Honey Creek Loop Trail - Member Hike
| Hike Name: | Honey Creek Loop Trail |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | Tennessee |
| Nearby Town: | Oneida |
| Rating: |  |
| Directions: | West bound 1-40 exit the Jamestown-Crossville Exit onto U.S. 127. Take U.S. 127 north 36 miles into Jamestown. Two miles north of Jamestown, take Highway 154 north to the intersection of Highway 297. Follow 297 east approximately 12 miles to the Big South Fork Visitor Center and Campground. East bound 1-40 exit either the Monterey-Livingston Exit (300-A) or the Jamestown Crossville Exit (301), onto State Highway 62. Take Highway 62 east for 16 miles to U.S. 127 to Clarkrange, turn left and follow U.S. 127 north 18 miles into Jamestown. Travelers may take 127 through Jamestown or use the new Hwy 127 by-pass. Two miles north of Jamestown take Highway 154 north to the intersection of Highway 297. Follow 297 east approximately 12 miles to the Big South Fork Visitor Center and Campground. North bound 1-75 exit at Highway 63, the Oneida-Huntsville Exit (141). Follow Highway 63 west for 21 miles through Huntsville to U.S. 27. Turn right on U.S. 27 and drive north 7 miles to Oneida. At the first traffic light, turn left on Highway 297 west and follow 297 approximately 15 miles to reach the Bandy Creek Visitor Center and Campground. To reach the Stearns Depot Visitor Center in Kentucky, continue north on U.S. 27 through Oneida to KY 92W. Turn left at the traffic light and drive for 1 mile, after crossing the bridge turn right and follow the signs to the Stearns Depot Visitor Center. To reach Blue Heron Campground, turn off U.S. 27 and drive west on KY 92W, travel for approx. 1.3 miles, then bear left onto highway 1651. Travel about a one mile then turn right onto KY 742. From 742 follow the brown park signs to the Blue Heron Campground, Bear Creek Horse Camp, the river gorge overlooks, or the Blue Heron Coal Mining Community. South bound 1-75 exit Highway 461 at Mt. Vernon (Exit 62) and take 461 south for 19 miles to Highway 80 and take Highway 80 west into Somerset, Kentucky to the Highway 914 by-pass. Follow 914 for 6 miles to U.S. 27. Follow 27 south approximately 25 miles to KY 92W for the Stearns Depot Visitor Center. To reach Bandy Creek, continue on Highway 27 about 15 miles into Oneida, Tennessee. In Oneida, take 297 west and follow signs to the Bandy Creek Visitor Center(approximately 15 miles from Oneida). Please Note: When driving HWY 297 through the Big South Fork River gorge, you will encounter steep grades (up to 13%) and sharp hair-pin curves. Drive slowly, use a low gear and check turns before you enter them. Similar steep road conditions also exist when driving into Blue Heron on Hwy 741. |
| Total Hike Distance: | 5.50 miles |
| Hike Difficulty: | Difficult |
| Permit Required: | Yes |
| Hike Type: | One-Way, Shuttle Hike |
| Hike Starts: | Honey Creek Parking Area |
| Hike Ends: | Honey Creek Parking Area |
| Trails Used: | Honey Creek Loop Trail 5.5, Indian Rock House Loop .6, Inner Loop .6, Alternate Trail .8, With these additional trails you get almost 7 miles of trail in the area. |
| Backcountry Campsites: | No |
| Backcountry Water Sources: | Streams, Springs |
| Management: | None |
| Contact Information: | Big South Fork NRRA 4564 Leatherwood Road Oneida, Tennessee 37841 E-mail Us Phone Visitor Information (423) 286-7275 Resource Protection Hotline (423) 569-2404 ext. 505 Fax (423) 569-5505 http://www.nps.gov/biso/ |
| Best Season: | Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall |
| Users: | Hikers |
| Road Conditions: | Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads |
| Hike Summary: | The Honey Creek Loop is the most challenging trail in Big South Fork. Along with the challenge come rewards for the hiker with the time and stamina to undertake the trip. The trail is 5.5 miles in length but requires extra time. Even experienced hikers should allow a minimum of 5 hours to complete this strenuous hike. Hazards include steep narrow trail sections, numerous creek crossings, slick boulders and confusing trail junctions. This hike is not recommended immediately following heavy rainfall or after severe freezing weather. More information: http://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/tntrails.htm This sounds like a great hike to me and with some of the pictures I'll be going here in June on a solo hike. Caution!!!! The Honey Creek Loop Trail contains some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The entire loop trail system is only 5.6 miles in length, travel time is slow and the going is very difficult. Long steep stairs are located along the Honey Creek Loop Trail. HCLT requires hiker to cross-creeks and at times to travel in the creek bed itself. Travel through boulder fields may require using your hands and knees to climb over and among boulders. Trail tread in these sections is often uneven, wet and slipper. Extreme care should be taken when hiking in these area. It is recommended that you do not take young children and pets on this trail. To be safe and enjoy the scenery, allow a minimum 1 hr hiking time per mile. This was provided by the NPS. |
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