Cherokee Hiking Club
198 Crews Drive, Benton, TN 37307

Benton Falls Dayhike
Sunday, July 20, 2008

Brief Description:  

We will be hiking to Benton Falls atop Chilhowee Mountain just north of the Ocoee #1 dam. This is a short easy hike to a beautiful waterfall.

        Leader:  Edmond and Gail Gray, 423-336-1070       

        Length: 3.2 miles

        Difficulty: Easy

Directions to the Trailhead: Meet at the Medical Center Pharmacy in Cleveland at 1:30 PM or at the Ocoee Hardee's at 1:50 PM (wait for us if the pharmacy group gets there late). Or meet us at the trailhead up on Chilhowee Mountain a little after 2PM.

Post Trip Report: On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, July 20, 2008, a group of hikers left the parking lot at McCamy Lake on Chilhowee Mountain. It was not extremely hot, but the humidity was high. The views from the sides of the mountain on the trip up and down were not as good as usual due to haze. 

The falls were not as full as they are at other times, but there was water coming over the top and splashing to the bottom to cool off the hikers. The hike leader was Edmond Gray. Hikers were Gail Gray, Jerry Gregg and his granddaughter, Kellie Gregg, Rhea Black, Shirley Jones and her grandchildren, Josh and Rachel Howard, Aggie Scott, Bob and Effaleda Lee, Joanne Jackson, Jane Bohannon and Belinda Mantooth. Steve Mantooth met us in the parking lot on his mountain bike and later passed us on the trail. 

The youngsters on the hike enjoyed an educational trip back from the falls, discussing political science and literature. Shirley and Edmond and Gail had a chance to discuss square dancing at the falls. Belinda discovered that Edmond and Steve had both had birthdays on Saturday, July 19. Jane was back in her usual sandals, so we knew all was right with the world. 

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