The Gorgeous 5-Mile Hike In Tennessee's Big South Fork Recreation Area That Will Lead You Past Sandstone Arches
By Meghan Kraft|Published February 15, 2022
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Meghan Kraft
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Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
The state of Tennessee has a wide variety of hiking trails available to the casual adventurer. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is striped with easily trekkable trails that run alongside streams, rivers, and ridges, and you’ll find trails located across the Cumberland Plateau and down in the wetlands of the Mississippi River. Twin Arches Loop Trail is in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, and the popular hiking route makes for a great day trip no matter the time of year.
When you first show up to walk the Twin Arches Loop Trail near Oneida, Tennessee, make sure you take note of the trail markers and rules. The 4.8-mile hike is accessible to both adults and children and is well-maintained by park staff. Be prepared for a solid increase in elevation along the trail, and keep in mind that there are a handful of steep staircases you’ll have to climb to get started on your journey.
The trail is open throughout the year, and here you can see how lush and beautiful it gets during the summer season. You can expect to see plenty of wildlife when the weather is warm, and during the spring season, the trail explodes with wildflowers.
If you look closely at the rocky ridge in this photograph, you’ll see a spattering of icicles along its edge. Some folks like to visit during the chill of the winter when the landscape is nicely chilled and icy. You’ll want to pack accordingly, with more layers and thicker socks perhaps, and make sure you watch your step for ice.
The natural rock formations along the route make Twin Arches Loop a truly stunning experience. The hiking trail gets its name from two natural sandstone arches that are situated next to one another, and they’re referred to as the North and South Arches. The South Arch is the most impressive at 103 feet in height, and the North Arch rises 62 feet in the air.
You’ll find both arches in a deep gorge that was cut out of the rock over thousands of years by the Cumberland River. The surrounding foliage is rich and verdant, sustained by the rich mineral content in the soil, and the area is great for bird watching or budding photographers.
Visitors claim that the Twin Arches Loop Trail takes a bit longer to hike than you may first expect due to the elevation increase, so make sure you bring snacks and water. There are no public restrooms along the route, and hikers recommend traveling the trail counterclockwise for the best experience.
Twin Arches Loop Trail is officially 4.8 miles long, but length can be added depending upon how you choose to hike the trail. Don’t forget your camera, and make sure you stop for lunch between the stunning Twin Arches. The double arches make the largest natural bridge complex in Tennessee and are noted as some of the largest in the world. What a sight to see on a simple hike through the Tennessee wilderness.
Tennessee is a great state for outdoor experiences like hiking and trail running, and Twin Arches Loop Trail is a great option for the most adventurous of families. You can learn more about this hiking trail in particular on AllTrails, and you can find more information on hiking in Tennessee right here.
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