South Holston Dam: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 05:33, 6 August 2011
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Trail Overview
Probably better known as the South Holston Spillway Trail, this is an easy family hike with views of South Holston Lake.
How to get there
From Kingsport, TN
- Take I-81 north to Exit 69 (TN394/Blountville).
- Turn right/east onto TN394 and travel 12 miles (passing Bristol Motor Speedway).
- Take right/east onto US421 and travel 3 miles.
- Turn right/south onto Emmett Road and travel 1 mile.
- Turn left/south onto Holston View Dam Road and travel 1 mile.
- At base of dam, take sharp right onto South Holston Dam Road up the right side.
- Pass a small picnic area on left (Note: This is not the main, large picnic area near the visitors' center.)
- Parking is at the small gravel pulloff on the right before reaching the top of the dam.
Route Description
Starting at the parking area, walk past boulder and cable barrier onto gravel roadway. Follow road south up and over ridge to walk along the lake shore until it ends at the spillway. Return by same path. No blazes or signs.
| Miles | Elevation | South Holston Spillway |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 1640 | Trailhead |
| 0.9 | 1900 | Highpoint |
| 1.7 | 1760 | Spillway |
Typical Conditions
Shaded gravel road, generally dual tracks, thus suitable for bikes or walking. Forest Service appears to run a bushhog up and back to keep the grass cut low.
Fees, Permits, etc.
No fee to use.
Before/After the Hike
Visitors' Center on north side of the dam offers a nice view of the lake - and bathroom facilities.
Misc. Information
The reservoir is created by a TVA dam on the South Fork Holston River. Construction of the dam was started in 1942, but halted due to WWII, and finally completed in 1950. The earth-and-rock fill dam is 285 feet high and 1,600 feet long. The purpose of the spillway is to protect the main earthen dam in case the lake level rises quickly.
Maps
<googlemap lat="36.5150" lon="-82.0910" type="terrain" height="500" zoom="14" scale="yes" icons="http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/marker{label}.png"> http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/South_Holston_Dam_spillway.kml
(S) 36.52118, -82.09117 Small picnic area (S) 36.5279,-82.0867 Large picnic area across dam (A) 36.51741,-82.08995 Parking at trailhead (G) 36.5, -82.0960 Spillway (Q) 36.5255,-82.0879 Visitors' center </googlemap>
Photos
South Holston Spillway
