VIRGIN WHITE

I got stuck in central Tennessee last weekend. I was working in Nashville, and didn’t finish until 6pm Friday night. At that point, the great blizzard of 2006 had already begun. The idea of attempting a 7-hour drive home in the snow, through the Smokies no less, wasn’t very appealing. So, I drove 2 hours east to Cookeville and got a hotel room.

This wasn’t really as bad as it sounds. That’s because I’d brought along my hiking gear, just in case I got stuck in central Tennessee. Coincidence? Maybe. Or just good planning on my part.

I had hiked on the Cumberland Plateau last spring on the way back from a job in Nashville. That hike had taken me to Virgin Falls, and it was simply one of the best hikes I’ve ever done, anywhere. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me then. Ever since, I’ve wanted to do the hike again, and get some photos. Finally I had my chance.

I woke early on Saturday to find an inch or two of snow on the ground, with more coming down. After a quick breakfast, I was on the road to Sparta. Beyond Sparta, I followed highway 70 up onto the plateau. The snow got heavier, but road conditions remained good until I turned off the highway onto a back road. The back roads were covered, but enough people had driven through to create tire tracks I could follow. I didn’t have any trouble, even in my Corolla, though I certainly didn’t make record time getting to the trailhead. I finally arrived at 8am, and was surprised to find 3 other cars in the parking lot. A lack of tire tracks in the parking lot indicated that the other hikers had all been there overnight.

In my rush to get started, I left the parking area on the wrong trail. I was following a path, but I didn’t initially realize that it was the wrong one in the snow. By the time I began to have doubts, I stumbled onto the correct path. From there, I didn’t have any trouble following the trail, with the exception of snow-laden branches blocking the path. For the first mile of the hike, I had to choose between knocking the snow off the branches, or ducking my head and barreling through. Neither was pleasant, and it was relief to reach the more open forests of the Big Laurel Branch gorge.

First I followed Big Branch downstream. I stopped briefly at Big Branch Falls. Big Branch is a tributary of Big Laurel Creek, and Big Branch Falls provides a nice introduction to the area. I spent a few minutes taking photographs, but the falling snow made it difficult.

A steep descent ensued, followed by an easy rock hop of Big Laurel Creek. I passed a couple of backpackers here heading out. From the crossing, I continued downstream through a gorge decorated with massive boulders. The creek tumbled and fell far below, before disappearing down a drain. The stream continues underground, only to re-emerge a few hundred yards later. A few minutes later, I passed above Big Laurel Falls. A steep, rocky descent brought me to an overlook of the falls.

Big Laurel Falls is unique. The creek spills over a cliff before doubling back underneath itself to flow into an immense cave. At the back of the cave, the stream disappears underground, never to be seen again. I spent several minutes here, attempting photos. The heavy snow again created challenges, but I got some better shots from within the protection of the cave.

A pleasant if uneventful section of trail followed. A few minutes beyond the falls, I noticed a small snow-free area just below the trail. A quick investigation revealed the opening to another cave. The relatively warm air coming from the cave had melted the snow that had landed there. If it hadn’t been for the snow, I never would’ve noticed the opening to the cave.

Some distance later I reached a junction. The last part of the hike is a loop connecting Sheep Cave, Virgin Falls, and the Caney Fork River. I decided to go counter-clockwise, and headed to Sheep Cave first.

I reached the cave a few minutes later. At Sheep Cave, a creek rushes out of the mountainside, over a waterfall, and disappears down a vertical cave. It’s difficult to get a good look at the lower cave, but the waterfall is scenic, and the upper cave is easily accessible. I walked upstream into the upper cave, moving cautiously to keep water out of my boots. The water is just deep enough to make it tricky, and I didn’t have a very strong flashlight. Because of this, I didn’t go very far. The next time I visit Sheep Cave, I’ll bring tevas and a strong flashlight so I can explore further.

From Sheep Cave, a few minutes of hiking brought me to Virgin Falls. The Virgin River is my favorite river in the world. Why? Because it is flawless. The river rushes out of a cave, races less than 100’, and tumbles over a 100’ high waterfall. As you might have guessed, it disappears underground at the base of the falls. Over it’s 200’ length, it is absolutely pure. There’s no pollution and no intrusions of civilization. How many rivers can make that claim?

Virgin Falls is also one of the most impressive waterfalls I’ve ever seen. It’s incredibly scenic, as well as powerful. To fully enjoy the falls, I explored them from every angle. I visited the top first. I wanted to walk upstream into the cave, but the heavy water flow ruled that out. Instead, I found a narrow slot passage that led into the cave. I worked my way in, before the passage ended in almost complete darkness at the edge of the river. The roar of the river rushing through the tunnel was nearly overwhelming.

From there, I returned to the main overlook of the falls. I attempted some photos here, but was challenged by the heavy spray from the falls. Afterwards, I took a few minutes for lunch.

Afterwards, I hiked down to the Caney Fork River. The river is remote and peaceful, and looks like it would be a great place for a canoe trip. Afterwards, I completed the loop trail with a steep climb out of the valley. I rejoined the main trail, and hiked out rapidly. After all, the snow was still falling, and I had a long drive ahead of me. By the time I reached the car at 3pm, I was surprised to find the roads in better shape than they had been that morning. By the time I reached the interstate, I was moving 75mph despite the falling snow. Conditions remained good, even through the Smokies. I made it home by 9pm, but I’ll definitely be back. Virgin Falls is a great hike, and there are bound to be more good ones in the area worth checking out.

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