There are HUGE boulders along the creeks in the wilderness area, some are nearly as large as a small house!
There is a large rock house along the beginning of the trail. It is a shame that some people can't seem to resist leaving their mark on the rocks!
An abandoned coal mine along the trail. Laurel-Snow is another of the Bowater Pocket Wilderness Areas. It is located in Dayton, TN off Hwy. 27. Turn west on Walnut Grove Rd. (pass the Lazy Boy Chair Factory) 0.7 mile to Back Valley Rd. The Pocket Wilderness Road is just across the road from the small Old Time Holiness Church. At the end of the gravel road is the parking area. Be sure to enjoy this old coal mine from the outside, mines can be dangerous due to possible cave-ins, and toxic gases. map...
Note the white trail blaze, this really is part of the trail. The view from the top is worth the difficult climb.
A few years ago the state had a television ad campaign called "Tennessee Trash." Seeing this awful sight as we drove to the parking area brought back thoughts of that ad. It looked as though someone had dumped their whole living room on the side of the road! There are 2 couches, an easy chair, a smashed TV and lots of other kinds of household trash in this picture. We have seen an old stove, a refrigerator, mattresses, a toilet, and even a discarded computer along this road. What a shame it is that these people have no more respect for such a beautiful area than this!
This 50' bridge takes you over Laurel Creek.
Another lovely Cascade in the creek.
Kenny negotiates the muddy part of the trail. Small waterfalls drench this area of the trail below the rock wall during the rainy seasons. It would be really tricky when the mud turns to ice in sub-freezing weather.
The upper end of "Fat-Man's Squeeze" The trail is rated difficult for good reason! Watch your head when you go under this rock! (Summer 2003)
Laurel Falls - January 2005
The beginning of the trail follows the an old small-gauge railroad track. In the early 1900's this area was developed as the Dayton Coal and Iron Company. Coal was "coked", heated in low-oxygen ovens to make coke (no, not the kind you drink!) which was used in making iron. This part of the trail follows the Richland Creek. On the cold January 2005 day we hiked the trail, the water was high and made some beautiful cascades.
This burned stump shows that the area has endured many forest fires. Fast burning ground-level fires can actually help some forest ecosystems, but they should only be set by trained land managers. Unfortunately, in some parts of the state, setting forest fires is annual fall pastime by folks who are not interested in controlled burns!
A beautiful set of cascades along Laurel Creek. The cascade in the upper left of the picture trickles over a shale embankment.
Kenny picks his way over the rocks on the trail. Many trails in the area pass through boulder fields. Be sure and watch for the white trail blazes painted on the trees!
Despite the sign, the trail goes on up to the top of the cliff. This is the 70-foot Laurel Falls. Snow Falls is on another trail. (Summer 2003)
Laurel Falls is a beautiful waterfall that plunges 70 feet from the Cumberland Plateau. It is about 2.5 miles to the falls from the parking lot.
Charlie and Kenny inspect this cast iron pipe that once brought water to the town of Dayton. It can be seen in a few areas along the trail. Farther up the creek a reservoir can be seen behind an impound dam.
There are still signs of the coke-making era in the parking lot and even in the creek. This water-rounded cinder was found in the creek.
A group of beautiful cascades in Richland Creek.
"Fat-Man's Squeeze" on the trail at Laurel-Snow Pocket wilderness. (Summer 2003)
The trail beyond the falls to the top of the cliff requires quite a scramble up the rocks.
This swimming hole is quite popular on hot summer days. Swimming should be done with care in mountain streams such as this due to unseen hazards.
We were amazed to see how the roots of this tree were growing in the cracks between the stones in the rock wall. I wonder how long the tree will hold on or the rock wall will be able to support it? Much of the lower end of the trail is bordered by this wall. Look for lots of violets, Cranefly orchids, Fire Pink, and wild Hydrangia along this part of the trail.