{"id":336,"date":"2018-10-11T19:27:53","date_gmt":"2018-10-11T19:27:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/?p=336"},"modified":"2018-10-22T02:41:36","modified_gmt":"2018-10-22T02:41:36","slug":"savaged-by-savage-gulf-pt-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/2018\/10\/11\/savaged-by-savage-gulf-pt-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Savaged by Savage Gulf Pt. 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Heat, humidity, mosquitos, rock scrambles….Savage Gulf threw everything it had at me.\u00a0 So who prevailed?<\/p>\n

Tennessee’s Savage Gulf State Natural Area is part of South Cumberland State Park.\u00a0 Located near the tiny towns of Altamont and Beersheba Springs, it has long been one of my favorite places.\u00a0 I’ve done several solo hikes there over the years, and have taken the family twice when the kids were young as well.\u00a0 But I’d never done some of the more formidable sections.\u00a0 It’s a great place for short family trips, as all of the campsites have privies, and two of the camps are only 2-3 miles in from one of the two ranger stations.\u00a0 However, on the one solo trip where I ventured down into the gorge, the combination of a partially-torn MCL and 8 degree weather had a ranger advise me to limp out early.<\/p>\n

Savage Gulf is actually named after the Savage family, who once owned part of the 15,000 acres that are now protected.\u00a0 Nearly a third of the 2,300 plants native to Tennessee are found here, as well as 500 acres of old growth forest.\u00a0 Each of the three gorges (Big Creek, Collins and Savage Gulfs) come together like a giant crow’s foot.\u00a0 There are many notable waterfalls, some of which are terminal (i.e. flow right into the ground below).\u00a0 The creeks\/small rivers in each gorge also typically end up underground at some point except during wet weather events.\u00a0 Such is the limestone geology of the South Cumberlands.<\/p>\n

I started early Sunday morning from the Savage Falls Ranger Station, having already made my backcountry campsite reservations online (this is required, and there is a small nightly fee).\u00a0 The first mile in is part of the Savage Day Loop, and early on you see that they’ve put in some work making these trails.<\/p>\n

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Bridges like this are much more important later<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After a mile or so, the Day Loop junctions with the South Rim Trail, which follows the southern (or left) side of Savage Creek.\u00a0 In less than a mile you come to the portion of the creek above the falls, which has some very attractive cascades.<\/p>\n

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Terraced cascades of Savage Creek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Apparently this was a nice location for moonshine stills, and a sign notes the past presence of one.\u00a0 Other than the sign itself, I saw no evidence of a bootlegger’s prior presence, however.<\/p>\n

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A little further on, a short side trail leads down stairs to the plunge pool below 30 foot Savage Falls, which looks like a nice place to take a cool dip in the summer.<\/p>\n

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Savage Falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Opposite of this side trail is the spur to the Savage Falls Camp Area.\u00a0 I continued on down the South Rim Trail.\u00a0 The abundant moisture in the area near the river proved to be a great environment for a variety of interesting mushrooms and fungi.<\/p>\n

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Funky fungi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After crossing Laurel Branch on a metal footbridge you come in rapid succession to 3 nice overlooks on blue-blazed side trails.\u00a0 Then, after crossing Rhododendron Branch on another bridge are 4 more overlooks.\u00a0 I lost track of what pictures came from which overlook, although reputedly the best views are from Laurel Bluff Overlook at Mile 5.2.\u00a0 The overlooks were great for catching a breeze, watching buzzards, and the vast views of the interesting topography.<\/p>\n

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Shortly after the last of these (Lichen Rock Overlook) I came to the Stage Road Camp Area, which seemed like a good place to stop for lunch.\u00a0 I whipped out my stove and made some TrailFork Loaded Veggie Hummus, which I had with pita chips, and then cameled up at a nearby stream.\u00a0 It was here that the ravenous mosquito hordes first took note of my presence.<\/p>\n

I then crossed over so-called Peak Mountain and hit the junction for the Collins Gulf Trail, starting down the eastern side.\u00a0 I passed by a couple more modest overlooks and then some interesting rocky areas covered by reindeer moss.<\/p>\n

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Comet’s snack bar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Strangely enough, I then ran into one of my favorite forest creatures right near the rim.<\/p>\n

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Yertle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I also passed a few of these interesting shrubs with bright red berries.<\/p>\n

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The trail started getting more rugged as I neared the (now-closed) Collins East Camp Area, where I spent one of the coldest nights of my life with a sprained MCL a few years ago.\u00a0 The trail then began a steep and sometimes rocky and slippery descent to the Collins River, which thankfully had a bridge.<\/p>\n

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Collins River boulder farm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Take the water away, and that’s what the next couple of mile of trail looked like.\u00a0 I was quickly regretting biting off such a high-mileage day.\u00a0 The endless rock-hopping took a toll on my tender feet.\u00a0 Finally, a steep uphill climb ending with 40 stone steps brought me to the Collins West Camp Area just 30 minutes before dark.\u00a0 I quickly pitched my tent and made some Good To-Go Gumbo for dinner, which was right tasty.\u00a0 Even though this campground has road access from less than a mile away, I had it to myself for the night.\u00a0 However, I was so beat that not even a rowdy Boy Scout troop would’ve kept me from crashing.\u00a0 Day 1 (counting spurs) 13.6 miles.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I awoke the next morning feeling less than stellar.\u00a0 The unseasonably warm weather and oppressive humidity combined with overdoing it the previous day had me feeling off.\u00a0 My appetite is never great the first day or two into a hike, and it’s often a struggle to get enough calories into my body to keep me from bonking, particularly on the second day of hikes.\u00a0 You’d think I would’ve learned from past experience, but no, that would be too sensible.\u00a0 Already in calorie deficit, I could only force down 300 calories of breakfast bars before I took off.\u00a0 That was a mistake that paid me back all day long.<\/p>\n

After descending back down the stone steps to rejoin the Collins Gulf Trail, I descended yet further on slippery rocks to approach Suter Falls.\u00a0 The trail approaches beneath a semicircular rock overhang\u00a0 that was somewhat steep and treacherous.<\/p>\n

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Suter Falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The bridge over the creek below the falls wobbled like Galloping Gertie and challenged my vestibular system, which didn’t do much for my appetite either.\u00a0 The prominent mist generated by the falls also somehow managed to mess up my phone intermittently for the rest of the day, which was really disappointing, because there were still three more gorgeous waterfalls ahead.<\/p>\n

The first of these was Horsepound Falls after about 2 miles.\u00a0 It was flowing nicely, albeit less than in this photo I mooched off the internet.<\/p>\n

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Horsepound Falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I’d love to know the origin of the name.\u00a0 I find it hard to believe that anyone could get horses back in there to impound them.<\/p>\n

After another mile or so I crossed back over the now dry Collins River on another bridge.\u00a0 Supposedly during high water, this is not possible.\u00a0 Scary to imagine water rushing OVER the bridge.<\/p>\n

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Bridge over Collins River, a rare Day 2 moment when my camera functioned<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At almost 4 miles I hit the junction with the infamous Connector Trail, the rockiest trail of them all.\u00a0 It seemed to alternate stretches of following an old logging road with inexplicable diversions through rock hopping hell.\u00a0 Before long I came to the spur trail to the old Cator (Decatur) Savage Cabin, and figured it was time for a rest.\u00a0 There was a nice older couple already there, and they had in their possession some aerial photos of the area from 1939 in which you could clearly see the cabin.\u00a0 They left, and I took a 30 minute siesta on the porch, which ended suddenly when a wasp nest fell from the ceiling onto my belly.\u00a0 Thankfully it was old and inactive, but the adrenaline jolt got me going back up the trail quickly.<\/p>\n

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Cator Savage Cabin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I wasn’t making good time thanks to my general bonkiness, taking frequent short breaks, and soon it became apparent that A) I didn’t have time to stop and cook lunch, and B) I was going to have to sacrifice one of the upcoming 2 waterfalls.\u00a0 I chose to forego Greeter Falls, having seen it before.\u00a0 After crossings of the dry Big and Laurel Creeks, I finally reached the junction with the Big Creek Gulf Trail, roughly the halfway point for the day….and it was well past noon already.<\/p>\n

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Big Creek Gulf Trail junction<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I tried to force some snack calories into my balky stomach, but it didn’t want any.\u00a0 Even the old reliable Snickers was unable to satisfy.<\/p>\n

I finally reached the 0.4 mile spur to Ranger Falls.\u00a0 My smartphone managed to eke out one extremely blurry photo after repeated attempts.\u00a0 I wasn’t thrilled about hiking nearly a mile round-trip to see this and not get a good pic, especially since I was pressed for time.\u00a0 It’s a really pretty waterfall though, and I’m glad I visited.\u00a0 Sadly, I present yet another image from the web instead of my own.<\/p>\n

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Ranger Falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shortly after returning from Ranger Falls, I took a quick side trail to the Big Creek Sinks, where Big Creek swirls into a sort of cave and vanishes into the earth.\u00a0 At over 11 miles into the day, bonking like crazy and really pressed for time, I didn’t have the opportunity to return to Greeter Falls.\u00a0 It is possibly the most spectacular of all the waterfalls in Savage Gulf, and it’s accessible from a nearby road for a nice day hike.\u00a0 If you come in by road, you descend an impressive metal staircase to get to the viewpoint.<\/p>\n

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Greeter staircase<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Greeter Falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the fading light, I made the climb up out of the gulf to the Alum Gap Camp Area at the end of the Big Creek Rim Trail.\u00a0 Along the way, I stopped at Alum Branch and filtered water for my 2 SmartWater bottles and filled my 3L HydroPak.\u00a0 I finally reached the campsite just before sundown, pitched my tent, and cooked up some Good To-Go Pad Thai, which happened to be so good that my recalcitrant stomach finally decided to enjoy food.\u00a0 I fell asleep with a quickness, only to be jolted awake at 10PM by some late-arriving and noisy hikers.\u00a0 BTW it’s illegal to hike after dark in Savage Gulf.\u00a0 Day 2:\u00a0 11.9 miles<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Heat, humidity, mosquitos, rock scrambles….Savage Gulf threw everything it had at me.\u00a0 So who prevailed? Tennessee’s Savage Gulf State Natural Area is part of South Cumberland State Park.\u00a0 Located near the tiny towns of Altamont and Beersheba Springs, it has long been one of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":337,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-section-hike"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fivestarhikes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/day1overlookc.jpg?fit=1562%2C879&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=336"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":452,"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336\/revisions\/452"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivestarhikes.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}