On Saturday we had originally planned to go on a group hike on the Fiery Gizzard Trail, but it was cancelled at the last minutes. So instead, Jack and Daniel went with friends to ride dirt bikes on a dirt track they recently discovered in Hixson.
After they got home we decided it was such a nice day we should still try to go on that hike, even if we wouldn't be going with a group.
Daniel and I hiked a part of the Fiery Gizzard Trail years ago when we lived in Cookeville, but had not been to this section.
The goal was to tackle the Grundy Day Loop from the Fiery Gizzard trailhead. Fiery Gizzard is a strenuous 12 mile hike that goes all the way to Foster Falls.
Grundy Day Loop is a 2 mile circuit that starts on the Fiery Gizzard and loops back to the parking lot passing Blue Hole Falls and Hanes Hole Falls along the way.
The trail follows both Fiery Gizzard Creek and Little Gizzard Creek for most of the route with waterfalls, cascades, and swimming holes as you hike.
The trail follows both Fiery Gizzard Creek and Little Gizzard Creek for most of the route with waterfalls, cascades, and swimming holes as you hike.
We had planned to get in the creek as we walked but quickly realized that after all of the recent rain, this was a bad idea.
The trail was incredibly muddy, which Isaac adamantly protested. He kept begging for tennis shoes (we had him in crocs since we thought he would get wet).
As for the creek, it was swollen and raging and not something we wanted the kids to get in.
Parts of the trail felt like they dropped steeply on one side down to the engorged creek. It was a bit nerve wracking with Isaac walking on his own. But he did it!
We went as far as Blue Hole Falls and after a snack decided it was time for us to head back.
We
were walking at a crawling pace (with kids you have to stop to explore
often), and it didn't seem like we could realistically finish the loop
before dark.
Isaac whined quiet a bit (mostly about muddy feet), but he finished the hike on his own. It isn't the longest hike he has completed but it probably was the most treacherous – lots of mud, roots, and rocks to scramble over.
We had a fun day overall, and I would like to come back and do the entire loop when the creek isn't so full and we could actually swim.
After we got off the trail and cleaned up as best as we could, we drove over to Monteagle to eat lunch at the Mountain Goat Market – a delicatessen and pizzaria with a coffee bar.
We had a fun day overall, and I would like to come back and do the entire loop when the creek isn't so full and we could actually swim.
After we got off the trail and cleaned up as best as we could, we drove over to Monteagle to eat lunch at the Mountain Goat Market – a delicatessen and pizzaria with a coffee bar.
It was AMAZING. If you are passing through Monteagle, you should definitely stop here, at least for a coffee!