Little Oak Recreation Area

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Hike: Little Oak Recreation Area (loop) Route: Little Oak Trail, Little Oak Mtn Trail Distance: 6 miles Location: South Watauga Lake, TN Difficulty: Easy Sights: South Watauga Lake, Watauga Dam Impression: An easy day hike to go see some leaves with their fall colors...really pretty lake scene....there is plenty of summer camping here for RV's and car campers alike...while fairly remote, this is more of a "family campground" environment...

The Little Oak Recreation Area is on a peninsula jutting from the eastern shore of South Holston Lake. Bird watchers may want to stay at this popular recreation area to look for bald eagles (Haliaetus leucocephalus). More than two dozen eagles have been hacked on South Holston Lake under the Bald Eagle Hacking Program. Hacking is a term from falconry meaning gradual reintroduction to the wild. Eagles from 7 weeks old to 13 weeks old are kept in cages to imprint an area on them so the birds return there after they are sexually mature.

Adult eagles have a wingspan of 7.5 feet, dark brown plumage, and large heads. Young birds are nearly black without the white head, neck, and tail characteristic of adults. Binoculars will help you see details of the birds better, and cameras with at least a 200mm lens are needed to photograph eagles best.

Directions: East of South Holston Lake on US 421, turn south on FR 87 (Camp Tom Howard Road). Go about 8 miles and turn right (west) on FR 87G at the sign. Activities: Camping, hiking, fishing, and boating. Facilities: 72 campsites, amphitheater, hiking trails, picnicking for campers, and toilets. Dates: Open seasonally. Fees: There is a charge for camping. Closest town: Bristol, about 15 miles west on US 421. For more information: Watauga Ranger District, PO Box 400, Unicoi, TN 37692. Phone (423) 735-1500.

Little Oak Mountain Trail [Fig. 27(5)] The Little Oak Mountain Trail (#601) is an interpretive loop trail with a spur to a scenic view of the lake and a climb to the crest of Little Oak Mountain. This walk offers you opportunities to view wildlife and take some scenic photos.

Directions: The trail begins at the pay station near the entrance to the recreation area. Trail: 1.37 miles, loop trail. Degree of difficulty: Easy to moderate. Blaze: Trail signs. Little Oak Trail [Fig. 27(5)] The Little Oak Trail (#52) is an easy interpretive walk around the edge of Little Oak Recreation Area along the shore of South Holston Lake. The trail begins at the entrance station, meanders through the campgrounds, passes Little Oak Amphitheater, travels to the lake's edge, and ends on the north side of the peninsula. Take a fishing pole on this walk to try your luck at catching bream, bass, and catfish.

Trail: 1.38 miles, one-way. Degree of difficulty: Easy. Blaze: Trail signs.

Reference: http://www.sherpaguides.com/tennessee/upper_unakas/watauga_ranger_district_cherokee_nf.html