Editing Cross Ridges Trail

{{Trail
|Banner Image=File:BMP Cherry Knobs azaleas.JPG
|Park=Bays Mountain Park
|Land Owner=City of Kingsport
|Trail Marking=Signs
|Trail Use=Hiking, Geocaching
|Trail Features=Lakes, Mountains
|Difficulty Rating=Medium
|Hike Time=60 min
|Trail Distance=1.526 mi
|Round Trip Distance=3.8 mi
|Trail Type=Segment
|High Point=2,155 Ft
|Low Point=1,844 ft
|Elevation Gain=460 Ft
|Elevation Loss=474 Ft
|Elevation Change Direction=East-to-West
|Parking location=36.50882, -82.60955
|Trailhead location=36.497767,-82.642703
}}
{{Trail Map|Other Trails=Front Hollow Road,Back Hollow Road,Cherry Knobs}}

__TOC__
== Trail Overview ==
Located in [[Bays Mountain Park]]. Trail between [[Front Hollow Road|Front Hollow Road]] and [[Back Hollow Road|Back Hollow Road]]. Lots of spring wildflowers on northern side in the shaded hollow.

== How to get there ==
<!-- Please enter detailed instruction on how to find the trail head. -->
The trail is not directly accessible from the main parking lot.  Cross the dam and take either Follow [[Lake Road (Bays Mountain Park)|Lake Road]] to [[Front Hollow Road|Front Hollow Road]] until reaching trail sign or [[Lake Road (Bays Mountain Park)|Lake Road]] to Feagins Gap and onto [[Back Hollow Road|Back Hollow Road]] until old homestead is seen.

== Route Description==
[[File:Cross ridges trail profile.png|thumb|right]]
<!-- Detailed description of the route. Is there any side trails that are worth traveling? -->
A 0.7 mile connecting trail between the "Hollow" roads.

This trail has connections to [[Trail connects to::Back Hollow Road]], [[Trail connects to::Pretty Ridge Trail]], [[Trail connects to::Cherry Knobs]], and [[Trail connects to::Front Hollow Road]].

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!Miles
!Cross Ridges Trail
!Miles
!Elevation (ft)
|-
|0.0
|Trailhead at [[Front Hollow Road|Front Hollow Road]]
|0.7
|1730
|-
|0.2
|Junction with [[Cherry Knobs]]
|0.5
|1840
|-
|0.65
|Creek crossing with no bridge
|0.05
|
|-
|0.7
|Junction at [[Back Hollow Road|Back Hollow Road]] and [[Pretty Ridge Trail|Pretty Ridge Trail]] at former "Bill Simpson" homestead
|0.0
|1672
|}

Back Hollow Road continues towards Feagins Gap from right and behind the abandoned cabin. Pretty Ridge Trail has an unlabeled post, but heads uphill from left of the cabin.  A fallen pine tree was partially covering this junction.

== Typical Conditions ==
<!-- Typical conditions throughout the year of what to expect on the trail. Rocky, muddy, sandy, flowers, lots of downed trees?  -->
Much lesser used trail.  As of 2015, trail is cleaned up and most blowdowns removed.  The two remaining are easy to step over.

== Regulations ==
NO BIKES! And too much trouble with all of the blowdowns anyway.

== Misc. Information ==
<!-- Enter any additional information that doesn't fit an any other fields. Any seasonal features, factoids, etc...? -->
Many spring wildflowers seen in April.  Check out the gallery below.

== Photos ==
{{Park trail gallery|Trail={{PAGENAME}}}}

Wildflower Gallery - mid-April 2011
<gallery>
Image:BMP Cross Ridges Trail Dwarf Violet Iris.JPG|Dwarf Violet Iris [http://uswildflowers.com/detail.php?SName=Iris%20verna   more info]
Image:BMP Cross Ridges Trail Fire Pink.JPG|Fire Pink [http://uswildflowers.com/detail.php?SName=Silene%20virginica  more info]
Image:BMP Cross Ridges Trail Yellow Leafcup.JPG|Yellow Leafcup [http://uswildflowers.com/detail.php?SName=Smallanthus%20uvedalius more info]
Image:BMP Cross Ridges Trail star chickweed.JPG|Star Chickweed [http://patriot.net/~eweidaw/wildflower.htm more info]
Image:BMP Cross Ridges Trail wild geranium.JPG|Wild Geranium [http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/wild_geranium.htm more info]
Image:BMP Cross Ridges Trail Sweet White Violet.JPG|Sweet White Violet [http://uswildflowers.com/detail.php?SName=Viola%20blanda more info]
</gallery>
{{Map Marker|Icon Type=Trail sign|Marker Title=Junction with [[Back Hollow Road|Back Hollow Road]]|Marker Description=and [[Pretty Ridge Trail|Pretty Ridge Trail]]|Marker Location=36.49777,-82.64269}}
{{Map Marker|Icon Type=Trail sign|Marker Title=Junction with [[Cherry Knobs]]|Marker Description=[[Image:BMP CK-CR sign.JPG|50px]]|Marker Location=36.49683,-82.63629}}
{{Map Marker|Icon Type=Water crossing|Marker Title=Stream crossing - no bridge|Marker Description=[[Image:BMP Cross Ridges Trail stream crossing.JPG|150px]]|Marker Location=36.49770,-82.64250}}
{{Map Marker|Icon Type=Trail sign|Marker Title=Trailhead at [[Front Hollow Road|Front Hollow Road]]|Marker Description=[[Image:BMP CR FHR sign.JPG|50px]]|Marker Location=36.49511,-82.63438}}