tennese forest, land question (Knoxville: house, buying, construction)

[stickycreationz]

Hi all I have been looking at pictures of land in tennesse like wanting to buy 10-40 acres by the looks of it the growth on the acres is so thick you cannot walk through the growth. Is thus true in tennesse? Looking to buy in eastern part some where I will build house off grid on solar

[BirdieBelle]

It is true in some parts. The undergrowth can be mature honeysuckle with stems as thick as your thumb that grow low to the ground and create a maze or even osage orange trees, whose branches droop low to the ground and often served as natural dividers in cattle fields.

If the branches don't get you, the ticks and chiggers will.

[Jim37680]

Here in the eastern higher mountains the laurel slicks are even more impenetrable than the honeysuckle (which seems to favor the lower elevations).

And, the snakes (esp the copper-tailed water rattlers) will get you if the chiggers and ticks don't!!!!

[Barking Spider]

Don't forget the kudzu!!!
For off grid construction, you will probably have to find a county that does not have Building Code restrictions.

[Road Pig]

Originally Posted by stickycreationz

Hi all I have been looking at pictures of land in tennesse like wanting to buy 10-40 acres by the looks of it the growth on the acres is so thick you cannot walk through the growth. Is thus true in tennesse? Looking to buy in eastern part some where I will build house off grid on solar

The undergrowth is not that thick. If you have mature trees there is plenty of room underneath for anything. Look into Hancock co. above Knoxville. It is very rural and restrictions on building are very light I would expect seeing what I do there. I have 100 acres in Snake Hollow between the Powell Mountain and Newmans Ridge and this place is remote.

I don't know why some of the other posters are painting such a scary picture? Snakes, impenetrable laurel?? What the heck it is common Appalachian mountains.

[thoner7]

what is the best website to use to search for building land? Im looking for 20+ acres

[TheShadow]

In many places it can be pretty thick, especially in summer when it is in full leaf. Sort of like walking in a rain forest. In the winter, it looks a lot clearer. many rural counties have much more lax codes, but be sure to check with the county before buying any land.