Frozen Head Segment
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CUMBERLAND TRAIL
Frozen Head Segment |
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This 20-mile segment currently has 7 miles open . The Segment begins at Frozen Head State Park and ends at the Obed Wild and Scenic River Nemo Access Site on the Emory River. This segment will offer the first major corridor transition from a primarily ridgeline hiking experience to a primarily watershed gorge experience.
Length: 20 miles; rating: moderate. This segment of the CT
offers the first major transition in the corridor from
primarily ridgeline hiking to a watershed experience, crossing
Bird Mountain and proceeding down into the Emory River Gorge.
Seven miles of this segment will be in Frozen Head State Park.
Location: The southern trailhead of this segment will be
the Nemo Access Site one mile south of the confluence of the
Emory and Obed Rivers. The crossing of the Emory River is
by the old Nemo Bridge, a steel structure being preserved by
the efforts of CTC, Tn State Parks, and Morgan County. The
trailhead area offers parking, restroom facilities, and a
picnic area, with camping just across the bridge at the
Obed Wild and Scenic River's Rock Creek Campground. The
northern trailhead of this segment is at the Bird Mountain
Trailhead located on the north side of the Frozen Head State
Park Big Cove Campground. Adequate paved parking is available
just outside the campground.
Squire Knob, located at Emory Gap near the northeast corner of Frozen
Head State Park, is currently the lone backcountry site for
this segment.
Wartburg provides, in addition to resupply and accommodations,
a National Park Visitor Center offering an interpretive
center, ranger access, water, and parking.
The Bird Mountain Trail begins on the dirt service road at the northern
end of Big Cove Campground. After 1/10 mile, the trail turns left into the
woods and switchbacks 1900' to the crest of Bird Mountain to the Castle
Rock formation. After passing Castle Rock, the trail turns right and
follows the ridgeline for 2.2 miles and then intersects the service
road coming up the mountain.
Hikers can make a short loop back to the trailhead by turning right and following the service road as it decends 3 miles back into Big Cove Campground. To continue the Cumberland Trail, turn left and follow the service road as it ascends 1.5 miles to the junction of Coffins Springs Road. Turn left as the trail continues 7/10 of a mile to Coffin Spring. The natural spring is located at the bottom of the hill to the left of the sign. Currently under construction, the trail will continue to the northeast corner of the park as it follows the park's Old Boundary Trail.
Bird Mountain is noted for the rich diversity of large trees, including
cherry, walnut, oak, sassafras, poplar and beech.
| Location | GPS Waypoint |
|---|---|
| Big Cove Trailhead | N36 08.154 W84 29.930 |
| Bird Mtn Camp | N36 08.966 W84 29.294 |
| Castle Rock | N36 08.730 W84 29.843 |
| Lookout Tower Trail Trailhead | N36 09.273 W84 28.078 |
| Mushroom Rock | N36 08.358 W84 30.850 |
| North Bird Mtn Trail Junction | N36 08.808 W84 30.018 |
| Overlook | N36 08.880 W84 30.135 |
| Park Office | N36 07.515 W84 30.311 |
| Park Office Trailhead | N36 07.522 W84 30.645 |
| Retention Pond | N36 08.290 W84 31.085 |
| Rock Staircase | N36 07.679 W84 30.937 |
A more detailed map of the Cumberland Trail and other trails within Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area can be found on the Frozen Head State Natural Area GIS map. Note that the Smoky Mtn and Frozen Head Segment Vicinity map below is a part of this map.
See slso the Tennessee Division of Natural Areas Frozen Head State Park and Designated State Natural Area map for an enlarged view of the CT near Frozen Head.
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