View source for Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail

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-->{{Infobox Trail
                     | Image Name = HCCSNA_Blaze.jpg
                     | City = Roan Mountain
                     | State = Tennessee
                     | Marking = OVNHT icon
                     | Trail Use = {{Hike}}
                     | Difficulty Rating = Medium
                     | Hike Time = 3
                     | Distance = 4.4
                     | Elevation Gain = 2148
                     | Elevation Loss = -983
                     | High Point = 4686
                     | Latitude = 36.152383
                     | Longitude = -82.055733
                     | Medical = Elizabethton, TN
}}<!-- 

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 | Comment = Need to figure out how to incorporate long trails with parks with shorter connections and side trips
 | Date reviewed = 10/25/2015
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== Trail Overview ==
<!-- Enter a overview of the trail. What attracts you to this trail, points of interest, types of flowers, lakes, and peaks that you see along the way. -->
Located in the [[Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area]].

While the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail stretches 330 miles, there are only a few segments that are not paved highway and open to the public.

== How to get there ==
<!-- Please enter detailed instruction on how to find the trail head. -->
From Johnson City, TN
#Head south on Roan Street for 3.5 miles passing under I-26.
#Take left/east onto TN359/Okolona Road and travel 1.4 miles.
#Take right/south onto TN361 over to US19E for nine miles.  The road starts as Laurels Road, then Dry Creek Road and finally Gap Creek Road.
#Travel US19E for ten miles to town of Roan Mountain.
#Take right/south onto TN143.
#As soon as the highway divides take left/north onto Old Highway 143.
#Turn right/east onto Hampton Creek Road and proceed three miles.
#Parking area is on left/east side of road.  Space for a dozen vehicles.

== Route Description==
<!-- Detailed description of the route. Is there any side trails that are worth traveling? -->
From parking lot, head through gate through field with briars and cross old bridge to reach trail sign. Turn right to follow along fence row on left crossing an old wood bridge to intersect with farm road.  The path initially proceeds through open meadows and along the Left Prong of Hampton Creek.  CLOSE any gates as you pass through since livestock is grazed in the area.  The route finally enter forest as a single path following the contour over a lower ridge.  Once the path finds another old logging road it heads straight up Yellow Mountain with significant climb.  At 3.75 miles, reach Appalachian Trail.  Desirable is to head another 0.2 miles on the blue blaze at this intersection to Overmountain shelter, which is an old barn.  Return by same route.  Found only one sign for Birchfield Trail on the other side of the creek, but not a clear path.  

The trail towards the highpoint is mostly up and up with two descending sections.  Our steady pace was just under three hours up and two hours back down.

OVNHT continues into North Carolina for another 1.5 miles.  From the A.T. is skirts the edge of a heavily grown field.  A long shuttle could be arranged for an all day hike up and over the mountain.  Alternatively, a shuttle at Carvers Gap would allow a just over ten mile hike on OVNHT and A.T.  

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!Miles
!Notes
|-

|0.0
|Trailhead at Hampton Creek
|-

|0.1
|Bridge
|-

|0.2
|Bridge
|-

|0.3
|Farm Gate
|-

|0.4
|Farm Gate
|-

|0.55
|Junction on [[Birchfield Trail]]
|-

|0.56
|Farm Gate
|-

|0.57
|Bridge
|-

|0.58
|Junction on [[Shell Hollow Trail]]
|-

|1.0
|Farm Gate
|-

|1.3
|Farm Gate
|-

|1.5
|Farm Gate
|-

|1.55
|Junction on [[Birchfield Trail]]
|-

|1.75
|Trail leaves farm and enters woods
|-

|3.67
|Yellow Mountain Gap on AT
|-

|3.68
|Junction with Blue Blazed Trail to Barn
|-

|4.4
|Trailhead at Roaring Creek
|}

== Typical Conditions ==
<!-- Typical conditions throughout the year of what to expect on the trail. Rocky, muddy, sandy, flowers, lots of downed trees?  -->
The lower part of the route is on active dirt and rock farm roads.  Also watch your step for deposits made by the grazed ponies and cattle.  Two stream crossings have bridges, while others are forded on rocks while avoiding mud.  Keep a close eye on the OVNHT icon blazes.  The large metal ones are probably original from 2008 while the carbonite signs were installed in 2014 to give more guidance.  Once through 4-5 farm gates, the trail veers right down to cross a stream.  Long pants are recommended year around due to large amount of stinging nettle encountered once off the farm roads. A few blowdowns were observed with all able to step/climb over.     

==Fees, Permits, etc. ==
<!-- Please list any Fees, Permits, Regulations, etc. that may be required on this trail.-->
No permit or fee.  The nature area closes at dusk.  

NOTE Hunting is permitted.  Use precaution when hiking during hunting season

== Misc. Information ==
<!-- Enter any additional information that doesn't fit an any other fields. Does this trail require any permits for overnight? parking? -->
[http://www.nps.gov/ovvi/index.htm National Park Service website for OVMT]

This section of the OVNHT was established in 2007-2008 per the March 2008 issue of the TEHCC newsletter. [http://tehcc.org/pdf/newsletters/news200803.pdf link]

== Maps ==
Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail is red

<!-- You can place pictures, PDF's, links, or even create a Google map with your waypoints and place it here. -->
<display_map  type="terrain" width="auto" height="600" gkml="http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/HCCSNA_Birchfield_Trail.kml,
http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/HCCSNA_Overmountain_Shelter_Trail.kml,
http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/HCCSNA_Overmountain_Victory_Trail.kml,
http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/HCCSNA_Shell_Hollow_Trail.kml">

36.1341375787, -82.0405528418~View into Hampton Cove~[[Image:HCCSNA_View_Into_Hampton_Cove.jpg|150px]]~MarkerB.png
36.1523127923, -82.0556224482~Hampton Cove Parking~ ~MarkerA.png
36.1170074500, -82.0489487139~Roaring Creek Parking~ ~MarkerA.png
36.1236150000, -82.0542140000~Overmountain Barn~[[Image:HCCSNA_Overmountain_Barn_From_AT.jpg|150px]]~MarkerF.png
36.1489500994, -82.0430267087~Shell Cemetery~ ~MarkerN.png
36.1404409560, -82.0468414829~Creek Crossing~[[Image:HCCSNA_Birchfield_Creek_Crossing.jpg|150px]]~MarkerJ.png
36.1410568100, -82.0461533500~Farm Gate~[[Image:HCCSNA_Farm_Gate_01.jpg|150px]]~MarkerG.png
36.1379704200, -82.0443995200~Farm Gate~[[Image:HCCSNA_Farm_Gate_02.jpg|150px]]~MarkerG.png
36.1523057282, -82.0554279670~Trailhead Hampton Creek~[[Image:HCCSNA_Trailhead_Hampton_Creek.jpg|150px]]~MarkerT.png
36.1168907523, -82.0486987936~Trailhead Roaring Creek~[[Image:HCCSNA_Trailhead_Roaring_Creek.jpg|150px]]~MarkerT.png
36.1255151269, -82.0512409479~Trail Junction Shelter Trail~[[Image:HCCSNA_Junctions_Shelter_Trail.jpg|150px]]~MarkerT.png
36.1257587923, -82.0514537917~Yellow Mountain Gap Junction~[[Image:HCCSNA_Junctions_Yellow_Mountain_Gap.jpg|150px]]~MarkerT.png
36.1353754627, -82.0425103741~Junction Birchfield Trail North~[[Image:HCCSNA_Junctions_North.jpg|150px]]~MarkerT.png
36.1469884013, -82.0495906876~Junction Birchfield Trail South~[[Image:HCCSNA_Junctions_South.jpg|150px]]~MarkerT.png
</display_map>

== Photos ==
<gallery>
<!-- Place any pictures from this trail below.  Add a picture by typing Image:imagename.extension  -->
Image:HCCSNA_View_Into_Hampton_Cove.jpg|View into Hampton Cove on OVNHT
Image:HCCSNA_Overmountain_Barn_From_AT.jpg|Overmountain Barn viewed from the AT
Image:HCCSNA_Farm_Gate_01.jpg|Farm Gate on OVNHT
Image:HCCSNA_Farm_Gate_02.jpg|Farm Gate on OVNHT
Image:HCCSNA_Trailhead_Hampton_Creek.jpg|Hampton Creek Trailhead
Image:HCCSNA_Trailhead_Roaring_Creek.jpg|Roaring Creek Trailhead
Image:HCCSNA_Junctions_Shelter_Trail.jpg|Shelter Trail Junction
Image:HCCSNA_Junctions_Yellow_Mountain_Gap.jpg|Yellow Mountain Gap
Image:HCCSNA_Junctions_North.jpg|Birchfield Trail North Junction
Image:HCCSNA_Junctions_South.jpg|Birchfield Trail South Junction
Image:HCCSNA_Blaze.jpg|Blaze
Image:OMVT1.jpg
Image:OMVT2.jpg
</gallery>

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[[Category:Overlook]] [[Category:Tennessee]] [[Category:Medium]]