View Full Version : AT crossing at I-40
So, soon my buddy and I will be heading out for a hike and our end destination is at I-40. My wife and kids will be there to pick us up, so I am wondering if the trail is marked easy enough for her to find it without much trouble and is there a spot for her to pull over and wait for us. I would like to try and plug it into my GPS for her if at all possible, just to make it a bit easier for her. Thanks for the help.
Tennessee Viking
06-16-2012, 23:26
The AT is right off the Waterville Road (451) exit. Going trail-south , it crosses the Pigeon River bridge then heads up hill. Going trail-north, it goes under the interstate then goes up the hillside. If you continue going up the road (Green Corner Rd) you will come to Standing Bear Hostel.
The AT is right off the Waterville Road (451) exit. Going trail-south , it crosses the Pigeon River bridge then heads up hill. Going trail-north, it goes under the interstate then goes up the hillside. If you continue going up the road (Green Corner Rd) you will come to Standing Bear Hostel.
Thanks, but I am still a little confused...so the trail goes under I-40? Meaning that she will have to exit off of I-40 to another road to meet us either N or S of I-40?
EDIT:
NM...I think I see what you are talking about...correct me if I am wrong, but is there a tiny bit of road hiking through here? Or maybe where the trail follows a road under the Interstate for a moment?
yes the trail goes under HWY 40 at an overpass over Waterville Rd.... I have met hikers here easily. The hiker can wait in the shade underneath, and it is easy to find. Right at the stateline, just before the construction heading west....
It's exit 451 and it's easy to come up on it too fast too make a safe exit. Tell your wife to watch the mile markers to know when she's getting to it.
Just tell her to get off on the Waterville Rd. exit and park at the bottom of the ramp somewhere. You'll walk right up to her. There is absolutely no way to not see her unless you are 100% blind.
Odd Man Out
06-17-2012, 10:50
Have you tried using Street View on Google maps. I always do this when planning to find a very specific location I have never been to before so I can know what to look for. Right now, the Street View pictures at this location are a bit overexposed, but they actually show the AT on the street view. People who know the area better can tell you if the current Street View pictures are accurate.
Here is where the AT comes out of the woods at the corner of Tobes Creek and Waterville Road (actually how it would if hiking south into the woods).
http://goo.gl/maps/UcKL
From there the trail follows Tobes Creek Road over the river. Just on the north side of the bridge, the exit ramp from the highway (East Bound) comes in from the left. Here is what it looks like from the bridge looking north.
http://goo.gl/maps/itP4
At the end of the bridge, North Bound hikers follow Green Corner Road to the right, up the hill to the highway underpass. Here we are approaching the underpass.
http://goo.gl/maps/vgaZ
After the underpass, the exit ramp from West Bound I40 comes in from the right. The trail goes straight and re-enters the woods off Green Corner Road just after the exit ramp. (Street View doesn't go up there yet).
http://goo.gl/maps/5qIi
Or you could just say the trail goes under an I-40 overpass and you walk right in front of both east and west exit ramps... :)
If you can find your car in your own driveway you can find someone trying to pick you up at that exit.
WingedMonkey
06-17-2012, 12:29
Or you could just say the trail goes under an I-40 overpass and you walk right in front of both east and west exit ramps... :)
If you can find your car in your own driveway you can find someone trying to pick you up at that exit.
Do you have an app for that?
:sun
HeartFire
06-17-2012, 17:31
Exit 451 is the last (first) exit in Tennessee. Its right on the border with North Carolina - yes the trail does a bit of a road walk there - under the highway. Very easy to park and wait right there, very little traffic, room to pull off the road - if you went north on Waterville rd you would end up at Standing Bear hostel.
Hi Stick
Where the AT crosses underneath I- 40, there is an abundance of parking. If your wife gets off at the Waterville Rd. Exit, she will turn towards the south, (over the river). Right after the river, there is plenty of roadside parking. The AT joins the road here, before it crosses under I-40 and heads up towards Standing Bear Hostel. Have a great hike!
Take a look at this site: http://postholer.com/gmap/gmap.php?trail=at
You can zoom in to the AT - I40 crossing and get an idea of what it looks like from the satellite photos.
Wow...didn't realize this was still going...I had posted a comment (or thought I had) after moytoy up there, but for some reason, it must not have went though... (maybe I forgot to hit the "Post" button, but I know I typed it all up...)
Anyway, I got it all figured out and have the markers in the GPS now so my wife will know exactly where to go!
Thanks for the help everyone.