miscellaneous NE Tennessee pics... (Bristol: credit, to live in, rail)

[pineywoods]

Originally Posted by kamoshika

pineywoods, thanks for the kind words. Just holler if you ever need specific directions to hiking spots, there are so many wonderful places to explore in these parts.

Oh I'll give you a shout out, for sure. I hear about these spots and see the photos, but I have not clue how to find them (parking). Or maybe most of these areas are just drive by spots? I've thought about joining the hiking club that's in the area. By chance are you a member Kamoshika?

[jjbradleynyc]

GREAT pictures. Thanks so much for posting!!! I appreciate it. Brings back memories.

[JoshB]

I'm glad to see a thread like this. I'm not sure if I posted all these already? If I did I'm sorry I thought maybe it'd be easier for people to find the beauty of Tennessee if they had sticky instead of searching for my photos.

Here's Roan Mountain, well the road at the mountain.










This one is off of 91? In Shady Valley near the Appalachian Trail





From Bays Mountain

[kamoshika]

Wonderful shots, JoshB! I didn't realize that you'd run into snow heading up to Roan Mountain. I got stuck in a drift up there once.

An important point I should've mentioned about the photos of Rice's Mill above: I had permission from the landowner's father to go inside. The mill is not a very safe place to poke around and is on private property, so please don't trespass if you're tempted to see it for yourself; you can though, catch a glimpse of it from the highway.

Unless everything's covered w/ snow, this obviously isn't the best time of year to see this area at its scenic best. Still, I went out this afternoon and hiked along the Doe River Gorge Railway in Hampton (Carter Co.) for the first time in 20 years or so. This is a stretch of the famed Tweetsie Railroad track that ran from Johnson City to Boone, NC. For a few years in the '70s, this area was a theme park called Hillbilly World.

Doe River Gorge Ministries now owns and operates the property and hosts camps in the summer, but the rest of the year the tracks are open to the public for walking (sign in at the administration office first, though). More info on this very neat place:
Doe River Gorge Ministries Inc. - Railroad (http://www.doerivergorge.com/railroad/railroad_history.php - broken link)
Appalachian Voice - Doe River Gorge(ous)
2007 Doe River Gorge Fall River Train Excursion near Watauga Lake Tennessee
The Cy Crumley Narrow Gauge Scrapbook: Tour 15 - Doe River Gorge

[pineywoods]

Where is this in proximity to Johnson City? Awesome photos and it just looks like a really cool place to explore.

[JoshB]

Kamoshika, Love the shots of the Doe River area!

[kamoshika]

Originally Posted by pineywoods

Where is this in proximity to Johnson City?

Hampton is east of JC and a few miles SE of Elizabethton. From downtown JC to Doe River Gorge Rd. is about 15 miles and takes 25-30 minutes.

FWIW, when I go to Hampton or Roan Mountain, I prefer to bypass Elizabethton by taking the Okalona Rd. exit (# 27) and then back roads to US 19-E. That route can shave 5 minutes or so off your drive time.

[Resilientsmile]

Kamoshika,

These are beautiful! As others have posted you defintiely have an eye for beauty, especially rustic beauty. I love that. I wanted to make a few specific comments as well. I love the warriors path picture. What a pretty gold the trees are. Also, I loved the rural scenes near Jearoldstown. That seems like a place I could just wander and reflect. Your camera placement for the third picture in that set is awesome, I love the off-set barn. The barbed wire of the 5th picture is a nice touch, it gives the scene texture. Oh and the kitty in the barn is adorable. Wonderful job!

[Beretta]

Kamoshika - more great pictures! You are the master. Thanks for sharing with us.

btw, lots of DB grads on Facebook

[piperspal]

These pictures are GORGEOUS!!!
I have only been to TN once so far, but am hoping to move there someday.
Hope this thread takes off like a rocket! Keep 'em comin'!!!