Iron Mountain Trail - South

Iron Mountain Trail - South (log in to submit report)
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Land Owner	Cherokee National Forest
Located	Mountain City, Tennessee
Trail Marking	Blue
Trail UseThings allowed to do on or near the trail
FeaturesThings to see on or near the trail
Difficulty Rating	Hard
Hiking TimeTime from car and back. Includes any time hiking to access this trail.	2 day32 Hours <br />1,920 Min <br /> round trip
Distance:	17.75 mi28.566 km <br /> trailStrict non-repeating trail length / 17.75 mi28.566 km <br /> round tripTypical or shortest length from the car, hike the trail, and return to car
Trail Type	One way
Low / High Point	1,997 ft665.667 Yards <br />608.686 Meters <br /> / 4,208 ft1,402.667 Yards <br />1,282.598 Meters <br />
Elev. Gain/LossSee link for details of calculation. Gain/Loss is direction dependent.	3,043 ft927.506 Meters <br /> / (4,775 ft1,455.42 Meters <br />) – South-to-North
Trip ReportsFrom user "hiked it" submissions<br />Recent is within last 90 days	No hikes logged yet
NearbyWithin 5 mi<br />Click link to view list	2 trails / 17.8 mi of trail
Parking	36° 28' 47.60" N, 81° 57' 44.10" W Map
Trailhead	36° 28' 22.01" N, 81° 56' 55.00" W Map
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Click Here for USFS Map of the Iron Mtn Trail: USFS Map of Iron Mtn Trail

Trail Overview

IMT offers a more secluded experience with spectacular overlooks. For this trail wiki, the trail is being listed as two major sections with the city of Damascus as the dividing point.

How to get there

The first/southernmost section can be thru-hiked either direction with a car shuttle.

From Johnson City, TN:

1. Take US-321 north to Elizabethton (10 miles).
2. Turn left/north at the traffic light onto TN-37/TN-91.
3. After quickly crossing the river, exit right onto TN-91/New Stony Creek Rd.
4. Continue towards Shady Valley for 18 miles.
5. Turn right onto Cross Mountain Road for 1.1 miles
6. Look for radio towers on right for parking.
7. Iron Mountain Trail is to the right of the gates to the Cross Mountain Subdivision. (This is the southern terminus of IMT.)
8. Backtrack to TN-91 and continue north for 3.6 miles to Shady Valley.
9. Turn right/east where TN-91 intersects with TN-34/US-421.
10. Proceed to the top of Iron Mountain.
11. Parking area is on the south side.

The northern end is roughly one mile south of Damascus, VA on Orchard Hill Road. It is recommend that you park at a lot in town.

Route Description

The southern IMT can be divided into four sections referenced below. Note that the Camp Ahistadi section is a spur trail off the main Iron Mountain Trail.

Trail Section	Distance (mi)	Elevation Gain and Loss (ft)
Cross Mountain Road to Hwy 421	5.1	1250, -1000
Hwy 421 (Sandy Gap) to Forest Service Road 322 (To get to Corinth Church, follow FS 322 SE for 0.7 miles)	8.0	1300, -1650
Forest Service Road 322 to Intersection with Camp Ahistadi Spur Trail (This 1.4 Mile Spur Trail Leads to Camp Ahistadi)	2.7	650, -750
Intersection with Camp Ahistadi Spur Trail to Damascus (Orchard Hill Road)	2.5	100, -1550

Elevation change given from south to north direction. The trail is marked by blue blazes with metal yellow mile markers (some missing). Note that the Camp Ahistadi Trail is also marked with blue blazes so be attentive to the signs at the intersection of these trails.

NOTE ON PRIMITIVE CAMP WATER SOURCES: Some springs may not be flowing during dry periods. The most reliable source of water is about 7 miles from Cross Mt Road where three different streams cross the trail in the course of about 0.5 miles. Link to a map showing water sources: https://caltopo.com/m/N1HN

The first section appears to be a favorable day hike with a car shuttle.

Spur trail from Ahistadi UMC Camp
Park along TN91 outside, but not blocking, camp gate. Enter camp, cross bridge, and then take right to follow stream to trailhead (N36°35.864, W81°45.382). Trail is a steep path UP with essentially no switchbacks. Some additional blue blazing would be helpful to ensure remaining on the trail instead of following an animal run. 1.4 mile distance climbing ~1220 feet net.

A loop hike of about 45 miles can be created by hiking this part of the Iron Mountain Trail along with the Appalachian Trail. Best would be to start at Damascus, head south on IMT, cut over on Cross Mountain Road for bit over a mile to Hwy TN-91, and then return north bound on the AT. This circuit can be completed in four days.

Typical Conditions

Iron Mountain Trail is located in Cherokee National Forest (known as Forest Service Trail 54) and maintained by the Mid-Appalachian Highlands and Johnson County Hiking (miles 11 thru 13) clubs. Typical condition has been reported as being in good shape with blowdowns promptly removed. There are no shelters, but several campsites exists. Available water supplies may be limited on the ridgeline. Another observation is that IMT has many ups-and-downs.

Fees, Permits, etc.

No fees or permits are required. Dogs are not allowed in the wilderness area in Tennessee.

Photos

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