Nearby Hikes
One of the best things about visiting Wholemeal is its proximity to nature, specifically, to the Savage Gulf Natural Area which is more than 18,000 acres. Savage Gulf is part of South Cumberland State Park, Tennessee’s largest state park, with over 30,000 acres and nearly 55 miles of hiking trails. You can access a Trail Map for Savage Gulf State Natural Area here.
Here are some of our family’s favorite nearby hikes. Of course, a walk around Armfield Avenue with a trip to the local lookout is beautiful as well. The Beersheba Springs Historical Society put together a downloadable PDF with details about the nearby homes.
Stone Door | ~2 miles
The park is open from 7am to sunset year round. The first part of the trail (to the Laurel Gulf Overlook) is paved, and as you’re hiking along the bluff, there’s no real elevation gain. A fun, easy hike for all ages with beautiful views, no matter the season.
“One of the area’s primary geologic attractions, the Great Stone Door is a 10-foot-wide, over 100-feet-deep crack in the sandstone bluff that rims Big Creek Gulf. Along with Savage and Collins Gulfs, Big Creek Gulf helps form a crow’s foot-shaped maze of canyons, or “gulfs” as they’re known in this part of the country, which drains into the Collins River. The Great Stone Door has been used for centuries as a means for people and animals to get up and down over the bluff. Native Americans used it before the arrival of European settlers. It’s also rumored that bison used it when they inhabited the Cumberland Plateau before the mid-18th century.” - SoutheastTennessee.com
Park here: 1183 Stone Door Rd.
Big Creek Gulf, Big Creek Rim and Stone Door Loop | 8-9 miles
After hiking to Stone Door, you’ll descend to the bottom of Big Creek Gulf, and then ascend using an old logging road. If you return using the Big Creek Rim Trail, it’s a ~9.5 mile loop. If you take the Laurel Trail back, it’s ~7.8 miles. You may also choose to take the half mile spur trail to Ranger Creek Falls, which is about 2 miles after you’ve left Stone Door. We recommend traveling clockwise (Stone Door > BCG > Alum/BCR). You’ll definitely want to pack snacks and water for this hike.
Park here: 1183 Stone Door Rd.
Greeter Falls Loop | ~2 miles
Greeter Falls is a 50-foot waterfall, and the trailhead also offers access to Blue Hole, Alum Gap and Boardtree Falls. The water is refreshing, and swimming up to the falls (and sneaking behind) is magical. This hike is not too strenuous, though the stairs to lower falls (where this picture was taken) are steep, and often slippery. When there’s been a recent rain, you’ll get a gorgeous waterfall like in the pic, but the path may also be quite wet. Please note: The bottom is rocky, and it’s difficult to tell the depth. While you may see locals jumping, it’s not advised — An injury could lead to paralysis. It’s just not worth it!
Park here: Greeter Falls Road
Blue Hole | 1/2 mile each way
Instead of heading left at the trail head towards Greeter Falls, you also have the opportunity of taking a short walk to Blue Hole, a local favorite for warm weather swimming. It’s only ~ a half mile to Blue Hole, making it a great option for those with younger kids. Because of the short trail length, it’s also easy enough to carry plenty of supplies so you can hang all day.
Park here: Greeter Falls Road
Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park & Recreation Area
Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park is home to a prehistoric earth and stone enclosure, a swimming area, and plenty of hikes. This is a bit further of a drive than the other hikes, but it’s simply stunning. Download the Trail Map here.
“The Old Stone Fort was built during the Middle Woodland Period, 1,500-2,000 years ago. Native Americans used this area continuously for about 500 years, eventually leaving it abandoned. By the time European settlers arrived, it was unclear of what the area had been used for which resulted in it being misnamed as a fort. In 1966, the state of Tennessee purchased 400 acres of the Chumley estate as the core of what is now Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park.”
Park here: 732 Stone Fort Drive
Got another favorite hike?
Let us know any relevant details here, and we’ll get it added in. And hey, if you’re lucky, you might even spot some cool flora and fauna like this little (erm, big) guy over here.