Virgin Falls

[Owen McMurrey]

Virgin Falls State Natural Area, TN

Virgin Falls originates from a cave, flows maybe 50yds, drops off a 120' cliff, and disappears into a "sink" below.
Before you see the falls, you see the spray from them(which I couldn't really capture).

Wednesday afternoon at 15F.

Thursday morning, after an overnight low of 4F.

My P&S camera needs shade for a longer shutter speed.

From the top of the falls:

Pic from last May:

[Brad Rogers]

Nice pics. My first backpacking trip was to virgin falls. I have never been there in winter.

[Owen McMurrey]

I go up there a couple of times per year. The first time or two, the hike in seemed magical, and I've kept it new with side hikes on the Overlook Trail to Martha's Pretty Point, camping by the river, at the top of Virgin Falls, and at the TH-dayhiking in the rain and rappeling the falls, and this time going when it was cold enough to hope a portion would freeze. I've seen a map of the big one Virgin Falls comes from, and may check out the caves in the future.
Would also like to go when it's warm and the river is low enough to ford, and include it in a loop with the trails in Scott's Gulf. Unfortunately, that doesn't coincide with good flow at all the area's waterfalls, which are what constantly draw me to the Cumberland Plateau throughout winter and spring.

[Ryan Smith]

I will see your 4F, and raise you a polar vortex. We went last January after about a week of near 0F temps and the falls were absolutely amazing. It's a special place.

Edit – Dang sideways iPhone pics.

Ryan

[Owen McMurrey]

That's awesome. I got off to a late start after fixing a busted pipe in my basement, and ended up at Walls of Jericho the first time around.
Round 2 of the polar vortex was forecast early enough that I took some extra time off, and went up to Savage Gulf for 3 days.
:p

There's some polar vortex pics in here:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?bo=watch&forum_thread_id=87112

[Ryan Smith]

Nice pics! Savage Gulf is a great area that doesn't see a ton of visitation. I've only been there once back in college I think. Have you done much hiking more towards Knoxville? Big South Fork, Frozen Head, Smokies, etc?

Ryan

[Owen McMurrey]

I love Big South Fork. Was up there last month, and the only person I saw was the owner of Charit Creek Lodge. Haven't checked out Frozen Head, yet, but soon.
There's a new area opening up right below Pickett State Park called Pogue Creek Canyon SNA that is supposed to have tons of arches. They've still got a lot of work to do on it, though.
Working night shift and having off days during the week gives me most of the places in TN completely to myself in winter. I've yet to meet another person on the trail in 4 trips to BSF, and rarely at Savage Gulf.
The Smokies are a little too far, and way too crowded, but I dayhike when the family goes up there to Gatlinburg every year. I like that hike to Ramsey Cascades a lot.

Have you hiked Lick Creek Falls on the KY side of BSF? Have to hike in on the Sheltowee Trace, or come down the Negro Creek trail from the Yahoo Falls area.
Having just come back from UT, the patterns in the last two undercut cliffs at the end of the hike reminded me of "Wall Street" in the Zion Narrows. Took my breath away when I saw it.

[Ben C]

Thanks for sharing the photos. Let us know if you hear anything else about the Pogue Creek area. I have heard nothing about this yet.

[Owen McMurrey]

Ben, I'm in Alabama, and rarely get up there, so will be a poor source for updates.
Pickett State Park's # is 1-877-260-0010 or 931-879-5821 and the rangers should be up to date on the progress there.
There's a cleared area with a small parking lot(TH?) and kiosk that were new since last year, but they have a lot of work to do to allow access. The ranger I talked to mentioned cliffs that normally required a rappel, so I'm assuming steps or ladders like at Honey Creek.

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