Frozen
Head State Park
Mountain Bike Rides
Distance:
6.6 miles (1 way)
Time: 2 hours (1
way)
Rating: Strenuous
Elevation:
Campground 1360', fire tower 3324', 10% gradient first 3
miles! (2-way cumulative climb: 2900')
Maps: USGS Fork Mtn.
quadrangle and maps are available at the Park visitor center.
Access: Located
north of Highway 62 between Oliver Springs and Wartburg. Park
at the campground.
Click for a 3-D
map map (33K).
Description:
Frozen Head State Park is nestled in 12,000 acres in the back
of the valley of the Flat Fork watershed. Activities include
hiking, biking, camping, backpacking, and picnicking. It has
some beautiful wild flower hikes in the Spring. The gated jeep
road to the fire tower is dirt and climbs through a hardwood
forest and several sandstone seams. The views from the
firetower are spectacular, with the wilderness of the
Cumberland Mountains to the north and the Tennessee Valley to
the south.
From the campground (1460'), ride past the
gate on the jeep road at the end of the campground and climb
steadily (+1600') for 3 miles, then climb some more. At mile 5
(3020'), the trail from Coffin Spring comes in from the north.
At mile 6.2 (3080') the road to Armes Gap descends (2.4 mi) to
the left, and the road to the right climbs 0.4 miles to the
fire tower (3324'). View from fire tower looking southeast (
picture 49K).
An
alternate trail to the fire tower starts at Armes Gap (2139')
on Highway 116, north of Petros. Park at the gap at the top of
the ridge. Lift over the gate, and climb 2.8 miles to the fire
tower. To the east of the gap, Park land includes the west
face of Big Fodderstack.
