These two hikes are being combined to give a total hiking distance of about 6 miles. Piney Falls is a 3 mile round trip hike that features the 80 foot tall Upper Piney Falls. Stinging Fork State Natural Area is about 10 miles from Piney Falls and features a 35-foot waterfall and cascade at the end of the 1 ½ mile trail. Due to some elevation gain and possibly slick rocks, the hike is rated moderate. Wear boots, and bring water, lunch and snacks.  Depart at 9:00 AM CT at Trinity Tabernacle on Highway 127 South. For more information and to register, contact Jan & Dennis Barber at 931-839-6662 or [email protected].

The magazine Get Out Chattanooga recently featured an article about waterfalls in the Chattanooga area. The article included descriptions of three falls in the South Cumberlands: Laurel Falls near Dayton, Greeter Falls in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area, and... Bob Butters

When we asked in earlier posts about guest posts, Amy and Nate of the blog Marking My Territory were happy to help us out with a post. Below is their guest post for Appalachia & Beyond and in our opinion is a great post that leads us to remember some of the essentials about hiking with our...

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You may have taken the guided tour to see the cave at Russell Cave National Monument near Bridgeport, Alabama. But have you explored the 1.2 mile paved nature trail? The trail departs from the boardwalk to the cave, located behind... Bob Butters

The Georgia Land Trust has acquired 266 acres from a residential development in Johnson's Crook on the side of Lookout Mountain, near Rising Fawn, Georgia. Read more. Bob Butters

Plans are moving forward with the Moccasin Bend Gateway Project that will connect Stringer's Ridge and Moccasin Bend through a series of landscaped multi-use roadways, bike, and pedestrian paths. Read more. Bob Butters

For more information on listed Tennessee Trails Association Hikes, go to www.tennesseetrails.org/calendar.php. For all others, click on the name of the outing. Sundays in Jan. & Feb. 5-Points Weekly Rides (mtn. bike) SORBA Chattanooga Wednesdays in Jan. & Feb. 1... Bob Butters

Our hike will be the Burnt Mill Bridge loop near Rugby. It will be about 5 mi with moderate terrain. Depart from Cracker Barrel's rear parking lot at 8:00am CT. Figure $6 for gas. Check the Blog Tuesday after 6:00pm for changes or cancellations. Photos: Cheryl

On New Years Eve day, the weather was phenomenal, and considering it was likely going to be the last pretty day for a little while we decided to take full advantage of it and get out for a bit. Granted we've been out a couple times since the wee little one arrived almost two weeks ago, it's not...

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The 21st Sandhill Crane Festival will be held at the Hiwassee Refuge near Birchwood, Tennessee on January 14th and 15th. The sandhill cranes present quite a spectacle as they gather in large numbers, and if you're lucky, you might spot... Bob Butters

Everyone, let us introduce our newest addition to the family. Miss Dinah Marie Bird made her entrance into this world and stole all our hearts in an instant, at 5:56am on the morning of December 20, 2011. She weighed in at a very healthy 8lbs. 14.2oz. (I don't know what those ultra-light folks...

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Wow! So hard to believe it's mid-October already. The picture at left is from last fall (10-8-10). There is a bit more color now all around! The fall colors are pre-peak at this time, but with the rain, it might knock off some of the foliage. However, there should still be plenty of color for the next few weeks - but always dependent on the wind and other weather. You can get a sneak peak through the Sunset Marina webcam at Dale Hollow Lake. Nature lovers, I wanted to share a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the great outdoors. Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery on Lake Cumberland offers a wide variety of programs throughout the year. They still have a few sessions this year. Check out their event calendar at this link. Very informative and great for families and educators! You can also access thier webcam through their site - www.fws.gov/wolfcreek. Happy Autumn! Get out and enjoy nature today!

We’re Back!  We just released our 2010 Roane Alliance Annual Report which lays out a pretty convincing case that Roane County is well on its way to full economic recovery.  Read about our record number of net new jobs reported – more than 1,100 in just one year – along with other ‘good news’ items, including one of the most consistently low unemployment rates in the state, in the full report.

Every year at this time, The Roane Alliance releases an annual report to provide the community a snapshot of the economic sector in Roane County and to highlight the Alliance’s activities through the year. The complete report is now available, as well as a copy of the news release highlighting the job growth as well as other items in the report.

If you’d like any more information or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call Leslie Henderson, President/CEO at 865-376-2093 or e-mail at [email protected].