Backpacking the Big South Fork in Tennessee

We recently went backpacking at the Big South Fork, a National Recreation Area in Kentucky and Tennessee, and it was amazing! We started the trip in Oneida, Tennesee, less than 3 hours from Nashville. Our route began at the Middle Creek Trailhead, and we hiked the Slave Falls Loop to Charit Creek to the Twin Arches and back. The total hike ended up being approximately 21 miles due to some spurs.

Although we originally intended it to be a 2-night trip, we ended up just staying one night. However, we can't wait to go back. The Big South Fork is filled with easy to moderate well-marked trails, lots of water, plenty of rock formations, and yes, even some bear tracks. Check it out!

[homesweettennessee]

Being a Tennessee native and having visited big south fork, several times, I thought you did an excellent job, showing the highlights of the park. The videography and comments were well done.

[johncox]

I was looking for a one night trip for my girlfriend and I and this is it! Great video, thanks.

[justinphillips]

Bears in the area are way more afraid of you than you could imagine in that area. I usually do a lot of my trail running in that area, too close to not do it. Slave falls to Charit is great trail minus some washout from rains. From what I can think of most established camp sites are from where it flattened out around jakes place to Charit. Twin arches are a little confusing with the signs for directions, have to double take myself sometimes. Arches back to Jakes place is some amazing rock formations. Jakes place was an old home place with a smaller cabin but I think somewhere in the lines of Charit they had it moved over to there. Downside to seeing Jakes place on the way back out to me is, it means a lot of uphill is coming.

Definitely plenty of trails to venture off of, know bandy creek campground is roughly 10 miles from where Charit is if you go across the swinging bridge and back up to the trailhead where the parking area is for it.

Great video though

[safromnc]

Its worth visiting just for Charit Creek...