Destinations

Climbing

Foster Falls, Tennessee
How to get there:
From Chattanooga, take I-24 West and exit on TN 28 for Jasper. Then, follow the
sign to US 41 to Tracy City. Look for the Foster Falls entrance on your left between the mile markers
8 and 9. From Nashville, take I-24 East and exit at Monteagle. Take the US 41 to Tracy City, then direction
Jasper. Look for the Foster Falls entrance on your right between the mile markers 8 and 9.
From the parking, the best is to take the trail left of the shelter and make a left at the rim. Walk for 2
minutes, passing the overlook and go down at the sign "To base of falls". Traverse the creek on the
bridge and walk left along the cliff. You'll pass 4 climbs not in this guide before you reach the first
big area.
When: From Autumn to Spring.
Sleep: There is a pay camping at Foster Falls parking.
Guidebook : The Dixie Cragger's Atlas by Chris Watford, Market Place Press.

Clarksville, Tennessee
How to get there: Take I-40 East towards Nashville. Take exit 143 (Loretta Lynn) towards 13 North. Stay on 13 and go through
stoplight in Waverly. Continue to follow signs for 13N. When 13 deadends, go left on 13. Turn right on Max
Court at car wash. Locate sign that says “Kings and Queens Bluff.” Park in lot below gate. You must unlock the
combination lock.
Tips: Clarksville has a variety of sport routes. Temp of area is 5 – 10 degrees warmer than city temp. Great area
for winter and spring. Hot in summer. Be sure to bring bug spray in late spring and summer. PLEASE DO NOT
LITTER. Abuse of this area can result in loss of climbing privileges for everyone. Guidebook is Little Crimpers.

Jamestown Crag, Arkansas
How to get there:
I-40 to I-55N towards St. Louis
I-55N to Hwy 64W Marion/Wynn AR
64W to 230 (This is a left turn onto a street next to Southside Church of Christ.)
Follow 230 to Locust Grove Rd. (This is a right at the small red building.)
Turn left at Jamestown Loop Rd. (You will see a sign pointing to Jamestown Wildlife Mgmt. Area)
Pass Largo St. and turn right on gravel road about 3.5 miles from start of Jamestown Loop Rd.
Follow this gravel road as far as your car will make it. Do not try and go further if you start getting bogged down, you will get stuck. When you park move to the side as much as possible. Depending on where you parked, it is a 15 – 20 minute walk down to the trail. Follow the trail to the right or left and boulder down.

Sam's Throne, Arkansas
How to get there: Sam's Throne is on Hwy-123 between Lurton and Mt Judea (pronounced Mt Judy) and the main
parking area is clearly marked by a nice new wooden Forest Service sign. Currently (10/2005) the main parking area is under construction so be prepared to park elsewhere. Details on parking and the trails was posted on the wooden sign.
General Information: Sams Throne is located about 50 miles north of Russellville, AR and offers a wide variety
of climbing experiences from 5.5 toproping to hard sport and trad climbing (There also happens to be a 5.12D
TOPROPE problem!). Very user friendly especially for the begginer, toprope anchors can be found on nearly
every route. The Sam's Throne Area, located in the valleys surrounding Mt. Judea, is a little overgrown. Moss and
lichen, as well as dirt, bugs, and vines clog a majority of the routes. But, this is climbing in Arkansas (Mt. Magazine
Excepted). Also in the Sam's Throne area are: Valley of the Blind/Deliverance, Cave Creek, and Rickett Mountain.

Jackson Falls, Illinois
How to get there:
Take I-55N towards St. Louis.
Hit I-57N (NE) Exit 66A
Take Hwy. 146E at the Vienna Exit 130
Take Hwy. 45N or E (left)
NOTE: This would be a good time to stop and get water and food if you haven’t already. This will be the only
grocery store near you other than the general store, which has a limited selection at best. But they do have good BBQ when they feel like cooking it! Go about 11.5 miles and turn right onto Ozark road. (Look for the Ozark general store on the left, and turn right immediately after.) Stay to the left through the first split. Then at the next split, stay to the right. Go past the church on the right side and Trigg Tower Rd. on right. Continue on this road till you see the cemetery on the left. Take a left where the road makes a “T”. There will be a farm soon after on the Right with a gravel road. Take that gravel road all the way down to the campgrounds, BUT be careful, this is a one lane road with a lot of blind spots. Follow this road for about 1.6 miles till you get to the bottom of the steep hill. Turn right before the creek bed to get to the climbers campground. NOTE: If you do not want to be kept up at night or want privacy it would be a good idea to stay on the gravel road and continue up the hill, there are plenty more camp sites that may not be as “lively” during the later hours.
Tips: Vienna is the only place to get groceries and other supplies. There are NO climbing shops in the area, so bring everything you need and then some just in case. There are some really good places to eat in town as well if you get sick of cooking and none of them are fancy, so do not worry about cleaning up.

Drapers Bluff. Illinois
How to get there:
Take I-40W to I-55N till I-57 to Chicago.
Exit onto I-57 and stay on it till the Lick Creek exit..
Take that exit and go right and travel through town approximately 2-3 miles. Drapers Bluff appears on the left and be careful to look on the left for a small gravel parking lot. Park and sign in at covered shelter then follow the trail to the bluff.

Tips: Draper’s is private property, so you must be quiet and careful; the owners’ home is nearby. You must sign in and out of the book located in the shelter at the entrance. The routes here are mostly Trad, but there are some sport routes. However, it is easy to set up top ropes. Look for large cracks to scramble up in order to set up top ropes. Please do not litter, since this is private land we could all lose climbing privileges if you do not pack everything out.

 

Paddle

Ghost River Canoe Rentals -  901- 485-1220 Canoe and Kayak rentals

WWW.AMERICANWHITEWATER.ORG -RIVER DESCRIPTIONS, RIVER LEVELS, RIVER PRESERVATION
WWW.WOLFRIVER.ORG -TRIP DIRECTIONS, RIVER MAPS,RIVER DESCRIPTIONS,COMMUNTIY ACTIVITIES WWW.MEMPHISWHITEWATER.COM -LOCAL PADDLERS,LINKS TO BOATING WEB SITES,PICTURES
WWW.BOATERTALK.COM -ONLINE FORUM

Wolf River

1. Ghost River Section - This beautiful 11 mile canoe float features abundant wildlife and a magnificent cypress swamp. The well-marked trail is perfect for moderately experienced canoeists. Beginners contact the Wolf River Conservancy for group trips. Outdoors Inc has maps and rentals. This section starts at LaGrange Rd. south of town and takes out at Bateman bridge on Bateman Rd.

2. Bateman Bridge to Moscow Section - This 7 mile float is similar to the Ghost River but less technical and better for beginners. The put in is at Bateman bridge and takes out at the hwy 57 bridge at Moscow.

3. Shelby Farms - This 3.5 mile trip through the Lucius Burch Natural Area in Shelby Farms is an often overlooked option for a quick afternoon getaway. It can be difficult to believe you are paddling through a city of a million people. The put in is on the west side of Germantown Pkwy. Wolf River Conservancy (901) 452-6500  Wolf River Canoe Rental (901)877-3958

Mississippi River - Shelby Forest to the Memphis Riverfront - This 18 mile trip begins at the north end of Shelby Forest and ends at the historic cobblestones in downtown Memphis, or Auction St. bridge.

Mud Island Boat Ramp to Memphis Riverfront - This classic float for experienced paddlers is a 3.5 mile run, which can be made more adventurous with a crossing to the Loosahatchie bar on Arkansas side. There is a great beach for leg stretching or a picnic, and a 50 acre lagoon with excellent bird watching. Passing under the Hernando Desoto bridge in a canoe or kayak is an experience not soon forgotten. Put in is at the boat ramp on the north end of Mud Island and take out at the cobblestones or the ramp underneath the Auction St. bridge.

Memphis Harbor - This is an excellent place to paddle out of the current and usually out of the wind. Take care to avoid other boat traffic. Put in at Auction St. bridge, paddle south to the Mississippi River(1.3 miles) or north to the back of the harbor, 1.8 miles.

Lake Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge - Lake Wapanocca is a medium sized lake about 30 minutes from downtown Memphis. It has many large old cypress trees and is very similar to Reelfoot Lake on a smaller scale. The bird watching and fishing are excellent. Take I-55 north to hwy 42 and the town of Turrell. Follow the signs to Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge (870)343-2595

Hatchie River - hwy 76 to hwy 70 - The Hatchie River is a meandering unchanneled river similar to the upper Wolf River. The section is entirely covered by the Hatchie Wildlife Refuge and contains many species of flora and fauna. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has reintroduced river otters to the area and they are thriving. This float is 8 hours but can take a full day at low water. The best time is October through May. The put in is the hwy 76 bridge near Brownsville and I-40. The take out is the hwy 70 bridge.

Hyde Lake in Shelby Farms - Located on the north side of Hyde Lake near the main entrance to the Park, the Hyde Lake Boat House has canoes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards available for rent during spring and summer months. If you have your own boat, a new boat launch ramp is located on the north edge of the lake in Heart of the Park, just off Great View Drive North. Motorized watercraft are not permitted, but kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, sailboats and other personal watercraft (14 feet or less) are encouraged.     

 

Bike

Mountain Bike Trails

1. Shelby Farms: Tour de Wolf Bike Trail
Point of Departure: Visitor Center, Shelby Farms Park This 5.5-mile rolling off-road loop features beautiful sections
of hardwood single track and wide open prairie grass. The trail is marked with signage and is well suited for the
beginner or experienced mountain bike rider.  Information: Visitor Center, 901-382-2249 or
Outdoors Inc Midtown Bike Shop 901-722-8988 

2. Shelby Farms: Chickasaw Bike Trail
Point of Departure: Visitor Center, Shelby Farms Park This 3 mile paved trail starts at the visitor center and leisurely
winds its way around Shelby Farms. The path is open to pedestrian and rollerblade traffic, so slower, more cautious
riding is advised. Information: Visitor Center, 901-382-2249
Outdoors Inc Midtown Bike Shop 901-722-8988 

3. Shelby Farms: White Trail
Point of Departure: Under the Walnut Grove Road bridge at the Wolf River Formerly known as the "Rainbow Trail"
this off-road trail runs for 4 miles through technical and narrow single track. The trail starts under the Walnut Grove
Bridge at Germantown Road. Round trip is 8 miles, so bring water and spare tubes. Information: Visitor Center, 901-382-2249
Outdoors Inc. Cordova bike Shop 901-755-2271


4. Herb Parsons Lake Trail
Point of Departure: Park office Herb Parsons State Lake. Take Macon Road east past Fisherville, turn right on Fisherville Lake Road, then follow signs.This 6.5 mile mountain bike trail includes several technical free crossings as it
winds its way around Herb Parsons Lake. Watch for poison ivy in the summer and early fall. Directions - Information: Visitor Center, 901-850-0378

5. Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
If you are interested in a scenic road ride around the Chickasaw bluffs of the Mississippi River, Shelby Forest State
Park is a great starting point. Located 5 miles North of Memphis. This state park offers moderate to hard climbs up
and down the river bluffs with beautiful vistas of the river. Point of Departure - Shelby Forest Visitor Center
Information: Visitor Center, 901-876-5215

6. Stanky Creek
Point of Departure: Parking lot off Yale Road, Bartlett. Take Covington Pike north, turn right on Yale, go to trail
head on left side of road.Memphis? newest collection of mountain bike trails, affectionately called Stanky Creek, is a
collection of quick-turning single track in the heart of Bartlett. This trail system was the host of the first 12-hour bike race in the city.

7. Arkabutla Lake
This 5-mile loop that leaves picnic area 761 is scenic out-of-town mountain bike ride that offers beautiful fall colors for
those willing to drive 45 minutes South. Point of Departure - Picnic area 761, Arkabutla Lake Directions - I-55 South
to Hernando, 304 West to Eudora, South 301 to Pratt Road follow signs Information: Corps of Engineers, 662-562-6261

8. Mississippi River Trail: Memphis to Points North
Point of Departure -I-40 Memphis Welcome Center, on Riverfront Drive just south of I-40
Go cycling and dreaming along Ol? Man River. This road ride begins at the Welcome Center, passes the Pyramid, and
runs north along shaded country roads. This ride in its entirety is 177 miles long and passes such points of interest
as Alex Haley¹s boyhood home in Henning (72 miles) and the Fort Pillow Battlefield (88 miles). Most of the roads are
paved, but flooding may affect surfaces from time to time. The 2,000-mile MRT has been awarded Millennium Trail
status, one of only 20 in the nation. Information: Mississippi River Trail , 901-753-1400
Memphis Hightailers Bicycle Club, 901-853-0378

9. Mississippi River Trail: Memphis to Helena, AR
This is a newly marked part of the MRT going south, 80 miles, to the historic river town of Helena, AR.

 

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