Hiking the Big South Fork

By Brenda G. Deaver and Brenda D. Coleman

Book Overview

Now in its third edition, Hiking the Big South Fork is packed with up-to-date information on the trails of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in Tennessee and Kentucky. The book combines numerous details about the natural history of the area with fascinating tidbits of folklore and legend to provide an interpretive guide to the trails. The authors have walked, measured, and rated every hiking trail, and, for this edition, they include information about trails in the adjoining Pickett State Park and Forest.

The book features detailed maps; checklists of mammals, birds, and wildflowers; and valuable advice on safety, park rules and regulations, and accommodations. The trail descriptions include difficulty ratings, distance and time information, notes on accommodations and special considerations, and detailed mileage indicators to keep hikers informed of their progress and to clarify points of confusion. Also included is a handy chart designed for backpackers who wish to combine trails for longer excursions.

Strollers, hikers, and backpackers looking for a less-crowded alternative to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will enjoy discovering this beautiful, rugged National Park service area. Only a ninety-minute drive northwest of Knoxville, the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is easily reached in half a day or less from Louisville, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta.

The Authors: Brenda G. Deaver is a park ranger at the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Jo Anna Smith, a former ranger-historian with the National Park Service, now lives in Idaho with her husband, Steve. Howard Ray Duncan, a native of the Big South Fork area, has spent many years exploring the region. A former school teacher and principal, he has been a ranger at Big South Fork since 1985.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1572330317
• ISBN13: 9781572330313
• Release Date: March 1999
• Publisher: University of Tennessee Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.6" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A great trail guide to the BSF NRRA

This is an excellent, well-written trail guide. It's organized so that you can choose from among hikes of different lengths and difficulty levels ("options") from each trail head listed. It took me a little while to get used to this approach, but I found it very effective at helping me determine the best route to take depending on the length and type of hike I want. Waypoints and landmarks are usually described very clearly and the historical and geological tidbits thrown in to the trail descriptions are interesting, as well, giving your hike even more context. I would definitely recommend this book.

The Source.

Absolutely the best source of material on hiking Big South Fork. Couple this with the Trails Illustrated map and you have everything you need but the ambition, and you'll need plenty of that.

Just Hike It

This is perhaps the sine qua non of trail guides. You will be able to explore the Big South Fork with comfort and ease using Deavers book. If you want day hikes or more challenging distance hikes, this book will help you make your plans. Trail sections are thouroughly explained. Interesting information about the geology and cultural history abound.