Introduction
Had it been since 2024 that I hiked the trails at Norris Dam State Park? I reckon so. My hiking record and the article from 10/23/2024 indicate that my last visit was on Tuesday, 10/22/2024. I thought that was last year. My how time flies.
Welcome, fellow hiking enthusiast, to the 89th entry in the Hiking Topic Section. This article is about my 25th hike at Norris Dam State Park on Thursday, 6/4/2026. I went down by the lake, recorded an audiovisual clip, and took a couple of photographs. As a sidenote, when I added this hike to my hiking record, I realized it was my 270th since 4/23/2000, when I started logging hikes for at least 19 different locations.
Let us first set the background. Last Thursday started off quite busy. For at least three days, however, I had the itch to hike. Despite the day's earlier busyness, I scratched the itch!
Background
First up last Thursday, around 8:40 AM, the owner of Mitchell's Pest Control came by for a monthly spraying. The business is one of the eight recommended under this website's section, Business Recommendations: Northeast Knox County, TN. For almost three years, Mr. Mitchell has been providing us excellent monthly service at a reasonable cost. For example, rarely do I find a stray spider or spiderweb in the garage. As an added benefit, Mr. Mitchell and I enjoy joking and also talking spiritually with each other.
With that behind me, I still needed to scratch the hiking itch. Before doing so, however, my 2006 Frontier took my wife and me to the local post office and back. She had to mail a package with tracking related to her deceased father's estate. Remember, dear reader, ensure that you have a will. Further, be sure to name at least one beneficiary if you have a company 401(k) plan.
Having done that, I still needed to scratch the hiking itch. Before doing so, I helped the “long-suffering” Mrs. Appalachian Irishman complete her online application for Social Security retirement. She had been working on it, off-and-on, since Monday. After roughly an hour online, we submitted her application. It worked this time! What should have been a fairly simple process was far too complicated. What else would you expect from a federal “guvrmint” that is here to serve you?
After that success, I still needed to scratch the hiking itch. Well, my wife and I were hungry. We fixed and ate our noon vittles at home. After eating, I offered my wife the opportunity to come with me to hike either at House Mountain or Norris. What did she decide to do? She chose to visit her sister, who lives nearby at their homeplace, and help find the dead critter that was stinking up the garage! Well, I offered.
Hiking Down to the Lake
Finally, after all the above, last Thursday, I scratched the hiking itch! It was 2:05 PM before I left the house in my vintage truck with almost 201,000 miles on the odometer. The one-way drive northwest from the house to the spot where you start to drive across Norris Dam from the northeast side is right at 25 miles or about 40 minutes. I drove further southwestward across the dam and up to the Marine Railway Loop Trail trailhead. If you enlarge the Norris Dam State Park: Park Map, you can find the trail.
The early morning low of 52 degrees Fahrenheit had already warmed into the 80s. With a dominant high-pressure system, the sky was clear and brilliantly blue. I wore a T-shirt, short pants, and ball cap (to protect from ticks and the sun). My trusty canteen filled with water was across my right shoulder, and my rugged warm-weather hiking shoes protected my feet.
From the Marine Railway Loop Trail trailhead, around 2:54 PM, I first turned left, northwest, onto the Chuckmore Trail. (The sign said that it was steep and difficult. I like steep and difficult.) Not very far along the trail, a startled deer jumped up to my left and ran off! It was only a few yards away from me. I wish I could run that fast.
I stayed on the Chuckmore Trail until it surprised me by coming out onto Village Green Road. The trail crosses the road and continues southwestward. From Village Green Road, I decided to turn east and walk back along Hwy. 441 to my truck. Arriving around 3:15 PM at the same trailhead, I had to explain to my truck what I had done.
Deciding correctly this time, around 3:20 PM, I turned right at the trailhead and continued down the Marine Railway Loop Trail! (Always turn right in life.) After about 1.2 miles, around 3:40 PM, I reached the cutoff that leads to an island. The hike down was easy. The trail is wide and not very washed out. The tree canopy shaded me from the hot sunshine. I didn't see any poison oak or ivy, but I did walk through a few spider bridge lines and swat away pesky flies and gnats. As an aside, my hiking record indicates the last time I hiked this trail was on Saturday, 6/2/2018. I hiked the entire 4.4-mile trail. After the hike, I found and removed a tick from behind my right knee. I didn't publish any articles in 2018.
Down by the Lake
With Norris Lake water low, I could walk across the exposed sandbar to the small island. If the water is high, you can't reach the island on foot.
After exploring the island for a few minutes and enjoying the view, I decided to stop on the east side of the island. It faces Norris Dam, which was far off in the distance.
Feeling the need to gab for a while, I decided to record an audiovisual episode for my YouTube channel, Appalachian Irishman – Podcasts. It is titled Hiking Norris Dam State Park, Thursday, 6-4-2026: Down by the Lake (published 6-6-2026; episode 44). I started recording the episode, just over six minutes long, at 3:50 PM. As asked in the description, “Do you think my wife's decision to help her sister find a dead critter in the garage instead of hiking with me was wise? Further, do you agree that the boat that came by should have been playing classic rock music instead of country music?” You are welcome to comment on the episode, on this article, or on both!
At 3:57 PM, just after I finished recording, I took the following photograph, still standing where I was recording:
The view looks east. Norris Dam is visible in the background. The audiovisual episode, mentioned above, includes panoramic scenery and the sounds of watercraft going by.
Hiking Back Up from the Lake
At 4:00 PM exactly, I stepped from the sandbar onto the cutoff and started hiking back up the Marine Railway Loop Trail, down which I hiked earlier. The ascent is not terribly steep, but it is slightly challenging. Walking fast, I tried to increase my heart rate for better cardiovascular exercise.
Twenty minutes later, I returned to the trailhead and my old truck. I took the following photograph at 4:21 PM:
The entire Marine Railway Loop Trail is 4.4 miles, returning to the same trailhead. Will I return to hike the entire trail? Will my wife hike it with me? We will see.
Conclusion
My total time in the woods and on the island last Thursday was only an hour and 26 minutes. Any part of a day spent in the woods, however, is better than not having been there!
This article is published on D-Day. Eighty-two years ago, the landing took place. Previous statements about D-Day are found in the articles from 6/6/2020, 6/8/2021, and 6/10/2024.
In closing, I pause, remain silent, and remember the sacrifice of the soldiers on D-Day, 1944. I hope you do the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment