Panther Cave - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Panther Cave
Country:	United States
State:	Tennessee
Nearby Town:	Etowah
Rating:
Directions:	From Etowah, take Hwy 411 South to Gee Creek Recreation Area (left side of the road towards the mountains). Stop in at the Ranger station and get a map for the area. The Northern Mountain Range is Starr Mtn, about 20 miles long. Looking at the mountain from the South you will see a cliff of white rocks, this is White Cliff. Go up there and find Panther Cave.
Total Hike Distance:	12.00 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Difficult
Permit Required:	No
Hike Type:	In & Out, Backtrack Hike
Hike Starts/Ends:	Gee Creek
Trails Used:	Starr Mountain
Backcountry Campsites:	Yes
Backcountry Water Sources:	Streams, Rivers, Springs, Snow
Management:	National Park Service
Contact Information:	Send postal mail to: USDA Forest Service Supervisor's Office 2800 Ocoee Street N Cleveland, TN 37312-5374 Phone: (423) 476-9700 Email: mailroom_r8_cherokee @fs.fed.us Ranger Districts Ocoee / Hiwassee Ranger District 3171 Highway 64 Benton, TN 37370 (423) 338-3300 Tellico / Hiwassee Ranger District 250 Ranger Station Road Tellico Plains, TN 37385 (423) 253-8400 Nolichucky / Unaka Ranger District 4900 Asheville HWY SR70 Greeneville, TN 37743 (423) 638-4109 Watauga Ranger District 4400 Unicoi Drive Unicoi, TN 37692 (423) 735-1500
Best Season:	Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Users:	Hikers, Bikers, Horses
Road Conditions:
Hike Summary:	Starr Mountain, the 20 mile long mountain, a few miles East of resent day Etowah, was once the home of Caleb Starr, his family, his guinea slaves, and the Cherokees. Starr Mountain rises 1400 feet above the Conasauga Vally ("Corn Valley" in Cherokee) and at the widest point is four to five miles across. This mountain is also well known for being the area were Mason Kershaw Evans "The Wildman of the Chilhowie" roamed after the girl he was going to marry turned against him for money. The story as, told by R Frank McKinney in Torment in the Knobs, goes that Mason lived up on Starr's Mtn in a place called Panther Cave. He visited many of the local homes and businesses for food. The man slept in ditches and shallow holes and covered himself with leaves in the winter to stay warm. Allegedly he ate raw chickens and would steal food from the locals all the time. He eventually died of exposure at the age of 68. You must read more about this guy.