Posted in Tennessee
Nature
April 05, 2022
If you’re looking for a scary hike in Tennessee, you have to hike through Big Ridge State Park. Located approximately 15 miles from Norris Lake State Park, Big Ridge spans just under 4,000 acres and is nestled in the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Range. The park may be one of the smallest in Tennessee, but it also has a great history thanks to the Indian Rock and Big Ridge trails. Walk through them both and you’ll have the chance to discover some thrilling local history.
In these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list at a later date.
You’ll find the Indian Rock and Big Ridge trails in Maynardville, Tennessee, a small town nestled on the edge of Norris and Big Ridge lakes. Located north of Knoxville, you can expect great weather and East Tennessee scenery. The trails can be hiked together or separately, but if you connect the two you can walk through an abandoned cemetery and witness a historic murder site.
Expect to gain about 1,300 feet in elevation and be prepared for muddy conditions if there has been recent rain. Loop trails are maintained, but the rural reality of the location means stretches of mud and rocks are likely. Hikers are welcome year round, so be sure to prepare for the weather and conditions.
There is, however, a dark history at Indian Rock Trail. The area was once the site of a deadly ambush, and there is a plaque that honors the pioneer settler who was killed. Peter Graves lost his life between these two rocks.
When you start the Indian Rock loop you can choose to go left which will take you up Big Ridge to Lake Norris or you can turn right and follow the ridge to Indian Rock and eventually the Langley Cemetery.
If you connect Indian Rock Trail to Big Valley Trail, an easy add-on, you’ll also have the chance to visit Langley Cemetery. Nestled in the woods, you will see the graves of the area’s first settlers.
Langley Cemetery was opened in September 1926 when Edward P. Loy was buried. Although it is a strange thing to see a cemetery tucked away from the main path, this particular cemetery is considered young in relation to the history of the state.
Big Ridge State Park has over 15 miles of hiking trails that take you through the rural beauty of the area. Free trail maps are available for anyone visiting the park office, and you can also inquire after a night of camping if the day’s fun just isn’t enough.
Have you hiked Big Ridge State Park? Are you going on a historical hike soon?
What a wild place to hike! Did you know that Big Ridge State Park has such an interesting history? You can learn more about the state park and its spooky hiking trails on its Official Tennessee State Parks Page.
Address: Big Ridge State Park, 1015 Big Ridge Park Rd, Maynardville, TN 37807, USA
