East Tennessee's Mountain Views

August 31, 2009

The American Hiking Society is supporting the Watershed Association of the Tellico Reservoir (WATeR) program to build the East Lakeshore Trail on TVA land along Tellico Lake. The National Trails Fund grant of $3,700 is being used to build bridges on the newest sections of the trail: the Jackson Bend, Lotterdale Cove and Sinking Creek branches.

"This happy news followed a very successful year in 2008," says Bob Martin, Trail Chairperson. Thirty-two volunteers contributed 1,405 hours of work on the trail, excluding many hours of routine maintenance provided by adopt-a-trail volunteers, and numerous planning and administrative tasks. "Last year we also added five fence stiles (two of which were built by TVA), installed signs, stairs, and timber-treads, benches, and many landscape timbers to outline the trail in certain places. A new bulletin board kiosk was put up at the Sinking Creek Trailhead," says Martin.

During the unseasonably cool and beautiful days this summer, the crews have done serious trail building, completing about two miles. They built new 12-, 14-, and 16-foot bridges, using the American Hiking Society grant monies.

On July 6, tools and three 16-foot bridge stringers were brought to Sinking Creek Branch by boat, and then the workers were ferried over to the trail from the Coytee boat landing. Gene Brownell, Ken Hogwood, Oscar Lidstrom, Larry Benson, and Bill Blacklock installed two railroad tie headers and set the three main beams for the 16-foot bridge. The rest of the crew for that day, Ernie Johnson, Bob Martin, Mel Fisher, Jim Blaker, James Oletzke, Chris Petill, and Larry Smart, cleaned and reworked and removed windfalls on the trail.

Martin says a large number of people have worked on the trail. "These dedicated and hard working WATeR volunteers are creating a marvelous nature trail along Tellico Lake’s south shore. There are now 16.3 miles of mostly level, beautiful, marked lakeside hiking paths, complete with signage, parking, stiles, benches, bridges and steps to ease the way," says Martin.

WATeR is an all-volunteer, nonprofit association which seeks to protect and improve the environment in the Tellico Reservoir Watershed. To get directions and see guides to trails, go to the WATeR web site, www.tellicowater.org. To join the trail building crews or volunteer to maintain trails, call Bob Martin, 458-9233, or Larry Smart, 408-1541.