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Lookout Tower and Prison Coal Mine

  • Sat, November 09, 2019
  • Frozen Head State Park

Join us on a hike in the Cumberland Mountains. We will park at Armes Gap on TN 116 and hike the coal haul road to the peak of Frozen Head mountain and the lookout tower. The distance is about 2.5 miles and the elevation gain is about 1180 feet. The fire tower was replaced by a very nice lookout tower with lots of room for viewing the countryside. On the way back we will take a side trail to the Brushy Mountain Correctional Complex coal mines where prisoners mined coal until sometime in the 1950s. This side trail is about .4 miles and relatively level.

Brushy Mountain Correctional Complex opened in 1896 and closed June 11, 2009. The prison was founded as a result of the aftermath of the "Coal Creek War," an 1891 lockout of coal miners that took place in Coal Creek, now Lake City, and Briceville, after miners protested the use of unpaid convict labor in the mines.

All of the distances and elevation changes are estimates based on a topo map. The total distance is about 5.8 miles which is a little shorter than most of our hikes.

We will meet in the Bearden Central Baptist Church parking lot for car-pooling and leave at 8:30 am stopping in Oak Ridge at the American Museum of Science & Energy, 300 Tulane Ave, and meeting in the parking lot nearest Illinois Ave. We will leave there at 9:00 am for those who would prefer to meet there. We recommend shoes to wear to and from the hike plus sturdy hiking shoes, other weather appropriate clothing, a snack, a drink and a camera. We recommend that riders in a carpool pay the driver 5 cents for each mile. Round trip distance

from Knoxville is 81 miles ($.05 x 81 = $4.05). From the AMSE, 43 miles ($.05 x 43 = $2.15).

After the hike plan on stopping on the way back for a meal and refreshments. For specific information about the hike please contact Tom before November 8 th at 588-5622 or leave a message or send an email to [email protected].



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"Knoxville Ski & Outing Club" is a 501(c)7 non-profit organization. PO Box 32773 Knoxville, TN 37930

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