Hiking Trails

Over 15 miles of hiking trails ranging from easy to very rugged. Trails travel along dry ridges, lush hollows, old roadbeds, lakeshores, and beside cemeteries and remnants of early settlements. Hiking is the only activity allowed on trails and restricted to horses and bicycles. Trails are open year round and overnight camping is allowed on designated backcountry campsites by permit only.

From The Tennessee Conservationist's Great Hikes With Fran Wallas:
Big Ridge State Park - A Haunted Hike For the Halloween Season

Chestnut Ridge Trail

This 1.75 mile trail leads from the cabin area to the road near the park's back entrance. This easy to moderate hike offers a variety of sites to see including sinkholes, Lyon's Spring Branch and remains of American Chestnut trees. These trees once dominated the ridge before they were decimated by blight. One of the most notable sites is the land itself where signs of erosion, farming uses and forest succession can be seen.

Ole' Mill Trail

This trail is a short and easy hike that leads from the lakeside cabins to Norton Gristmill. The mill was built in 1825 and was privately operated until 1930. The trail meanders along Big Ridge Land and over to Lyon's Spring Branch which once supplied the water to make the millwheel turn. Be sure to look for signs of beaver along the way.

Fisherman's Trail

This short and easy trail begins near the back entrance of the park and takes you to an area of Norris Lake known as Poor Land Valley. Some say that this area obtained its name many years ago because of the poor quality of the soil for farming. Follow this trail to find a quiet spot suitable for fishing or swimming.

Loyston Overlook Trail

This short trail to Loyston Overlook takes bikers to an area where they can see the widest protion of Norris Lake. Norris Lake was formed in the 1930s with the completion of TVA's first project, Norris Dam. The area of the lake now known as Loyston Sea was once a bustling town called Loyston. It was founded in the early 1800s by John Loy, who established a foundry in the area. The town of Loyston included a grocery store, gas station, school, churches and even a post office, all of which are now covered by the waters of Norris Lake.

Meditation Point Trail

This short and easily traveled trail climbs to a covered bench shelter which makes for an excellent spot to relax or get more in touch with the natural world.

Lake Trail

This 1.5-mile easy to moderate trail meanders around 45 acre Big Ridge Lake. It crosses Big Ridge Dam, which was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp. The young men of the CCC are responsible for building the dam and many of the other structures in the park. This trail is an excellent one for viewing wildlife such as deer, frogs, heron, wood ducks and much more. If you like, you can also make a stop at the Snodderly Cemetery where many of the area's earlier inhabitants are buried.

Ghost House Trail

This 1.2-mile easy to moderate loop begins near the group camp and takes you deep into the history of this area's pre-1930s inhabitants. According to locals and some park visitors, eerie and unexplainable events occur along this trail. Make a stop at the Norton Cemetery and visit the sunken grave of Maston Hutchinson, who some think is responsible for these strange occurrences. Continue down the trail towards Big Valley and make a stop at the remnants of the famous Ghost House, Maston's home that was thought to be haunted.

Big Valley Trail

The 1.7-mile Big Valley trail is a strenuous hike that travels a road used by many of this area's earlier settlers as they hauled corn down to the Norton Gristmill. The trail traverses Pinnacle Ridge, descends into Dark Hollow and then climbs to the top of Big Ridge where it meets Indian Roc Loop. Several species of ferns and spring wildflowers can be seen here. The trail passes Langley Cemetery, where the only modern gravestone marks the resting place of young Edward, Loy, who died in 1932 at the age of 5, follows the side of the ridge overlooking a deep valley. Several species of spring wildflowers can be seen including pink lady's slippers, yellow star grass, crested dwarf iris and many others.

Dark Hollow Trail

This trail has an eastern and western portion. The 2.7-mile western portion leads from Big Ridge Dam to Big Valley Trail, while the 1.3 mile eastern portion starts at Big Valley and dead ends at Norris Lake. This trail was once a country road and there are still many noticeable areas where some of Big Ridge's settlers made their homes. The ridge north of the Hollow is Big Ridge and the ridge south of the Hollow is Pinnacle Ridge, known locally as Pine Ridge.

Indian Rock Trail

Recommended for the experienced hiker only, the 2.5-mile Indian Rock Loop Trail begins just past Langley Cemetery via the Big Valley Trail. Indian Rock Trail leads to a rocky area where a plaque commemorates the location where Peter Graves, a settler of Sharp's Station was scalped and killed by Indians. Graves was turkey hunting when he though he heard a turkey gobble behind some rocks. To his surprise there was no turkey, but a group of Indians.

Sharp's Station Trail

This trail branches off from Indian Rock Loop and travels 0.2 miles along the shores of Norris Lake to the site of Sharp's Station Fort. Sharp's Station, founded in the 1780s was one of the first two settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains. The other was James White Fort in Knoxville. A stone wall is all that remains of Sharp's Station fort, but a plaque commemorates the area.