BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Cool Pool At Bandy Creek - 06/30/10 07:37 AM
Not many national parks have an in-ground pool and, in fact, the Bandy Creek pool in Big South Fork is a rare amenity for a National Park Service campground.
With temperatures in the 90's this past week, the pool is getting a lot of use by campers, visitors to the area and local residents, all seeking relief from the heat.
Constructed in 1988 by the Army Corps of Engineers, the pool complex includes the main pool, a wading pool, restrooms, an outdoor shower, a playground with a volleyball court and a picnic shelter.

Day-use passes are a very reasonable $3 … (4 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: A Lot Of Round Bales Around Here - 06/28/10 10:04 AM
Big South Fork is horse country and there's a lot of haying going on around here at this time of year. The weather has been perfect…HOT and dry.
Most horse owners use traditional square bales which, weighing about 40-60 pounds, are relatively easy to handle and stack neatly in the barn but getting them to the barn is labor intensive. Those who do not own or have access to a flatbed trailer will not want to pick up hay in the field as it is baled, but will find a supplier who will quote them a price for hay bales, "delivered … (3 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Swim Or....Well....Sink - 06/25/10 07:03 AM
The picture on the left was taken on a wonderful 65-degree day last January, when my riding buddies and I packed a lunch and went for a long trail ride down the O&W.
The Oneida & Western Railroad has been defunct since the 50's and the rails have long since been ripped up, but the railbed remains and it makes a lovely long ride along the river. It's straight and level as far as you can see (and then some) so it's a favorite place for riders on gaited horses to "move out."
We stopped to tighten girths and give the … (3 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: A Little Altitude Will Improve Your Attitude A Little! - 06/23/10 07:16 AM
Once upon a time, before the advent of air conditioning, wealthy families summered in the mountains to escape the heat. In fact, it was common for the wife to take up residence in summer quarters with the children and perhaps a nanny, au pair or household help while the patriarch stayed at home to conduct business, commuting periodically.
That way of life is something most only read about, but those of us who actually live in the mountains do enjoy cooler temperatures than "flatlanders" sweltering below.
In fact, for every thousand feet of elevation, it gets about 3-5 degrees cooler. That's … (7 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Burn, Baby, Burn! - 06/22/10 09:55 AM
With 125,000 acres of wilderness in Big South Fork National Park, that's a lot of tinder, waiting for a lightning strike or a careless camper to start a wildfire.
Better to schedule a "controlled burn," a technique used by the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service to reduce fire hazard. Dead branches and dead leaves lying on the ground produce a very hot fire. Eliminating such fuel is a measure employed to prevent forest fires.
Detailed planning is the key. Burns are usually conducted during cooler months, usually in the spring here in the Big South Fork area. In … (2 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Stunning Station Camp Log Cabin - 06/19/10 08:26 AM
Pass through these gates with pride; you'll feel a warm glow every time you drive into your own private world. Fabulous log cabin, hidden from view, on 33 acres that is literally 2 minutes from Big South Fork National Park with direct access to trails. 

If you are on the Kentucky side of Big South Fork or are coming to Big South Fork from points north, end your journey in Oneida and save yourself trailering through the gorge.

Here you'll find comfortable country elegance on three levels, each with its own deck and a wonderful outdoor fireplace.

Inside, … (8 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: River Park Retirement Has It All! - 06/18/10 11:55 AM
Are you ready to retire where the taxes are low, the cost of living is low and the crime rate is low? How about four distinct seasons with mild winters? River Park retirement has it all!
How about living in an equestrian community with a mile of common-area frontage where you can ride along the river? Swim? Fish? Plan family reunions or parties in the picnic pavilion?

River Park is aptly named, with 8 miles of custom-designed horse trails winding throughout and community use of 125 acres of recreation area. There's great fishing, too, on the North Prong of the … (6 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: The American Chestnut, An American Tragedy - 06/14/10 08:40 AM
Do you remember the words in that Christmas carol, White Christmas… "chestnuts roasting on an open fire?" Think about it…you've probably never even seen a chestnut tree! Trail riders in the Big South Fork National Park often pass a sign on Duncan Hollow Road advising them that they are passing an "American Chestnut Field Laboratory" but most probably haven't paid any attention to it.
It's a collaborative project by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, the National Park Service and the University of Tennessee.
At one time, there were over three billion American chestnut trees, which comprised a quarter of the hardwoods … (5 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Take Cover On The Trail - 06/07/10 07:52 AM
With summer's hot, humid weather come the seasonal thunderstorms. If you're an avid trail rider, you're in a high-risk group for being a victim of a lightening strike. Savvy trail riders check the weather before setting out and usually carry a waterproof poncho because pop-up thunderstorms often occur, even when precipitation has not been forecast.
These unexpected storms sometimes include high winds, hail and lightning and riders will need to take cover on the trail. How worried should you be when you're out riding and you see black clouds gather and hear the rumble of thunder… and what can you do … (8 comments)

SPEECHLESS SUNDAY: Truck Topiary - 06/06/10 01:34 PM

This truck is parked in a field next to the National Guard Armory in Jamestown, Tennessee, south of town.
Doesn't look like it's seen active duty in...quite a while!
Better get a look while you can; that vine will obliterate it in no time and you'll never know there's a truck in there.
… (17 comments)

 
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Leslie Helm/Real Estate For Trail Riders

Jamestown, TN

More about me…

Tennessee Recreational Properties

Address: 515 Trailhead Lane, Jamestown, TN, 38556

Office Phone: (866) 731-7268

Cell Phone: (931) 704-3407

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I live minutes from the Cumberland Trailhead into Big South Fork National Park, in Spruce Creek Acres, an equestrian community that abuts the park itself. Horses are a major part of daily life here and this is a very active, supportive horse-oriented community. It is a gift to work as a realtor here, listing horse properties and selling horse properties to horse people! We joke that I've probably done more real estate on horseback than off! If you want to "live where you love to ride," let me help you find YOUR Big South Fork horse property .


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