The Fiery Gizzard Trail - Strenuous 13-mile Hike

Meeting Time: 7:00 AM
Meeting Place: Hickory Hollow Target
Estimated Drive Time: 1.5-2 hours (plus a car shuttle)
Hike Distance: 13.5 miles
Estimated Hike Time: 7 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Leashed dogs welcome
250 Hiking Rewards points

The Fiery Gizzard trail is a perennial favorite of the Nashville Hiking Meetup. This beautiful trail contains the best features of Tennessee hiking: a rocky gorge, rapids and waterfalls, and a gorgeous high-cliff lookout with expansive views of a forested gorge. The scenery cannot be beat on this one, and it always earns rave reviews from hikers.

This is a strenuous 13.5-mile through hike that requires a shuttle. We arrive at the trailhead at 8:45, drop all hikers and shuttle all the vehilces to the Foster Falls trailhead. We should be on the trail by 9:30, and we will lose light about 5:30, [b]so we must maintain a decent pace[/b]. Hikers can choose whether to take the Dog Hole trail to Raven's Point (easier), or proceed in the gorge (harder, slower, but more scenic). We will have another choice of "gorge or rim" at the Foster Falls end. We can split into two groups at either end so that everyone can do as they wish (and as time allows). The whole group will have lunch together at Raven's Point, and hike the long, flat, middle section together.

Please be prepared for this long hike with plenty of water ([b]at least two liters per person[/b]), layered clothing appropriate for the weather, heavy snacks and lunch. Also, due to the terrain, ankle-high boots are strongly recommended.

Directions: Take I-24 East about 75 miles from Nashville and exit at Exit 134 (Monteagle) Turn right off of exit ramp and pass back over the interstate Go about 1.2 miles and turn left onto Hwy 41 (be sure you've gone at least a mile before turning - there is another Hwy 41 just after the interstate, and that goes in the wrong direction) Drive about 4.5 miles into Tracy City and turn right onto 3rd Street (you'll see a sign for Fiery Gizzard). This turn is next to the Electric Office Building. (If you get to the traffic lights in Tracy City, you've gone too far.) After the turn on 3rd Street, the road winds about a mile to the trailhead - there are a couple of turns so drive slowly and watch carefully for "Fiery Gizzard" signs. Directions to Foster Falls shuttle: Return to Hwy 41 the way you came, turn right and proceed into Tracy City. Turn right on Altamont Street (Hwy 150). Drive about 7 miles and turn right at Foster Falls Road. Follow the road to the trailhead (about one mile). Park, and return to Fiery Gizzard. It will take about 45 minutes to set up this shuttle. More directions and further instructions will be sent in an email to participants about two days before hike.