The Great Stone Door Leads to Decatur’s Cabin

Stone Door Ranger Station Parking Lot

You will love this door. It’s big; it’s always open and it’s made of stone. How could it get any better? The hike to the “door” is almost like the hike Little Red Riding Hood made through the forest. It’s an easy path and it’s enjoyable. The door invites you, no allows you to walk through it, as if it were a huge hall.  There is, in truth, no door. It’s a wonderful walkway down what would otherwise be a gorge bluff.

Beyond the Stone Door, the path through the forest becomes something else. It’s steep and rocky in areas. My advice, hiker beware.

 

Stone Door Ranger Station

Before you even get to the Great Door, you will enjoy several vistas. But before I show you my photos, let’s get you to the Trail Head. If you are coming from Nashville or Murfreesboro continue southeast (East) on I-24. If you are coming from Chattanooga, take I-24 northwest (West). Exit at Monteagle, taking US 41 east and drive to Tracy City. Take TN Highway 56 (north). Continue 20 miles. Watch for the Stone Door Natural Area sign. Follow park directions to the Stone Door Ranger’s Station.  [More direct routes can be googled.]

Once there, the trail begins at the ranger station. We left the ranger station about 10 am. Temperatures were in the upper 60s. We didn’t go far (a 15 minute walk) before came to the Laurel Creek Overlook. There are fine views from this wooden platform.

Laurel Gulf Overlook

About a mile from the ranger station you reach a short foot bridge and area with many vast views of Collins watershed. You may not even realize it at first, but you have arrived at the Great Stone Door (aka the Stone Door). The descent through the door is just beyond the bluffs and vistas you first encounter.

Overlook adjacent to the Stone Door

Once you walk the steps down through the door new opportunities await you. You can of course return the way you came, but you also have other options. My hiking friends, Greg and Luke chose to hike on to the Decatur Savage Cabin (aka Cator’s Cabin). If you are so inclined, beyond the cabin about 6 tenths of a mile is the Saw Mill Campground. There you will cross the dry (I’m told) Collins River.

The Stone Door (looking down)

Looking up at bottom of the Stone Door

We spent a lot of time at the Stone Door. In part, because I left my trekking poles behind and Greg, the youngest and most fit member of the group, went back to retrieve them. I guess I still owe him for that. No, wait, I think I repaid his kindness. That’s another plot line.

Anyway, we spent a lot of time at the Stone Door, taking photos from the overlook and of the Stone Door itself. We left there about 10:40 am.

From the Stone Door we continued down the Stone Door Trail for nearly 1 mile when we arrived at the Junction of the Connector Trail, Big Creek Gulf (BCG) Trail and Stone Door Trail. It is about noon, but we aren’t ready to eat yet. We take the Connector Trail. Our goal is to eat lunch at Decatur Savage Cabin. Fifteen minutes later we hike over a swinging bridge (I’ll name it Swinging Bridge No. 1) and 45 minutes later, we hike over another swinging bridge (I’ll call Swinging Bridge No. 2).

We find the Connector Trail is somewhat challenging. It is steep and very rocky in sections. On the day we hiked the trail, daytime temperatures finally reached the upper 80s (or possibly low 90s) and the forest was dry. I recommend you take plenty of water with you or be prepared to filter or otherwise treat what little water you might encounter.

Junction of Three Trails: Stone Door, Connector and Big Creek Gulf

At 1:50 pm we come to the side trail leading to Decatur Savage Cabin. We take the trail and arrive there about 15 minutes later. At the cabin we eat lunch and explore the area. It’s an interesting site. The log cabin was built in 1910 and the site is very level. We are in the bottom of the valley. It is also, from the Stone Door to the cabin, about 3.9 miles.

Side Trail to Cator Savage Cabin

We leave Cator’s Cabin about 2:30 pm, thinking we would hike the short distance to the Collins River, but a dysfunctional hiking boot changed our plans. The sole of Greg’s boot came totally loose from his boot. It was good that someone brought about 3 and a half feet of duck-tape. Greg rolled all of the tape around the sole and the boot and along the back side. We weren’t sure if the repair would hold up over the return trip due to the rocky terrain. So instead of heading to Saw Mill Campground where the side trail joined back up to the Connector Trail we decided to head back the way we came (toward the Stone Door). We had really wanted to hike on to the river, but thought it best to be practical about it.

Cator Savage Cabin

At 3:20 pm we again cross Swinging Bridge No. 2 and 50 minutes later we cross Swinging Bridge No. 1. Our pace seems to have slowed a bit, mostly due to the heat. 25 minutes later we come to the Junction of the Connector, Big Creek and Stone Door Trails. Luke and I waited there awhile for Greg, who had fallen behind. Finally Greg caught up; he wasn’t feeling good with the heat.

Duct Tape and Boot Repair

After a good rest, we resumed our hike. This time Luke and I explored a rock shelter 20 minutes up from the Junction before we reached the long staircase that leads to the base of the Stone Door. It probably took us another 20 or 30 minutes after the rock shelter to reach the Stone Door. We waited another 15 minutes on Greg. It was about 5:30 pm and we were all tired and thirsty at this point.

Rock Shelter

We hiked on to Laurel Creek Overlook and then to Stone Door Ranger Station. This section took us 50 minutes, whereas when we hiked it earlier we did it in about 35 minutes. Though it was a late September day, we all drank much needed water at the Ranger Station. It was now nearly 6:20 pm. The duct tape was still intact, even after 3.1 miles. I’m counting this as my debt paid. Well, for the day we about hiked 7 miles, enjoyed some wonderful vistas and learned that duct tape can hold up pretty well when the going gets tough.

Scripture

Psalm 100.4 – Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.

Matthew 7.7 – Knock and the door will be opened to you.

Matthew 7.13 – Enter through the narrow gate.

Luke 13.24 – Make every effort to enter through the narrow door.

John 10.9 – I am the gate; whoever enter through me will be saved.

2 Corinthians 2.12 – The Lord opened a door for me (Paul).

Revelation 3.20 – I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.

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