[choctawgolfer08]

Up until this trip I had only been car camping. My cousin invited me to go on his Sunday school class' annual camping trip in eastern Tennessee. My schedule was clear when they had the trip planned so I decided to go. I purchased a new sleeping bag, backpack, and hiking boots and set out for the weekend adventure. We arrived at Virgin Falls Park area around 11 p.m. Friday night. We hiked 2 miles in the darkness to our first campsite, Big Laurel Falls. We set up camp around 1 a.m. and went to sleep shortly after. The next morning we woke up, ate breakfast, tore down camp and headed to our next site, 2.85 miles further in. We arrived at Virgin Falls campsite around 12 p.m. and went ahead and set up camp. After setting up we ate some lunch and started a fire. After everyone was settled in some of us did some exploring. We went into a cave, hiked some trails, found a geocache, and headed back to camp. After supper we had a devotional and just visited until close to midnight. We got in bed to let our bodies prepare for the hike out the next morning. And prepare they needed to. The 4.85 trek out was pretty difficult but we made it. This was a great trip with a great group of guys. Just wanted to share this positive experience with y'all.

P.S. Virgin Falls is the only waterfall that flows out of a cave and into another cave.

Big Laurel Falls



Virgin Falls



Inside the Cave



From Inside Shooting up and out

 

[sidroski]

Looks like ya'll had a good time. Those boots and stuff will come in handy so put them together with some essentials and you got a good BUG out kit. Great Pic's.

 

[choctawgolfer08]

Needless to say i'm hooked. I had to share some stuff with my cousin as I did not have all the equipment but I have compiled a list of STUFF i need and have started buying said stuff. I am going to take my fiance car camping soon to try to get her into it. I want to take her there.

 

[NRA_guy]

Neat! My family used to tent camp a good bit.

Your story reminds me of what we experienced more than once:

Tent campers would have their tents up and a campfire going by dark and turn in soon afterward.

Then about midnight some guy would pull into the campsite with his family and a brand new tent that he had bought and never put up before.

In those days a tent came with 11 hundred aluminum poles and each pole was in 3 or 4 pieces. Most pieces were NOT interchangeable. And assembling one of these in the dark with a flashlight while your wife reads the instructions can be traumatic.

First thing you'd hear was a bunch of clanging as he dumped all the aluminum pole pieces out of the bag onto the ground.

Eventually, after much loud frustration they would sleep in the vehicle.

Old time campers hated this kind of disturbance but tolerated it because we had all been there at one time.

Camping is lots of fun if you are with the right folks---but miserable if some think camping means "Holiday Inn".

And tent camping in cold rainy weather is NEVER fun.

 

[RIVERBILLY]

looks lik great fun

 

[captain-03]

Sorry, but my army experience was enough for me. I now prefer the comforts of a hotel when sight-seeing. Please do not take this the wrong way. Those who enjoy it - really enjoy it and I am glad that they do! Have fun!

BTW: Really looks like a pretty place!

 

[choctawgolfer08]

Yea I found out it's not for everybody. I had a blast though. This was a great place for a first trip.

 

[NRA_guy]

Campers are 99.9% good people. No thiefs; considerate of others.

But mixing tent campers with those folks in $250,000 motor homes that run generators, satellite TV, air conditioners all night makes for trouble in paradise.

It's bad enough that they have indoor toilets and showers with hot water.