The Big South Fork NRRA , TN

Ahhh, Tennessee has some beautiful scenery!  Hills and elevation are back in the picture for us.  Hiking trails everywhere!!

We spent a week in Heiskell, visited the nearby museum/home of the Manhattan Project and then went hiking!!

Manhattan Project National Historical Park

arial of the "Secret City" site of the Manhattan Project

Beginning to see more wineries!! Had to take home a bottle from
the Blueslip Winery






We were close to Knoxville and found at least one good
brewery there

Just west of the Appalachian Mountains,  the Big South Fork River begins in Tennessee, flows through a 600 foot deep gorge, then enters Kentucky to empty into the Cumberland River.  We did a couple of very nice hikes there and left a lot to explore in the future!

nice little falls on the roadside

Our first hike took us down to the
Twin Arches.  These are the
largest sandstone arches east of
the Mississippi. Several slippery
ladders to navigate but well
worth the beauty!!

view from top of the north arch

walking across the top of the south arch

lots of deteriorated tree stumps covered in their own miniature world of lichen, fungus and tiny plants, just beautiful

mountain laurel

 A trail along part of the Cumberland Plateau took us to this awesome overlook of the Big South Fork