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| File:Placeholder.jpg
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| Trail Name
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Old Homestead Trail
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| Trail Number
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USFS Trail #603
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| Park
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Cherokee National Forest
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| Nearest City
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Butler
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| State
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Tennessee
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| Trail Marking
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Blue Blaze
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| Trail Use/Features
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| Difficulty Rating
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Medium
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| Hiking Time
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2.5 Hours0.156 Days <br />150 Min <br />
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Distance:
round-trip/trail only
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2.3 Mi3.701 km <br /> / 2.3 Mi3.701 km <br />
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| Trail Type
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Loop
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| Climb/Descent Elevation
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550 Ft167.64 Meters <br /> /
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| High Point
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25502,550 Feet <br />850 Yards <br />777.24 Meters <br />
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| Parking
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36° 21' 31.50" N, 81° 58' 20.49" W
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| Trailhead
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36° 21' 31.50" N, 81° 58' 20.49" W
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| Nearest Medical
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Elizabethton
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| Trip Reports
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Click Here
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| Show Large Map
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Trail Overview[edit]
Travel through time while hiking through remnants of the past. Starting from the Sink Mountain Boat Launch parking area, this hike offers a glimpse of early settlement as the path winds through old stone fences and home sites.
Trail is not regularly maintained, but usually passable unless a wind storm had recently happened.
How to get there[edit]
From Kingsport, TN:
- Take I-26 south to Exit 24 for US-321 towards Elizabethton.
- Turn right/south on US-19E/231 to Hampton.
- At Hampton, turn left/east to stay on US-321.
- Turn left/north on TN-67 and proceed through Butler.
- Turn right/east on TN-167/Doe Creek Road.
- After 1.8 miles, turn right/south on Sink Mountain Launch Road. No street sign, but a brown boat launch sign.
- Proceed to the end of the paved road to reach parking lot. Note: There a pair of deep potholes at the road's highpoint.
Route Description[edit]
From parking, follow trail to fork. To left will begin steady, sometimes steep ascent of Curtis Mountain to loop around and return on gentle grade through old homestead sites. For more gentle ascent, proceed right, but then steep descent.
Remember Leave No Trace and please do not disturb the homestead sites.
| Miles
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Elevation
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Old Homestead Trail
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Miles
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| 0.0
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2000
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Trailhead at boat launch parking lot
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2.6
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| 0.1
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Campsite beside lake
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2.5
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| 0.15
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Fork in trail - head right along Dry Creek
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2.45
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| 0.5
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Old homestead ruins
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2.1
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| 0.7
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Old homestead ruins - proceed across open field
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1.9
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| 1.4
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Reach gap, make sharp left uphill
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1.2
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| 1.7
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Reach summit with lake views
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0.9
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| 1.9
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Begin steep descent along ridgeline
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0.7
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| 2.4
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Cross creek
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0.2
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| 2.4
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Back at fork
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2.45
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| 2.6
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Back at parking lot
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0.0
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Typical Conditions[edit]
THIS TRAIL IS CURRENTLY IMPASSABLE BECAUSE OF MANY BLOWDOWNS FROM THE JULY 2016 WINDSTORM
Fees, Permits, etc.[edit]
Located in Watauga Ranger District of Cherokee National Forest. Office number is (423) 735-1500.
Boat ramp is open year round sunrise to sunset. USFS websites says there is a fee of $2 per vehicle per day or a Cherokee National Forest Pass for $30 per year. Also state fishing regulations apply to Watauga Lake. No payment container was observed at the boat launch.
Consider wearing blaze orange during hunting season.
After the Hike[edit]
Along US-231 is Shook Branch Recreation Area which offers swimming in the lake during the summer.
Misc. Information[edit]
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