Cloudland Tour, Day 2 and 3
I had a campsite reservation at Foster Falls Campground in Tennessee's South Cumberland State Park, but I was intrigued enough by Prentice Cooper State Forest to drive past the Foster Falls exit and continue another thirty minutes to the state forest. Primarily a hunting reserve, the state forest has miles of forest roads and ATV trails that looked ideal for mountain biking.
After entering the forest, I skipped the first of two campgrounds, the Hunter's Check Station Campground which didn't look inviting, and continued on to the Davis Pond Campground. It was slow going driving a minivan up narrow, rocky forest roads. When finally I arrived at the Davis Pond Campground, the gates were closed. Crap! I weighed my options: drive back or boondock.
Boondocking is off-grid camping in remote areas without access to amenities like bathrooms, water spigots, or picnic tables. When officially sanctioned, it's called "dispersed camping." When not sanctioned, it's called "pirate camping." I wasn't sure about the rules here at Prentice Cooper. But I was sure, I wasn't driving back to Foster Falls. Except for a few pickup trucks parked along the roadside, the forest seemed empty, and with the Davis Pond Campground closed, no one was coming down this road anytime soon. With plenty of food, water, toilet paper, and a trowel, I was completely self-sufficient in the Family Truckster. I'd be gone in the morning like a ghost on the wind.
I continued driving past the campground as the road transitioned from gravel to a red dirt/clay surface still wet from the morning rain. After a mile or so, I found a pullout and set up camp. Anxious to explore, I unloaded my mountain bike and headed down the road. Conditions weren't great for biking, cloudy with intermittent drizzles. I quickly found out how not great. At the first incline, my 3" wide mountain bike tires spun helplessly in the wet red clay. "Whoa, this is too slick to ride," I thought to myself.
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Forest roads, slick red clay
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I returned to the van, loaded the bike and changed my plans from biking to hiking. Fortunately, Prentice Cooper State Forest offers some excellent hiking too. Less than a mile from my campsite was the Pot Point Trail, which follows the top of the bluffs overlooking the Tennessee River. Before long, I stumbled onto one of the most beautiful overlooks I have ever experienced, Snooper's Rock.
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| The "Tennessee Wall" refers to the impressive bluffs along the river |
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| Snooper's Rock |
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| Tennessee River Gorge |
I usually research my trips thoroughly, so it's rare for me to stumble across a landmark with no foreknowledge. But trip research is a mixed bag. Too much research, and the novelty of sightseeing is diluted. Not enough research and I might wander past some amazing place without realizing it. The best circumstance is to discover that amazing place while exploring. Snooper's Rock was one of those discoveries that came as a complete surprise -- and made it all the more delicious. After a six-mile loop, I returned to camp, made dinner, and watched the sun set over the Tennessee tree line.
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| Mountain spring water, delicious |
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| Self-sufficiency |
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| Sunset while pirate camping in the Prentice Cooper State Forest |
The next morning, I was postponing getting out of my warm sleeping bag by checking the weather forecast. I was alarmed to see that a stormfront fast approaching. I remembered how much trouble my mountain bike had with the slick Tennessee clay. How would a Honda minivan do? I imagined my conversation with the Conservation Police explaining why my minivan was buried axle-deep in Tennessee clay. "Pirate camping? Me?" I hurriedly packed up camp before the rain started to fall.
Thankfully, the rain held off until I was safely back on the gravel roads. I drove to Snooper's Rock for breakfast and some more photos.
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| Breakfast at Snooper's Rock |
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| Tennessee Gorge Lean |
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Sign said: "Do Not Mow, Wildlife Forage"
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Along the road I noted clearings with signs posted: "Do Not Mow, Wildlife Forage." Additional evidence of the focus on hunting. But the sign also served as an inspiration. You see, my daughter Lauren was getting married Memorial Day weekend and I was contemplating my Father of the Bride speech. I was thinking about a performing an original guitar song, but I hadn't come up with a suitable theme. I had drafted some ideas about Jeff and Lauren. How they were a good match as they were both outdoor enthusiasts and shared offbeat and extreme pursuits. But I needed a hook for the song. The sign struck me as ironic as most signs say, "Please Don't Feed the Wildlife." And then -- boom -- I had my song hook, "Please Feed the Wildlife."
By the time I was back to the highway, the storm front had passed. I turned off the highway on to a side road that followed the river's edge, River Canyon Road. It had potential as scenic bike route. I parked at the Pot Point Trailhead.
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| Fog on the river after the rain |
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| Quiet, paved, rolling and scenic |
And it proved to be a lovely ride -- paved, rolling with light traffic and awesome views.
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| Snack time at the turnaround |
On the way back, I stopped for lunch at some picnic tables next to a community church. Moments later a woman came riding by on an ATV with a border collie running along side. The dog looked to be quite energetic. The woman, not so much. As soon as the dog saw me, it changed direction and headed right over.
I greeted the dog, who proved to be friendly, and then the woman, who apologized, explaining the it was her grand babies' dog and the only way she could keep up was with an ATV. After a few pleasantries, I explained I was riding in all 50 states and I would be in Georgia by nightfall. She eyed me suspiciously, and asked where I had camped last night. "In the state forest," I replied. She seemed satisfied by my answer and soon drove off with the dog happily in pursuit. I realized that I might have given her the impression that I was travelling with just a bike and a small backpack, which perhaps made me seem like a borderline vagrant.
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| Walking the dog with an ATV |
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| I had never heard of Snooper's Rock, but apparently these folks from Ireland had |
If you are near Chattanooga, it's only twenty minutes from downtown to the Pot Point Trailhead on River Canyon Road which, with some serious climbing, will take you to Snooper's Rock -- well worth some extra driving.
Next stop Cloudland Canyon State Park.
| State: |
Tennessee |
| Date: |
2022-04-11 |
| Route: |
Prentice Cooper State Forest, Pot Point Nature Trail to Mullens Creek |
| Distance: |
25 miles |
