldom go down this trail without seeing numerous squirrels and often see deer as well. According to old maps, this was the original road up to the top. Before the subdivisions that are now on Butternut, Hickory Trail, and other newer connecting roads, some old woods roads ran from CCC Camp Road and Eric Harold Park to Observation Point.
Observation Point Trail starts at Reservoir Hill and goes to Observation Point. The trail is an old road, open to all but motorized traffic (purple trail). If you start at Reservoir Hill, the elevation is 1360 feet, and then descends to a low point of about 1190 feet before climbing back to 1380 feet at the top of Observation Point. The trail distance is 1.1 miles, which includes the loop up and back down Observation Point.
There are two ways to access the trail from Reservoir Hill; you can take the old road on the right side of the circle or take the steps down through the center of the wall. The trail descends from Reservoir Hill on a moderately steep grade through a rocky, dry slope that is facing west and south. Forest vegetation is primarily chestnut oak, red maple, sourwood, black gum, and scattered shortleaf pine in the overstory with inedible blueberry, pinxter-flower, and saw brier in the understory. At one time there was a population of pink lady slippers as well, but like several other spots in the watershed, they seem to have disappeared. This lovely native orchid has declined throughout its range for several reasons; digging for commercial sale and by home gardeners; deer browsing; and changing ecological conditions (they need some direct sunlight and as the forest becomes denser the plant populations decline). It is very tempting to dig up the beautiful pink-flowered orchids, but they are extremely difficult to successfully transplant because of their specific needs for highly acidic soil, certain soil fungi, and preferred forest light conditions. It is best to enjoy them in nature and take only pictures, especially since it is unlawful to dig plants in the Norris Watershed and other public lands. This species is now listed as endangered in Tennessee because of commercial exploitation.
The trail begins to flatten on a surface with numerous roots and runs parallel to a power line. In a short distance, you will see the Baxter Blueberry farm on the left; the Norris Watershed boundary is on the far edge of the road under the power line. In 1999, the watershed board purchased a 3.6-acre parcel from Paul Baxter that ran across Observation Point Trail. As the trail smoothes out you will come to the junction of Reservoir Hill Circle Trail on the right. The trail then crosses under two power lines separated by a short section of wood. These are the main power lines from Norris Dam. You will enter a woodland of large oak trees and pass a house on the left. Gristmill Trail then branches off to the right as the main trail turns left and then back right before reaching Eagle Trail on the left. You now reach a split in the trail; both options go up to Observation Point. It is nice to go up one trail and then back down the other. The straight option is the steeper of the two, climbing up a moderate to steep slope. The trail to the right is a more gradual climb that is slightly longer. If you want an aerobic workout go up the first (straight) option which climbs steeply for the first two-thirds before leveling out somewhat before reaching the top.
Once you reach Observation Point the view is very nice. In 1970, the trail crew enlarged the vista, cutting several large chestnut oak trees. It has been maintained periodically over the years and was opened up significantly by the 2010 trail crew to provide better views of the dam and Walden’s Ridge, in the distance. There are some incredible sunsets from this viewpoint. Also, notice the large horseshoe bend in the river. The CCCs built a shelter at the top in the mid-30s that was still standing in the 80s. But because of deterioration, the shelter was dismantled. In the early 90s a group of men from Norris, who called themselves the ‘knights of the round table’, rebuilt the shelter on the original stone foundation, using redcedar posts cut from the watershed. In the spring of 2013, the Norris Lions Club did significant reconstruction on the shelter and installed a metal roof which should ensure the structure’s survival for many years. There is also a memorial bench that looks out over the river below.
Notice the very large chestnut oaks around the top. These trees are very old and many have fallen in the last 10 years or so. After a stop at the top proceed on around to the right to make the descent on the other trail. This old road was grown up and not used when the 1970 trail crew came through. We opened up the road and it has been used ever since. A nice option down, it goes through an old field that is now in yellow poplar, hickory, red maple, and sugar maple. We seldom go down this trail without seeing numerous squirrels and often see deer as well. According to old maps, this was the original road up to the top. Before the subdivisions that are now on Butternut, Hickory Trail, and other newer connecting roads, some old woods roads ran from CCC Camp Road and Eric Harold Park to Observation Point.
Reservoir Hill Circle Trail
Reservoir Hill Circle Trail is 1.4 miles in length and runs from the west side of Reservoir Hill (where it intersects with Observation Point Trail) to the east side of Reservoir Hill (where it intersects with Reservoir Hill Trail). Beginning at Observation Point Trail, approximately 0.3 miles south of the top of Reservoir Hill, and just before the power line, the trail turns right, down the slope. This section of trail is relatively new and was constructed to add switchbacks and lessen the steepness of the original trail, which is an old logging road. Portions of this old road are still incorporated into the trail. The trail soon turns left and then back to the right, following the contour to the previously mentioned old road. Turning down the hill to the left, you will start to descend the road for several hundred feet before the trail leaves the road to the right as a single-track trail. After a short distance along the contour, the trail turns sharply to the left and starts descending again. This area of the trail is situated on a western aspect and has shallow, rocky soils that are low in productivity. Common tree species include red maple, white oak, beech, sourwood, and chestnut oak, all of which can tolerate the hot, dry slopes. The trail crosses the old road again and continues down the slope on another old logging road. As you descend, rather steeply, the road ends and the trail becomes a single track. The trail reaches the edge of the power line and turns right and down the hollow. You will see a change in the composition of trees and plants because the aspect is now more northerly. Yellow poplar is now the dominant tree and there is lush black cohosh on the forest floor. The trail flattens as you pass a spring on the right and in a short distance you will reach the intersection with Dyer Hollow. After descending about 230 feet from the trail's start, this is the lowest point on the trail, which will now climb about 170 feet to its terminus.
The trail climbs a short distance, passing the old log road again on the right, before following the contour around the slope on a surface that has roots and rocks. Shortly, you will reach another old logging road that starts to climb. The Norris Watershed has been managed for sustainable yield forest products since it was transferred to the city in 1953. As a result of timber harvesting, there are numerous old logging roads throughout the watershed and many of these have been incorporated into the trail system. Most are small skid roads that were used to pull logs to a central log yard or portable sawmill. It was common in the 50s and 60s to use a portable sawmill instead of hauling out the logs because it was more efficient to truck lumber than logs. In those days loggers didn’t have the large equipment and trucks that are used to harvest timber today. I met a man who logged in the watershed in 1955, Joe Riddle, from Tazewell. He told me they had a timber camp with tents to sleep in and a cook to fix their food. They used a portable mill and harvested along Freeway and Longmire Trails. An area around Reservoir Hill was harvested in 1960, 63, and 67. It is hard to imagine that this area was cut, but in the 60s timber was harvested using a selection method that did not remove very many trees per acre. The old log roads that are part of this trail are from those harvests.
You will follow this old road for the remainder of the hike. After a short climb, on a rocky surface, the trail descends and then flattens out in a nice mixed hardwood stand of primarily, sugar maple, white oak, and yellow poplar, with umbrella magnolias in the understory. The trail parallels Lower Clear Creek Road to your left and Reservoir Hill to the right. Soon you will begin to climb again and will reach a small power line, which is also the pipeline from the water treatment plant to the water storage tank on Reservoir Hill. The trail becomes less steep and passes through old fields that were planted with shortleaf pine by the CCCs. Most of the pine is now gone and the area is occupied by yellow poplar, red maple, and sweet birch, an uncommon species in the watershed. Sweet (or black) birch is a medium-sized tree that is usually found on moist soils in more mountainous areas, like the Cumberland Plateau and Appalachian Mountains. This tree at one time was the only source of wintergreen oil, which is where it got its name, sweet. Crushing the twigs gives off a very pleasant wintergreen smell and tea can be made from them. The origin of this species in the watershed is a mystery because it is only found in a few areas. TVA conducted many plantings in the early years, so it could be that this species was planted. I have seen other species of trees that also seem to be out of place, like striped maple and mountain camellia.
The trail makes a steady rise and soon you will come to the junction with Reservoir Hill Trail, 300 feet from the terminus at Reservoir Hill Road. Most hikers turn onto Reservoir Hill Trail and continue up to Reservoir Hill or down to the pump house.
Reservoir Hill Circle Trail is 1.4 miles in length and runs from the west side of Reservoir Hill (where it intersects with Observation Point Trail) to the east side of Reservoir Hill (where it intersects with Reservoir Hill Trail). Beginning at Observation Point Trail, approximately 0.3 miles south of the top of Reservoir Hill, and just before the power line, the trail turns right, down the slope. This section of trail is relatively new and was constructed to add switchbacks and lessen the steepness of the original trail, which is an old logging road. Portions of this old road are still incorporated into the trail. The trail soon turns left and then back to the right, following the contour to the previously mentioned old road. Turning down the hill to the left, you will start to descend the road for several hundred feet before the trail leaves the road to the right as a single-track trail. After a short distance along the contour, the trail turns sharply to the left and starts descending again. This area of the trail is situated on a western aspect and has shallow, rocky soils that are low in productivity. Common tree species include red maple, white oak, beech, sourwood, and chestnut oak, all of which can tolerate the hot, dry slopes. The trail crosses the old road again and continues down the slope on another old logging road. As you descend, rather steeply, the road ends and the trail becomes a single track. The trail reaches the edge of the power line and turns right and down the hollow. You will see a change in the composition of trees and plants because the aspect is now more northerly. Yellow poplar is now the dominant tree and there is lush black cohosh on the forest floor. The trail flattens as you pass a spring on the right and in a short distance you will reach the intersection with Dyer Hollow. After descending about 230 feet from the trail's start, this is the lowest point on the trail, which will now climb about 170 feet to its terminus.
The trail climbs a short distance, passing the old log road again on the right, before following the contour around the slope on a surface that has roots and rocks. Shortly, you will reach another old logging road that starts to climb. The Norris Watershed has been managed for sustainable yield forest products since it was transferred to the city in 1953. As a result of timber harvesting, there are numerous old logging roads throughout the watershed and many of these have been incorporated into the trail system. Most are small skid roads that were used to pull logs to a central log yard or portable sawmill. It was common in the 50s and 60s to use a portable sawmill instead of hauling out the logs because it was more efficient to truck lumber than logs. In those days loggers didn’t have the large equipment and trucks that are used to harvest timber today. I met a man who logged in the watershed in 1955, Joe Riddle, from Tazewell. He told me they had a timber camp with tents to sleep in and a cook to fix their food. They used a portable mill and harvested along Freeway and Longmire Trails. An area around Reservoir Hill was harvested in 1960, 63, and 67. It is hard to imagine that this area was cut, but in the 60s timber was harvested using a selection method that did not remove very many trees per acre. The old log roads that are part of this trail are from those harvests.
You will follow this old road for the remainder of the hike. After a short climb, on a rocky surface, the trail descends and then flattens out in a nice mixed hardwood stand of primarily, sugar maple, white oak, and yellow poplar, with umbrella magnolias in the understory. The trail parallels Lower Clear Creek Road to your left and Reservoir Hill to the right. Soon you will begin to climb again and will reach a small power line, which is also the pipeline from the water treatment plant to the water storage tank on Reservoir Hill. The trail becomes less steep and passes through old fields that were planted with shortleaf pine by the CCCs. Most of the pine is now gone and the area is occupied by yellow poplar, red maple, and sweet birch, an uncommon species in the watershed. Sweet (or black) birch is a medium-sized tree that is usually found on moist soils in more mountainous areas, like the Cumberland Plateau and Appalachian Mountains. This tree at one time was the only source of wintergreen oil, which is where it got its name, sweet. Crushing the twigs gives off a very pleasant wintergreen smell and tea can be made from them. The origin of this species in the watershed is a mystery because it is only found in a few areas. TVA conducted many plantings in the early years, so it could be that this species was planted. I have seen other species of trees that also seem to be out of place, like striped maple and mountain camellia.
The trail makes a steady rise and soon you will come to the junction with Reservoir Hill Trail, 300 feet from the terminus at Reservoir Hill Road. Most hikers turn onto Reservoir Hill Trail and continue up to Reservoir Hill or down to the pump house.
Dyer Hollow Trail
This short trail begins at Clear Creek Trail about 0.3 miles up from the Grist Mill. Although only 0.3 miles in length, Dyer Hollow has the most diverse and prolific spring wildflower display in the watershed. The trail cuts right off Clear Creek Trail, just before the bridge, and follows the small stream branch up the hollow. On your left you will see an orange spot on a yellow poplar tree; this is the boundary line between Norris and TVA. So, most of the trail is located on Norris's property. In the early 70’s there was no formal trail up this hollow, but Bob Farmer, a former TVA forester, walked it to his office at the Fisheries Lab each day from his home on Reservoir Road. The narrow trail continues up the slope along the stream, traversing up and down on a good footbed that is slightly slanted out (out-sloped). This drain (hollow) is very rich and is occupied by beech, yellow buckeye, yellow poplar, and sycamore, with lush umbrella magnolias in the understory. As the trail climbs, you will pass through blue cohosh, black cohosh, red trillium, foam flower, and many other species of wildflowers. The trail gets rockier as you continue and the hollow begins to widen. On the left, you will see the spring that feeds the stream you have been hiking next to; flow varies with rainfall and is much lower in late summer.
Beware, an enemy is lurking along this trail and it gets denser as you pass the halfway point. Stinging nettle, a non-native invasive plant, is abundant along the trail and should be avoided. This pesky plant, usually 2-3 feet tall (but can get much taller in certain conditions) spreads by underground rhizomes and can create a blanket of plants. The leaves and stems of the plant are covered with brittle, hollow, silky hairs that ‘sting’ when bare skin rubs against them. According to the Ohio Perennial and Biennial Weed Guide concerning the nettle’s capacity to cause skin irritation; “Toxins thought to be involved include formic acid (also found in ants), histamine, acetylcholine and 5-hydroxytryptamine." However, stinging nettles do have homeopathic uses for the treatment of osteoarthritis, hay fever, insect bites, sprains, and strains, and are also a diuretic. One source says that the ‘stinging’ will relieve pain when touching an area that is already in pain. If you are so unlucky and get ‘stung’, which is often described as being like a bee sting, the best natural remedy is curled dock or jewelweed. Other remedies include over-the-counter anti-itch or hydrocortisone crèmes, bee sting swabs, or a baking soda paste (the chemical that causes the sting is acidic, and therefore, the soda neutralizes it). This trail is normally one of the first weeds eaten by the trail crew, to cut the nettles down. Another area trail that has stinging nettle problems is River Bluff Trail on TVA.
As the hollow widens out you climb gently and will soon intersect Reservoir Hill Circle Trail. Dyer Hollow Trail gains about 140 feet in elevation over its 0.3 miles and is a foot-traffic-only trail (red). The trail is not on the trail map. Although spring is the peak for wildflowers, Dyer Hollow is a good trail to hike in any season. It offers cool shade in the summer and brisk temperatures in the winter because the sun doesn’t reach the hollow for very long each day. This trail can be combined with Clear Creek Trail, (Dyer Hollow-right), Reservoir Hill Loop Trail (left), Reservoir Hill Trail (right), Observation Point Trail (right), Eagle Trail (left), and Cliff Trail (right) back to Clear Creek. This loop is about 4 miles and climbs both Reservoir Hill and Observation Point.
This short trail begins at Clear Creek Trail about 0.3 miles up from the Grist Mill. Although only 0.3 miles in length, Dyer Hollow has the most diverse and prolific spring wildflower display in the watershed. The trail cuts right off Clear Creek Trail, just before the bridge, and follows the small stream branch up the hollow. On your left you will see an orange spot on a yellow poplar tree; this is the boundary line between Norris and TVA. So, most of the trail is located on Norris's property. In the early 70’s there was no formal trail up this hollow, but Bob Farmer, a former TVA forester, walked it to his office at the Fisheries Lab each day from his home on Reservoir Road. The narrow trail continues up the slope along the stream, traversing up and down on a good footbed that is slightly slanted out (out-sloped). This drain (hollow) is very rich and is occupied by beech, yellow buckeye, yellow poplar, and sycamore, with lush umbrella magnolias in the understory. As the trail climbs, you will pass through blue cohosh, black cohosh, red trillium, foam flower, and many other species of wildflowers. The trail gets rockier as you continue and the hollow begins to widen. On the left, you will see the spring that feeds the stream you have been hiking next to; flow varies with rainfall and is much lower in late summer.
Beware, an enemy is lurking along this trail and it gets denser as you pass the halfway point. Stinging nettle, a non-native invasive plant, is abundant along the trail and should be avoided. This pesky plant, usually 2-3 feet tall (but can get much taller in certain conditions) spreads by underground rhizomes and can create a blanket of plants. The leaves and stems of the plant are covered with brittle, hollow, silky hairs that ‘sting’ when bare skin rubs against them. According to the Ohio Perennial and Biennial Weed Guide concerning the nettle’s capacity to cause skin irritation; “Toxins thought to be involved include formic acid (also found in ants), histamine, acetylcholine and 5-hydroxytryptamine." However, stinging nettles do have homeopathic uses for the treatment of osteoarthritis, hay fever, insect bites, sprains, and strains, and are also a diuretic. One source says that the ‘stinging’ will relieve pain when touching an area that is already in pain. If you are so unlucky and get ‘stung’, which is often described as being like a bee sting, the best natural remedy is curled dock or jewelweed. Other remedies include over-the-counter anti-itch or hydrocortisone crèmes, bee sting swabs, or a baking soda paste (the chemical that causes the sting is acidic, and therefore, the soda neutralizes it). This trail is normally one of the first weeds eaten by the trail crew, to cut the nettles down. Another area trail that has stinging nettle problems is River Bluff Trail on TVA.
As the hollow widens out you climb gently and will soon intersect Reservoir Hill Circle Trail. Dyer Hollow Trail gains about 140 feet in elevation over its 0.3 miles and is a foot-traffic-only trail (red). The trail is not on the trail map. Although spring is the peak for wildflowers, Dyer Hollow is a good trail to hike in any season. It offers cool shade in the summer and brisk temperatures in the winter because the sun doesn’t reach the hollow for very long each day. This trail can be combined with Clear Creek Trail, (Dyer Hollow-right), Reservoir Hill Loop Trail (left), Reservoir Hill Trail (right), Observation Point Trail (right), Eagle Trail (left), and Cliff Trail (right) back to Clear Creek. This loop is about 4 miles and climbs both Reservoir Hill and Observation Point.
Grist Mill Trail
Grist Mill Trail is a short, but steep hike from the Lenoir Museum to Observation Point Trail, just below Observation Point. Originally called Ole Mill Trail, the trail is only 0.6 miles but climbs 420 feet. Use on the trail is all but motorized use (purple trail), but be prepared to walk your bicycle or horse through the Lenoir Museum parking lot per park rules. Starting at the museum, the trail goes up directly behind the building, next to a picnic table. You will enter a heavily wooded forest on an old road that starts to climb very quickly. On your right, you will see the trailhead for Cliff Trail. This old road was drivable many years ago, before the museum was constructed, but was always a scary drive because of the out sloping of the road which made rolling over a distinct possibility. The first section of the trail is very shaded and stays relatively cool because of the large beech, yellow poplar, hickory, and red and white oaks that occupy the slope. Notice how large these trees are; there hasn’t been any harvesting in this area since TVA bought the property and it appears to have been cut very little, if any, before then. As you climb you will cross over old concrete water diversion curbs and some large boulders. Erosion has taken its toll over parts of the trail and the 2010 and 2011 trail crews have worked to control further damage by placing rocks in gullies and cleaning old water bars.
Soon you will emerge from the woods and be under a power line, a stark difference from the section of trail you just left. If you look closely, just before you leave the woods, you will see orange-painted trees on the right which mark the TVA/Norris Watershed boundary. The trail follows under the power line for the next 0.4 miles or so. The trail is on a grassy surface and can be overgrown, but is a priority of the trail crew to keep mowed. If you hike this trail when the sun is shining the climb can be brutally hot. There is no shade because the line is kept mowed. You will see heavy oriental (Asian) bittersweet, an exotic invasive plant that is listed as a ‘severe threat’ by the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council and I also just discovered Japanese Spiraea along the trail, another exotic plant listed as a ‘significant threat’ by the council.If you get through this open section when the berries are ripe, there are Japanese wine berries (another exotic plant) along the road as well, but the blackberries have just about been taken over by the exotic plants. As you climb, take time to look behind you from time to time to see a somewhat nice vista, albeit the power line is the main view. The power line section gives way to a welcome relief when you re-enter the woods and a shady walk to the junction of Observation Point Trail in a little over 200 yards.You can hike the trail in reverse and have a whole different perspective. The climb up will get your heart pumping, but the downhill route may get your knees aching. This is one of my least favorite trails in the watershed and I only hike it when I have to. It is also one of the least favorite trails for the trail crew because they have to weed-eat it and it seems like it is always a hot day. Grist Mill Trail can be combined with a number of the other trails around Observation Point and Reservoir Hill to create some nice loops.
Grist Mill Trail is a short, but steep hike from the Lenoir Museum to Observation Point Trail, just below Observation Point. Originally called Ole Mill Trail, the trail is only 0.6 miles but climbs 420 feet. Use on the trail is all but motorized use (purple trail), but be prepared to walk your bicycle or horse through the Lenoir Museum parking lot per park rules. Starting at the museum, the trail goes up directly behind the building, next to a picnic table. You will enter a heavily wooded forest on an old road that starts to climb very quickly. On your right, you will see the trailhead for Cliff Trail. This old road was drivable many years ago, before the museum was constructed, but was always a scary drive because of the out sloping of the road which made rolling over a distinct possibility. The first section of the trail is very shaded and stays relatively cool because of the large beech, yellow poplar, hickory, and red and white oaks that occupy the slope. Notice how large these trees are; there hasn’t been any harvesting in this area since TVA bought the property and it appears to have been cut very little, if any, before then. As you climb you will cross over old concrete water diversion curbs and some large boulders. Erosion has taken its toll over parts of the trail and the 2010 and 2011 trail crews have worked to control further damage by placing rocks in gullies and cleaning old water bars.
Soon you will emerge from the woods and be under a power line, a stark difference from the section of trail you just left. If you look closely, just before you leave the woods, you will see orange-painted trees on the right which mark the TVA/Norris Watershed boundary. The trail follows under the power line for the next 0.4 miles or so. The trail is on a grassy surface and can be overgrown, but is a priority of the trail crew to keep mowed. If you hike this trail when the sun is shining the climb can be brutally hot. There is no shade because the line is kept mowed. You will see heavy oriental (Asian) bittersweet, an exotic invasive plant that is listed as a ‘severe threat’ by the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council and I also just discovered Japanese Spiraea along the trail, another exotic plant listed as a ‘significant threat’ by the council.If you get through this open section when the berries are ripe, there are Japanese wine berries (another exotic plant) along the road as well, but the blackberries have just about been taken over by the exotic plants. As you climb, take time to look behind you from time to time to see a somewhat nice vista, albeit the power line is the main view. The power line section gives way to a welcome relief when you re-enter the woods and a shady walk to the junction of Observation Point Trail in a little over 200 yards.You can hike the trail in reverse and have a whole different perspective. The climb up will get your heart pumping, but the downhill route may get your knees aching. This is one of my least favorite trails in the watershed and I only hike it when I have to. It is also one of the least favorite trails for the trail crew because they have to weed-eat it and it seems like it is always a hot day. Grist Mill Trail can be combined with a number of the other trails around Observation Point and Reservoir Hill to create some nice loops.
Eagle Trail
Eagle Trail was established in the 80s and utilizes sections of a trail that originated in the 30s. Originally called River Trail, the first section ran from the Norris town center on a series of old farm roads, beginning on what is now the location of Deer Ridge Road and continuing through the location of Eric Harold Park, then connecting with another road called Reservoir Hill Trail, which went from CCC Camp Road to Reservoir Hill. Just past the junction of these two roads, the trail went down a South Central Bell telephone line corridor that ran pretty much straight down, with one bend, before reaching the trail at the bottom of the hollow. At this point, it became a single-track trail that is still used. From this location to the site of the Lenoir Museum, the trail is one of the first constructed in the watershed, built by the CCCs in the 30s.
Eagle Trail officially starts off Hickory Trail Road but will be described from the starting point at Eric Harold Park. The trail is a multiple-use (purple) trail and is 2.0 miles in length (from the park; and 1.6 miles from Hickory Trail). From the beginning of the trail to its lowest point at mile 1.2 (intersection with Hwy 441 access) you lose 200 feet; then gain 140 feet to the Cliff Trail intersection (mile 1.5); and gain 240 feet up to Observation Point Trail intersection (mile 2.0). From the park, walk down the right side to a sign that reads ‘access to Hickory Trail’ and follow to the right behind a couple of houses. You will soon reach a sharp left-hand turn and start down in a rather large sinkhole. On your right is a small patch of pawpaw trees with long narrow leaves. This common tree is somewhat of a mystery when it comes to bearing fruit. It has become very prevalent in the understory of many areas and will likely cause a change in the forest vegetation where it is dense. Although very common, it is uncommon to find trees bearing fruit. The general thought as to why few trees bear fruit is interesting. Pawpaw blooms are a dark maroonish brown and have a pungent smell. Flowers are perfect, with both male and female parts, but the female parts of the flowers mature earlier than the male pollen, preventing self-pollination. So for the flowers to be pollinated, the pollen must come from another genetic source (pawpaws spread through prolific suckering from the roots which leads to the large patches of the trees that are from the same genetic, or parent source). Pawpaws bloom in early spring when insects are not plentiful and because of the smell of their flowers, they only attract beetles and flies, which are not as industrious as bees. So, pawpaws are dependent on lazy bugs and carrion flies to pollinate their flowers! If you look around you can still find some fruits. They taste like a cross between a papaya and a banana and most people either love them or hate them. The fruits ripen in September and you have to be there early because the fruit is a favorite of many wildlife species, especially opossums.
The trail climbs out of the sinkhole and soon meets Hickory Trail Road. It is a short walk from here to Eagle Trail, but it is along the road, which goes up the hill, making it difficult to walk facing traffic. Be careful making your way. On the other side of the hill, you will see a sign on the left indicating Eagle Trail (it is next to a fire hydrant). The trail goes down a short, steep hill with a slick, grave surface. As you reach the bottom, you will see a metal fence post with a sign on the right; this is the TVA property corner and you will see trees with orange paint going down the left and right of the trail. The trail stays on TVA property until you get to Cliff Trail, some 1.1 miles away. The TVA property is zoned for sensitive resource management because of rare plants; the Clinch River Bluffs Habitat Protection Area is included on the parcel and is occupied by bugbane (Cimicifuga rubifolia), a state-threatened plant species.
Cross the small drainage and continue along the contour through an old forest that has moderately heavy mortality, with numerous down trees. There has been increasing wind throw over the last 10-12 years along the trail. The trail goes behind a residence before turning sharply to the left and down the slope. After a descent, you will cross a wooden bridge, bear right, and start a short climb before flattening out. You will cross the old telephone corridor (and original trail location) just before you reach a forest of large dead white pine. This white pine was planted in the 40s by TVA as an experimental plantation. It was later used to study air pollution and was re-measured as late as the early 90s. It was situated between Reservoir Hill Trail (the road from CCC Camp to Reservoir Hill) and the telephone line corridor and was a popular place for teenagers to gather and sometimes camp in the early 60s. The southern pine beetle devastated the trees in the early 2000s. The trail continues down a steady slope, passing behind more houses, and entering a fairly dense woodland of yellow poplar, red maple, and hickory on what was an old field at the time of purchase. You will travel down a pleasant section of trail making a sharp right turn and heading down toward the bottom of a hollow. Just before you reach the bottom, you might notice the old telephone line corridor on your right. From this point on you will be on the original trail.
Cross the small spring branch and continue down the side of the hollow on a narrow trail. In a short distance, you will reach a junction; the trail continues down the hollow to meet U.S. 441, where there was a parking area at one time and the point where the telephone line crossed the river. Eagle Trail climbs up the hill to the right on a grave surface with moss-lined sides. Soon you will reach the top and follow the contour through a dense forest. In the winter you can see the river below which runs parallel to the trail to the museum. The trail goes up and down through this section and soon you will see orange paint on trees to the right and then left. This is the TVA/Norris Watershed boundary. The trail reaches a small drainage with a nice cascade on the left which can be seen from Hwy 441 and a small waterfall on the right. Cliff Trail begins just past the water crossing on the left. Eagle Trail goes straight, up the slope before leveling out somewhat. It is quite a climb from here to Observation Point Trail but is broken up by sections that are level between climbs. A short, but steep climb takes you under a hemlock tree and then the trail flattens again. You will now reach an old road to the right with a sign that reads ‘No Outlet’; this is an old logging road that was used in the 60s to harvest an area below Observation Point. Notice the road has a long dip at the end. This is where the portable sawmill was located. I can remember passing the sawmill on a hiking trip from Norris in 1963 with Jimbo Dale to fish the river on spring break. The road now goes up to private property but at that time it was a branch off the Reservoir Hill Trail.
As the trail levels out you will see several down trees that were cut by the 2010 and 2011 trail crews. This slope receives some heavy wind because there are numerous down trees. From this point up, the trail has some grave areas that can be slick coming down. The trail goes through west- and south-facing slopes that are dry and rocky with poor site quality and acidic soils. There is an abundance of chestnut oak, black gum, and sourwood, along with low bush blueberry, and greenbrier, and once was occupied by pink lady slippers. You will climb up a fairly narrow trail and soon meet Observation Point Trail. The metal fence post on the right is a Norris Watershed property corner.
Eagle Trail was established in the 80s and utilizes sections of a trail that originated in the 30s. Originally called River Trail, the first section ran from the Norris town center on a series of old farm roads, beginning on what is now the location of Deer Ridge Road and continuing through the location of Eric Harold Park, then connecting with another road called Reservoir Hill Trail, which went from CCC Camp Road to Reservoir Hill. Just past the junction of these two roads, the trail went down a South Central Bell telephone line corridor that ran pretty much straight down, with one bend, before reaching the trail at the bottom of the hollow. At this point, it became a single-track trail that is still used. From this location to the site of the Lenoir Museum, the trail is one of the first constructed in the watershed, built by the CCCs in the 30s.
Eagle Trail officially starts off Hickory Trail Road but will be described from the starting point at Eric Harold Park. The trail is a multiple-use (purple) trail and is 2.0 miles in length (from the park; and 1.6 miles from Hickory Trail). From the beginning of the trail to its lowest point at mile 1.2 (intersection with Hwy 441 access) you lose 200 feet; then gain 140 feet to the Cliff Trail intersection (mile 1.5); and gain 240 feet up to Observation Point Trail intersection (mile 2.0). From the park, walk down the right side to a sign that reads ‘access to Hickory Trail’ and follow to the right behind a couple of houses. You will soon reach a sharp left-hand turn and start down in a rather large sinkhole. On your right is a small patch of pawpaw trees with long narrow leaves. This common tree is somewhat of a mystery when it comes to bearing fruit. It has become very prevalent in the understory of many areas and will likely cause a change in the forest vegetation where it is dense. Although very common, it is uncommon to find trees bearing fruit. The general thought as to why few trees bear fruit is interesting. Pawpaw blooms are a dark maroonish brown and have a pungent smell. Flowers are perfect, with both male and female parts, but the female parts of the flowers mature earlier than the male pollen, preventing self-pollination. So for the flowers to be pollinated, the pollen must come from another genetic source (pawpaws spread through prolific suckering from the roots which leads to the large patches of the trees that are from the same genetic, or parent source). Pawpaws bloom in early spring when insects are not plentiful and because of the smell of their flowers, they only attract beetles and flies, which are not as industrious as bees. So, pawpaws are dependent on lazy bugs and carrion flies to pollinate their flowers! If you look around you can still find some fruits. They taste like a cross between a papaya and a banana and most people either love them or hate them. The fruits ripen in September and you have to be there early because the fruit is a favorite of many wildlife species, especially opossums.
The trail climbs out of the sinkhole and soon meets Hickory Trail Road. It is a short walk from here to Eagle Trail, but it is along the road, which goes up the hill, making it difficult to walk facing traffic. Be careful making your way. On the other side of the hill, you will see a sign on the left indicating Eagle Trail (it is next to a fire hydrant). The trail goes down a short, steep hill with a slick, grave surface. As you reach the bottom, you will see a metal fence post with a sign on the right; this is the TVA property corner and you will see trees with orange paint going down the left and right of the trail. The trail stays on TVA property until you get to Cliff Trail, some 1.1 miles away. The TVA property is zoned for sensitive resource management because of rare plants; the Clinch River Bluffs Habitat Protection Area is included on the parcel and is occupied by bugbane (Cimicifuga rubifolia), a state-threatened plant species.
Cross the small drainage and continue along the contour through an old forest that has moderately heavy mortality, with numerous down trees. There has been increasing wind throw over the last 10-12 years along the trail. The trail goes behind a residence before turning sharply to the left and down the slope. After a descent, you will cross a wooden bridge, bear right, and start a short climb before flattening out. You will cross the old telephone corridor (and original trail location) just before you reach a forest of large dead white pine. This white pine was planted in the 40s by TVA as an experimental plantation. It was later used to study air pollution and was re-measured as late as the early 90s. It was situated between Reservoir Hill Trail (the road from CCC Camp to Reservoir Hill) and the telephone line corridor and was a popular place for teenagers to gather and sometimes camp in the early 60s. The southern pine beetle devastated the trees in the early 2000s. The trail continues down a steady slope, passing behind more houses, and entering a fairly dense woodland of yellow poplar, red maple, and hickory on what was an old field at the time of purchase. You will travel down a pleasant section of trail making a sharp right turn and heading down toward the bottom of a hollow. Just before you reach the bottom, you might notice the old telephone line corridor on your right. From this point on you will be on the original trail.
Cross the small spring branch and continue down the side of the hollow on a narrow trail. In a short distance, you will reach a junction; the trail continues down the hollow to meet U.S. 441, where there was a parking area at one time and the point where the telephone line crossed the river. Eagle Trail climbs up the hill to the right on a grave surface with moss-lined sides. Soon you will reach the top and follow the contour through a dense forest. In the winter you can see the river below which runs parallel to the trail to the museum. The trail goes up and down through this section and soon you will see orange paint on trees to the right and then left. This is the TVA/Norris Watershed boundary. The trail reaches a small drainage with a nice cascade on the left which can be seen from Hwy 441 and a small waterfall on the right. Cliff Trail begins just past the water crossing on the left. Eagle Trail goes straight, up the slope before leveling out somewhat. It is quite a climb from here to Observation Point Trail but is broken up by sections that are level between climbs. A short, but steep climb takes you under a hemlock tree and then the trail flattens again. You will now reach an old road to the right with a sign that reads ‘No Outlet’; this is an old logging road that was used in the 60s to harvest an area below Observation Point. Notice the road has a long dip at the end. This is where the portable sawmill was located. I can remember passing the sawmill on a hiking trip from Norris in 1963 with Jimbo Dale to fish the river on spring break. The road now goes up to private property but at that time it was a branch off the Reservoir Hill Trail.
As the trail levels out you will see several down trees that were cut by the 2010 and 2011 trail crews. This slope receives some heavy wind because there are numerous down trees. From this point up, the trail has some grave areas that can be slick coming down. The trail goes through west- and south-facing slopes that are dry and rocky with poor site quality and acidic soils. There is an abundance of chestnut oak, black gum, and sourwood, along with low bush blueberry, and greenbrier, and once was occupied by pink lady slippers. You will climb up a fairly narrow trail and soon meet Observation Point Trail. The metal fence post on the right is a Norris Watershed property corner.
Cliff Trail
Cliff Trail begins at the junction with Eagle Trail, 0.5 miles below the Observation Point Trail intersection. It is a red trail, foot traffic only, and measures 0.6 miles long, falling 170 feet. The trail climbs a small hill before reaching the highest point on the trail (1050 feet) and a good viewpoint over the river and weir dam. As the trail continues along the contour there is a dwarf crested iris and mock orange. This trail can be scary at times because of its narrow, rocky tread. It is especially treacherous after rain or in ice or snow. The trail has narrowed significantly over the years, but the trail crew in 2010 made some nice improvements to widen it out. The CCCs carved this trail out of a steep, rocky slope and must have spent many hours completing the task. You will notice several spots where rock walls were built to widen the trail and they are still in relatively good shape after 75 years. After a walk along the contour, the rest of the trail is all downhill. Most of this slope is occupied by northern hardwoods including sugar maple, white ash, northern red oak, and beech. You won’t have much time to look up and around because the trail is tricky; one false move and you could end up standing on Hwy 441. There is a story that someone was riding their mule down the trail and it went over the side and indeed did end up on the highway. Whether this is true or not, it does make you pay more attention to the trail. On the trail, you will find a slide area that was built back up by the 2010 trail crew and some stone steps built by them as well. Toward the bottom, there is an old TVA forest experimental planting of sugar maple. As you approach the end, the forest is younger, originating on an old field, and is primarily yellow poplar, sugar maple, black locust, and persimmon. The trail ends at the intersection with Grist Mill Trail, just behind the Lenoir Museum.
Cliff Trail begins at the junction with Eagle Trail, 0.5 miles below the Observation Point Trail intersection. It is a red trail, foot traffic only, and measures 0.6 miles long, falling 170 feet. The trail climbs a small hill before reaching the highest point on the trail (1050 feet) and a good viewpoint over the river and weir dam. As the trail continues along the contour there is a dwarf crested iris and mock orange. This trail can be scary at times because of its narrow, rocky tread. It is especially treacherous after rain or in ice or snow. The trail has narrowed significantly over the years, but the trail crew in 2010 made some nice improvements to widen it out. The CCCs carved this trail out of a steep, rocky slope and must have spent many hours completing the task. You will notice several spots where rock walls were built to widen the trail and they are still in relatively good shape after 75 years. After a walk along the contour, the rest of the trail is all downhill. Most of this slope is occupied by northern hardwoods including sugar maple, white ash, northern red oak, and beech. You won’t have much time to look up and around because the trail is tricky; one false move and you could end up standing on Hwy 441. There is a story that someone was riding their mule down the trail and it went over the side and indeed did end up on the highway. Whether this is true or not, it does make you pay more attention to the trail. On the trail, you will find a slide area that was built back up by the 2010 trail crew and some stone steps built by them as well. Toward the bottom, there is an old TVA forest experimental planting of sugar maple. As you approach the end, the forest is younger, originating on an old field, and is primarily yellow poplar, sugar maple, black locust, and persimmon. The trail ends at the intersection with Grist Mill Trail, just behind the Lenoir Museum.
Deer Ridge Access Trail
There are many access points to the Norris Watershed, but one that is little known is off of Deer Ridge Road. The access is on the right, by a bench, about 0.1 miles up Deer Ridge Road from Reservoir Road (across from the elementary school). I have parked at the school (not during school hours) and used this entrance to the watershed. The trail is open to all but motorized use (purple trail) and is 0.6 miles long. The total elevation gain is approximately 150 feet. As you leave Deer Ridge on an old road, the trail climbs a short, steep hill with a clay surface and flattens out for a way before descending on a short, but steep slope. This section of trail is not on city property but is the right of way for the city waterline, so treat it as such and stay on the trail. At the bottom of the slope, a sign will steer you to the right, off the road, and onto a single-track trail which is the start of the City-owned ‘dogleg’. You will hike through a dense woodland of primarily yellow poplar with an understory of the exotic plant's multiflora rose and oriental bittersweet, cross a wet weather drain, and in a short distance reach a large power line. Continue straight through this power line and the next one as well. The trail then enters the woods at the end of the second power line corridor. If you look along the sides of the trail through the power line you will see orange paint on several trees and fence posts, which delineates the city property line. You will also see paint on trees along the next section through the woods. The corridor is only 50 feet or so wide through here. The trail enters the woods and begins to climb through a nice upland hardwood forest with white oak, hickory, red oaks, and yellow poplar. You will climb from here to the top with only one small depression on a fairly long, moderately steep slope. As you near the top, you will see Baxter’s blueberry farm on the right (there is a trail coming from the blueberry farm, but it leaves the watershed and goes on private property). In a short distance, you will come back into the large power line at a junction with a smaller utility line and road. Continue straight across the road and in about 75 feet you will reach Observation Point Trail. If you take a left you will be at the top of Observation Point in about 0.4 miles and if you go right you will get to Reservoir Hill in about 0.4 miles.
This access can be used to create many loops. I started at Eric Harold Park and hiked over to Eagle Trail, down to Cliff Trail, up Clear Creek, and then up Dyer Hollow and Reservoir Hill Circle to Observation Point Trail, right and over to the power line, then left and down Deer Ridge Access Trail to Deer Ridge Road, right on the sidewalk and back to Eric Harold Park. This hike was about 4.0 miles. If you want a longer loop take Reservoir Hill Circle all the way around to Reservoir Hill Trail to Observation Point Trail and down to the Deer Ridge Access Trail and out. This would make a loop of about 5.7 miles.
There are many access points to the Norris Watershed, but one that is little known is off of Deer Ridge Road. The access is on the right, by a bench, about 0.1 miles up Deer Ridge Road from Reservoir Road (across from the elementary school). I have parked at the school (not during school hours) and used this entrance to the watershed. The trail is open to all but motorized use (purple trail) and is 0.6 miles long. The total elevation gain is approximately 150 feet. As you leave Deer Ridge on an old road, the trail climbs a short, steep hill with a clay surface and flattens out for a way before descending on a short, but steep slope. This section of trail is not on city property but is the right of way for the city waterline, so treat it as such and stay on the trail. At the bottom of the slope, a sign will steer you to the right, off the road, and onto a single-track trail which is the start of the City-owned ‘dogleg’. You will hike through a dense woodland of primarily yellow poplar with an understory of the exotic plant's multiflora rose and oriental bittersweet, cross a wet weather drain, and in a short distance reach a large power line. Continue straight through this power line and the next one as well. The trail then enters the woods at the end of the second power line corridor. If you look along the sides of the trail through the power line you will see orange paint on several trees and fence posts, which delineates the city property line. You will also see paint on trees along the next section through the woods. The corridor is only 50 feet or so wide through here. The trail enters the woods and begins to climb through a nice upland hardwood forest with white oak, hickory, red oaks, and yellow poplar. You will climb from here to the top with only one small depression on a fairly long, moderately steep slope. As you near the top, you will see Baxter’s blueberry farm on the right (there is a trail coming from the blueberry farm, but it leaves the watershed and goes on private property). In a short distance, you will come back into the large power line at a junction with a smaller utility line and road. Continue straight across the road and in about 75 feet you will reach Observation Point Trail. If you take a left you will be at the top of Observation Point in about 0.4 miles and if you go right you will get to Reservoir Hill in about 0.4 miles.
This access can be used to create many loops. I started at Eric Harold Park and hiked over to Eagle Trail, down to Cliff Trail, up Clear Creek, and then up Dyer Hollow and Reservoir Hill Circle to Observation Point Trail, right and over to the power line, then left and down Deer Ridge Access Trail to Deer Ridge Road, right on the sidewalk and back to Eric Harold Park. This hike was about 4.0 miles. If you want a longer loop take Reservoir Hill Circle all the way around to Reservoir Hill Trail to Observation Point Trail and down to the Deer Ridge Access Trail and out. This would make a loop of about 5.7 miles.
Carson Brewer Trail
The Carson Brewer Trail is a handicap-accessible trail that is located just below the top of Reservoir Hill on the right. It is a 0.2-mile trail that is paved and has no more than a five percent grade, making it ideal for wheelchairs, walkers, and other assisted walking apparatus’. The trail goes through a nice stand of large oaks, hickories, and yellow poplar. There are also some large shortleaf pines mixed in the hardwood, which probably exceed 150 years old. About halfway around the loop, there is a picnic shelter which was originally constructed by the CCC’s for the residents of Norris. The shelter is a typical post and round beam shelter with a water fountain and spigot, which has a bowl on the ground for dogs. A large, paved parking area serves the trail and can be used as an access to other watershed trails. You won’t find a more serene trail with handicap access in the area than this one. There are some very nice trees along the trail and it is a very peaceful path. The trail starts from one end of the parking area and ends at the far corner.
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The Carson Brewer Trail is a handicap-accessible trail that is located just below the top of Reservoir Hill on the right. It is a 0.2-mile trail that is paved and has no more than a five percent grade, making it ideal for wheelchairs, walkers, and other assisted walking apparatus’. The trail goes through a nice stand of large oaks, hickories, and yellow poplar. There are also some large shortleaf pines mixed in the hardwood, which probably exceed 150 years old. About halfway around the loop, there is a picnic shelter which was originally constructed by the CCC’s for the residents of Norris. The shelter is a typical post and round beam shelter with a water fountain and spigot, which has a bowl on the ground for dogs. A large, paved parking area serves the trail and can be used as an access to other watershed trails. You won’t find a more serene trail with handicap access in the area than this one. There are some very nice trees along the trail and it is a very peaceful path. The trail starts from one end of the parking area and ends at the far corner.
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