Savage Gulf (TN)

**wsp_scott** · 12-18-2017, 14:22

Thanks to everyone who provided suggestions on this thread

We ended up meeting at the Collins West Trailhead decided to hike to Sawmill on the Collins Gulf trail down in the valley and then to hike back on the Collins Rim Trail when hopefully there would be better views.

We ended up not hiking that much because the Connector Trail is as bad as everyone says, very slow going in parts and very hard on knees and ankles. All though we both hated the boulder field at the south end of the Collins River valley, that just plain sucked. I wish we had hiked in on the way in because my ankles would not have been already beat up.

A couple highlight photos

Sutter Falls

Horsepound Falls

Fall Creek just up stream from the sink, kind of amazing that all this water just disappears underground

Schwoon Spring is the neatest place I have ever filtered water from

Ranger Creek Falls

View from the rim on the hike out

Savage Gulf is a very cool spot, I will definitely be back

A couple more photos/details here http://backpackandbeer.blogspot.com/...vage-gulf.html

**TrailSlug** · 12-18-2017, 19:54

Beautiful! That's more water than I've seen in the falls in a while. Last time I was at Swoon Springs we had to climb back in the opening and climb down to a small puddle for water. It wasn't a fun time.

Thanks for sharing these pictures with us and glad you had a good time.

**johnspenn** · 12-19-2017, 06:30

Really nice pics! I really need to get up there and hike. Thanks for sharing!

**TiedUp** · 12-19-2017, 13:33

Originally Posted by TrailSlug

Beautiful! That's more water than I've seen in the falls in a while. Last time I was at Swoon Springs we had to climb back in the opening and climb down to a small puddle for water. It wasn't a fun time.

Thanks for sharing these pictures with us and glad you had a good time.

LOL yea and how lucky we felt to find ANY water!

**TiedUp** · 12-19-2017, 13:38

Originally Posted by wsp_scott

Thanks to everyone who provided suggestions on this thread

We ended up meeting at the Collins West Trailhead decided to hike to Sawmill on the Collins Gulf trail down in the valley and then to hike back on the Collins Rim Trail when hopefully there would be better views.

So did you guys day hike this or stay at Sawmill overnight? That's quite an adventurous day hike! Gotta be 10 miles or so...

**TrailSlug** · 12-19-2017, 13:48

Originally Posted by TiedUp

LOL yea and how lucky we felt to find ANY water!

Isn't that the truth. That could have turned out bad considering it was August

Holler at me if you need a partner to check out that Cumberland Trail area. I'm off till New Years.

**Jaxx** · 12-19-2017, 13:49

Nice pics! I love Savage Gulf. Thanks for sharing.

**wsp_scott** · 12-20-2017, 09:23

Originally Posted by TiedUp

So did you guys day hike this or stay at Sawmill overnight? That's quite an adventurous day hike! Gotta be 10 miles or so...

We stayed at Sawmill for two nights and dayhiked to Ranger Creek Falls

**TNhunter** · 12-20-2017, 19:45

The rock field is definitely brutal at the end of a hike. And the stagecoach road is about as brutal as it gets at Savage Gulf. It ought to be called Kick Yout Butt Road.