Talk:Purchase Ridge

The following newsletter extract are to help plan future hikes. Newest information posted first.

Trip Report - October 7, 2012 By this Sunday afternoon, the leaves, temperature, and precipitation were falling. An earlier forecast was for grey skies with a slight chance of drizzle, so chose to drive up since a couple of others had expressed interest in the hike. (Actually, they also made the trip, but decided to skip as the cold rain was steady.) Purchase Ridge Trail is a nice walk through the hardwoods – although most of the color was on the ground on this day. Saw several deer and wild turkeys since no one else was around. The pretty vista of the trail tunnel from the constructed overlook also had a slight misty fog in the valley below. The hike ended up being an easy three and quarter mile loop by taking Cabin Trail and the roadway back to the trailhead. I would recommend this hike for families in the spring when wildflowers are out in the forest or during the peak of fall color. It is also open to mountain bikes, thus would be a good starting experience.

Hike Plan - F/B: Natural Tunnel SP - Purchase Ridge Trail, Sunday October 7, 2012 Leader: Vic Hasler While Natural Tunnel State Park is famous for the railroad tunnel, it also has several trails. The longest is Purchase Ridge Trail, which is a couple miles hike from the campground to an overlook for the valley. The path wanders through a hardwood forest and up 200 ft to and around the summit. Hikers can either meet at 1PM in the parking lot below McDonalds in Colonial Heights to carpool – or in the park by 1:45PM. Bring water, snack, and comfortable footwear. We should be back in Kingsport by late afternoon. Please call or e-mail the hike leader to coordinate carpooling.