| DOE
RIVER GORGE |
| |
|
|
|
February
7th, 2009 -
We had a really nice hike
into the Doe River Gorge with our good friends, the McMurrays
and the Mullins families.
We started out the Doe River Gorge
Campground. Please note: This is private property,
so if you wish to hike here you must do it in the campground's
off-season, and you should also call ahead of time, or stop by
their office to approve your visit and sign a release form.
Please respect the property... it's a beautiful place with
historical significance.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Early in the
Hike |
|
The Girls Taking a Break |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Grayson Checking Out
the Steep Cliffs |
|
Icicles Overhanging the
Tracks |
| |
|
Our hike followed
the Doe River on a narrow gauge rail line once known as "The Tweetsie", which ran
from the 1880's until 1950. The line carried iron ore from
Cranberry, North Carolina to Johnson City, Tennessee. To
read more about this railroad's interesting history
click here. |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Taylor and Emily |
|
Campbell and Jake |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Caroline |
|
Hiking Up the Old
Rail-line |
| |
|
|
| We
went through a couple of tunnels and hiked along sheer cliffs
for much of the trek. Once you see the area, you have a
great appreciation of what an amazing engineering feat it was to
carve a rail-line though this rugged area, especially in the
late 1800's. There are numerous and very large retaining
walls, tunnels, man-made gaps with high rock walls, and a large
old trestle. If we would have went further, we would have
seen more of the same on upstream. |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Old Trestle, Taken
From Underneath |
|
The Dilapidated Trestle
from the Top |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Tay and Em Hanging
Out on the Doe River |
|
A Small Waterfall |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Campbell Exploring |
|
Stopping for Lunch |
| |
|
|
|
After 2.5 miles of hiking up the
old railroad, we came to the large trestle that has lost most of
its crossties, making it unsafe to walk across. So, we
stopped for lunch and to rest. Erick and I took a lot of
photos, while the kids explored the area. We soon returned
back down the tracks to our cars. |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Hiking Out |
|
More of the Huge Icicles |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Steep Gorge |
|
Cam and Jake at One of the Tunnels |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Tunnel |
|
The Doe River Valley |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Inside a Tunnel |
|
Group Photo |
| |
|
|
|
The total trek is estimated
at 5.0 miles. This is a great family hike with wonderful views and
history. It's not very strenuous as it follows the railroad grade
the entire trip. I didn't hear a single complaint from the kids,
so it was obviously a success! |
|
|
|
Total Miles
Hiked: 5.0 |
|
|
|
Getting
There:
Driving
-
See here.
Trails
- Once inside the campground, we parked at the main office on the
right. Again, this is private property so stop in the
office, or better yet call ahead of time to make sure it is okay
to hike. The trail (railroad) begins at the pavilion near
the office. You'll simply follow the tracks into the
gorge. After approximately 2.5 miles you'll come to the
large trestle where we turned around.
Hike Rating -
Bill's Overall Rating: 
Distance: 5.0 miles
Difficulty: EASY
Type: OUT & BACK
Vista Rating:
Waterfall Rating:
NONE
Water Crossings: NONE
Scrambling/Climbing:
NONE, MODERATE to DIFFICULT if you leave the trail
Hazards: avoidable
cliffs
Significance:
historical, railroad, structures
Recommendation:
family/beginner, all-levels
Click here for hike rating reference guide.
|
Copyright © 2007
All Right Reserved. All Images, Logos, and Photos are the
property of
HikingBill.com
or
Bill Fuller Photography |
