BE CAREFUL AT OVERLOOKS. While these areas provide spectacular views, they’re also potentially hazardous. Stay back from the edge of outcrops, and be absolutely sure of your footing.
• STANDING DEAD TREES AND DAMAGED LIVING TREES POSE A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD TO HIKERS. These trees may have loose or broken limbs that could fall at any time. While walking beneath trees, and when choosing a spot to rest or enjoy a snack, look up.
• KNOW THE SYMPTOMS OF SUBNORMAL BODY TEMPERATURE, OR HYPOTHERMIA. Shivering and forgetfulness are the two most common indicators. Hypothermia can occur at any elevation, even in the summer—especially if you’re wearing lightweight cotton clothing. If symptoms develop, get to shelter, hot liquids, and dry clothes as soon as possible.
• LIKEWISE, KNOW THE SYMPTOMS OF ABNORMALLY HIGH BODY TEMPERATURE, OR HYPERTHERMIA. Lightheadedness and weakness are the first two indicators. If you feel these symptoms, find some shade, drink some water, remove as many layers of clothing as practical, and stay put until you cool down. Marching through heat exhaustion leads to heatstroke—which can be fatal. If you should be sweating and you’re not, that’s the signature warning sign. If you or a hiking partner is experiencing heatstroke, do whatever you can to get cool and find help.
• MOST IMPORTANT, TAKE ALONG YOUR BRAIN. Think before you act. Watch your step. Plan ahead.
TENNESSEE CAMPGROUNDS
Upper Laurel Fork Falls is within walking distance of Dennis Cove Campground.
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Bandy Creek Campground
Beauty:
KEY INFORMATION
CONTACT: 423-286-8368, nps.gov/biso; reservations: 877-444-6777, recreation.gov
OPEN: April 1–October 31; limited sites open year-round
SITES: 181 (49 nonelectric, 96 electric, 35 group sites)
EACH SITE HAS: Tent pad, fire grate, picnic table, lantern post
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: 8 sites
ASSIGNMENT: First-come, first-served and by reservation
REGISTRATION: At campground entrance station or self-register on-site
FACILITIES: Piped water, flush toilets, hot showers
PARKING: At campsites only, 2 vehicles/site
FEES: $20/night nonelectric sites, $25–$32/night electric sites, $125/night group sites
ELEVATION: 1,500'
RESTRICTIONS:
PETS: On leash 6' or shorter
QUIET HOURS: 10 p.m.–6 a.m.
FIRES: In fire grates only
ALCOHOL: At campsites only
VEHICLES: 70' length limit
OTHER: 6 people/site; 14-day stay limit; food must be stored in vehicle or trailer unless you’re eating it
Bandy Creek Campground lies at the heart of the 100,000-acre Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.
A hiker visits the John Litton Farm.
The National Park Service is catching on. It realizes there are two divergent groups that use campgrounds: tent campers and RVers. Here at Bandy Creek Campground, the park service has designated a tent-only loop. This is a good thing, because having a recommended campground in the Big South Fork completes the outdoor package.
Protected since 1974, the Big South Fork features wild rivers, steep gorges, thick forests, and remnants of human history atop the Cumberland Plateau. A well-developed trail system with paths leaving directly from the campground makes exploring the Big South Fork easy. There are also mountain biking, paddling, fishing, and rafting opportunities.
Bandy Creek Campground is a large complex with a total of four camping loops. A recreational area and the park’s visitor center are nearby. Loop A is the only loop reserved exclusively for tent campers. It is separated from the rest of the campground, being off to the left after you pass the campground registration booth. My most recent stay was in A, at campsite 14. Most of the camping area is wooded. A few sites back up to a field and the recreation complex, which includes a swimming pool and a playground for young campers. Since Bandy Creek is atop the plateau, the forest is mixed hardwood with oaks, tulip trees, and Virginia pine. The campsites themselves are mostly open, bordered by dense woodland. A miniloop extends from Loop A and contains four out-of-the-way sites. Beyond the first miniloop, campsites with paved parking areas extend on either side of the road as it rises slightly, passing one of the two most complete washhouses I’ve ever encountered. The buildings are designed to complement the local architecture and have a water fountain, piped water, flush toilets, showers, and even a two-basin sink for washing dishes.
Farther on, the road divides and arrives at one of the two bad sites in the campground: site 32 is adjacent to the water tower, while site 2 backs up to the swimming pool. As Loop A swings around, there is a miniloop off of it. This loop contains seven wooded sites that are the most private in the campground. The main road passes the second washhouse. Three other water pumps are dispersed among the 49 well-kept sites. The rest of the campground contains 96 sites. Only Loop D, with 52 sites, is open during the winter, for tents and RVs. The pool is open from June to Labor Day, but the rest of this park is ready to be explored year-round.
Hiking is very popular. And why not? Trails lace the immediate area. The John Litton–General Slavens Loop traverses 6 miles of surrounding countryside. It descends to the valley where the John Litton Farm stands, passes a large rock house, and climbs back up to the campground via Fall Branch Falls. If you prefer a trail with more human and natural history, take the Oscar Blevins Loop. It is a moderate, 3.6-mile loop that passes the Blevins Farm, some large trees, and more of the steep bluffs that characterize the Cumberland Plateau. Another hiking option is the easy Bandy Creek Campground Loop. It is a short, 1.3-mile family hike that offers a good introduction to the area. Want more trails? Stop by the visitor center, and they can point you in the right direction. If you don’t feel like walking, ride a horse. The nearby Bandy Creek Stables offer guided rides for a fee. Water enthusiasts should drive
