Franklin State Forest

Franklin State Forest

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	Franklin State Forest
Location:	Tennessee
Nearest Town:	Monteagle
Directions to Trailhead:	I-24 to Monteagle, hwy 64 west to hwy 156, go south on 156 for approximately 5-6 miles to forestry office. Park in pull off in front of office, trail straight across hwy. Alternative trailhead is 2-3 miles down 156 at parking area on left (unmarked to my knowledge).
Trail Description:	The main trail that I know of runs along the bluff line and offers outstanding views of the valley below. From the trail that leaves from the forest office you will come to an intersection and you can ride either left or right. Either direction is an out and back singletrack. The trail to the left has the better singletrack but deadends after about 2 miles. The trail to the right is approximately 6 miles but contains some very technical sections. This section also crosses onto some doubletrack sections that can be included in your ride as well. If you stay above the bluff line your never that far from the hwy so explore a little.
Trail Length:	15-20 miles
Trail Type:	Singletrack
Skill Level:	Intermediate
Submitted By:	Scott

J from M'Boro Date: November 29, 2002 Trail Ridden: Please Select
Recommended Route: Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: I would really like to ride this trail. Could someone post directions on how to get there from Nash.(idiot proof) Appreciate it. Also is the trail open when wet.	Overall Rating:

Don from Los Angeles CA Date: November 11, 2002 Trail Ridden: Once a month
Recommended Route: See directions by Steve H Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: Nice trail, lots of fast sections and some technical up and down sections to add variety. This trail is fun and beautiful, I parked at the west end trailhead,marked by a wooden sign about 7 miles past station on left of road (North Side).Im not the greatest rider but still had a lot of fun on this trail, even beginners could ride this and walk the ups and downs.	Overall Rating:

Paul Disbennet from Murfreesboro, TN Date: March 7, 2002 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: I rode the west rim. I would recommend it, minus the hike-a-bike, to just about any rider. If you want to test you skills, try to ride the hike-a-bike. The guys from MOAB in M'boro can ride it. They're sick. Other recommended trails in the same area: Trails at St. Andrews School
Review: I can ride every inch of Hamilton Creek in either direction. I was still unprepared for the really tough stuff at FSF. The views were worth every bit of work that it took to get to the end of the west rim trail. Since it is only about an hour from Murfreesboro, and Hamilton Creek is 40 minutes, I'll be back to see more, and try to ride more.	Overall Rating:

Terry from Conyers, GA Date: September 18, 2001 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: I rode everything (Lake, waterfall etc) except for the West Rim. I ran out of daylight. I recommend the North Rim over the other two. I imagine that the West Rim would be great too (based on other reviews here). Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: The trail out to the lake is uneventful. If you proceed along the waterfall trail, be advised, it is steep and highly technical especially nearer the falls. The falls are pretty but not worth the hassle unless you are a strong rider. One other note, if you go from the lake over to the rim trails without passing back across the Forest Service compound, you will come to a sign at a split in the trail. The distance stated for the north rim from that point is NOT accurate. It says it is 2.1 miles to the end of the trail. I rode 3.5+ miles from that point and had to turn back because the sun was setting. I did notice another trail along the way that probably cut back to the FS compound and saved a mile of trail, but am not sure. The ride was great fun. I look forward to going back when I have time to attack the West Rim!	Overall Rating:

Austin G from Nashville, TN Date: June 12, 2001 Trail Ridden: Every few months
Recommended Route: I prefer the Northern Rim for the singletrack. If you take the Western Rim (right at the split when heading out) route, you will reach an unrideable area at about mile 5-however, if you are willing to keep going, there are some amazing views. This is a very fun area-it is a great option for Middle Tennessee. It was designed as a hiking area, I believe, and as such I think Columbia has a better trail design, but this place is more technical and has truly amazing views. The other I thing I really like about Monteagle is that you can come here on a 90 degree (in Nashville) June day and find the trail 15-20 degrees cooler than the city. Other recommended trails in the same area: If you don't mind ticks, Columbia (chickasaw trace) is a great workout.
Review: One caution-I rode this trail after three weeks of above average rainfall, and there were probably 15+ stream crossings. Three days of dry weather had not really dried things out a whole lot on the mountain. Several of these were rather deep, so be careful with your bottom bracket. There is a really nice guy who "works" in the main cabin, and he'll give you a map and some advice on the trails. If he is not there (usually the case in my experience), or if no maps are to be found, email me and I'll send you a jpeg of the forestry service map. This map is helpful for detailing the fire roads which enable you to bypass some of the really rocky parts of the trail.	Overall Rating:

Steve H. from Smyrna Date: April 29, 2001 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: This is the recommended route after following the directions submitted by Scott: I-24 East to exit 134, Hwy.41A, at Monteagle. Take 41A south apprx. 3 miles to Hwy. 156 south. Turn left onto Hwy. 156, directly across from Saint Andrews School entrance. From this point it is exactly 7 miles to Franklin State Forest Ranger Headquarters on right. The trail head is directly across the street, marked by a sign. Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: This trail is awsome and probably not for the beginner biker. The trail is marked by white paint blotches on the trees, making a convenient guide. The scenery is second to none in this area with breath taking overlooks and breath holding trails along the bluffs' edges. Lots of neat single track with some fast downhills and leg-eating uphills and some very technical approaches to very technical bottom washouts with very technical climbouts. Awsome! We logged 16 miles on this side of the road on 4-28-01 with the help of a map aquirred from the good folks at MOAB(murfreesboro outdoor and bikes). Without a map you will not know how to bypass the Hike-A-Bike section of this trail. There are lots of fire roads that can help you get out, though. HINT: to find your way out before high noon, go away from the sun, west, to find Hwy.156 and, ofcourse, toward the sun after high noon. Follow the gravel drive from the parking area, leading between the headquarters and the residence, to Swenson's Cove Trail. This one really kicked our butts after riding every mile on the other side of the road. There is a sign at the trail head with names and distances. Follow the trail to the falls to find a very cool and refreshing water fall but beware, this trail also has some sneaky, very technical downhill over rock formations. If you follow the trail from the falls, you'll get your butt kicked, too. This is unrideable for what seemed like at least a mile. This is a hiking trail and you must carry your ride over hellatious terrain, and then climb a thigh/glute burning hill back to the top of the falls, but, if you don't do it, you can't truthfully say you did. We only logged a little over two miles on this trail since cyclometers only work when the wheels are rolling. We also did a leg/glute burning, 5 mile ride from the fire tower back to the headquarters using the fire roads until, they spilled us out onto 156 for the remainder with a headwind. This was before the Falls ride. If you like testing yourself, or your bike, you won't be disappointed with these trails, regardless of how far you have come. SUGGESTION: arrive early, bring plenty of H2O and nurishment, bring a camera(or some type of compact video equip), and plenty of desire. If you are lucky, you will find someone at the headquarters and they will have a map for you. Also, several friendly dogs at the residence. They accompanied us on the Falls ride. Did I mention that these trails are awsome? We will be back! ps: I gave this trail a five star rating because I was so impressed with the scenery, and, I and my bike were constantly being challenged. I'm not a pro rider and I'm not a physical specimen. If you are pro and/or a limit pushing, athletic specimen, you may give this trail only four stars.	Overall Rating: