Lone Oak Trail

Lone Oak Trail (log in to submit report)
Land Owner	Cherokee National Forest
Located	Johnson City, Tennessee
Trail Marking	Orange Rectangle
Trail UseThings allowed to do on or near the trail
FeaturesThings to see on or near the trail
Difficulty Rating	Medium
Hiking TimeTime from car and back. Includes any time hiking to access this trail.	1 hr0.0625 Days <br />60 Min <br /> round trip
Distance:	1.81 mi2.913 km <br /> trailStrict non-repeating trail length / 3.62 mi5.826 km <br /> round tripTypical or shortest length from the car, hike the trail, and return to car
Trail Type	In-and-Out
Low / High Point	2,011 ft670.333 Yards <br />612.953 Meters <br /> / 3,292 ft1,097.333 Yards <br />1,003.402 Meters <br />
Elev. Gain/LossSee link for details of calculation. Gain/Loss is direction dependent.	1,284 ft391.363 Meters <br /> / (-13 ft-3.962 Meters <br />) – West-to-East
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	8 trails / 7.2 mi of trail
Parking	36° 15' 45.00" N, 82° 21' 54.72" W Map
Trailhead	36° 15' 46.62" N, 82° 21' 55.51" W Map
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The Lone Oak Trail is shown as the orange line, while High Ridge Trail is in blue.

Trail Overview

Steep hike UP (13.5% grade) the backside of Buffalo Mountain Park to Tip-Top overlook for area views

How to get there

Within Johnson City:

1. At I-26 Exit 24, take US-321/University Parkway west.
2. Turn left/south at Cherokee Road and travel a couple of miles to the Cherokee Elementary School.
3. Turn left/south onto Lone Oak Road, which becomes Dry Creek Road.
4. After mile and half, small brown trailhead sign (see gallery) on right.
5. Pull-off parking just past the sign.

Route Description

The trail begins along the creek, then quickly ascends to the ridgeline via twenty switchbacks (someone has written roman numerals on several). The path continues upward along or near the ridge. It passes a wooden “Lone Oak Tr” at an intersection with an unmarked and unnamed trail heading downhill. The path continues on a sidehill route up to a ridge junction, and then a sharp left up to Tip-Top overlook.

A few orange blazes are on the trail up near Tip-Top, but no markings observed on the relocation.

Several linear routes are available by staging a vehicle in the main or alternate park lots. After hiking up on Lone Oak, continuing onto High Ridge Trail, Fork Ridge Trail over to the Towers, and down White Rock Trail will provide more overlook views while covering just under five miles.

Typical Conditions

This section of Buffalo Mountain Park suffered a fire in May 2008, thus most of the trail will have summertime views until the trees grow back. Portions of the trail were relocated in 2007 as a path dug into the hillside, sometimes supported with rocks and logs. If a “double track” refers to being wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side, then this trail is a single to a half track. It narrows in place to only be as wide as a hiking boot. Trekking poles are recommended to maintain your balance. Would not suggest taking this trail in early spring as the dirt tread will be muddy and slippery. Best time of year might be fall to see the surrounding mountain in full leaf color.

Fees, Permits, etc.

No fees or permits required. This trail is not actually in Buffalo Mountain Park but passes through Cherokee National Forest and some private land to reach the park.

Misc. Information

The trail was rerouted by late Tom Dosser, long-time hiker and supporter, when he was 77 years old, which added around 0.7 miles to the 1.2 miles shown on the park map. However, the route now is more achievable due to the many switchbacks.

Photos

• 

  Dosser sign

• 

  Trailhead from Dry Creek Road

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