The Tennessee River Gorge is a 26-mile (42 km) canyon formed by the Tennessee River known locally as Cash Canyon. It is the fourth largest river gorge in the Eastern United States. The gorge is cut into the Cumberland Plateau as the river winds its way into Alabama from Tennessee. The Tennessee River Gorge was also known as Walden Gorge. Walden Ridge originally extended across the present path of the Tennessee River at the gorge to Sand Mountain.[1]
View of the gorge from Snoopers RockMap of the hazards in the river prior to the closing of the locks of Hales Bar Dam in 1913
The Tennessee River Gorge is home to endangered species like the mountain skullcap. Many archaeological sites have been discovered in the gorge that show that people have been dwelling in the canyon for at least 10,000 years.
Historyedit
Prior to the completion of Hales Bar Dam in 1913 and the subsequent raising of the water-level, the stretch of the Tennessee River flowing through the Gorge was notorious for its navigational hazards, whirlpools, eddies, shoals, and one huge rock. Beginning with Williams' Island and the sandbars on either side of it, these obstructions included Tumbling Shoals, the Holston Rock, the Kettle, the Suck Shoals, the Deadman's Eddy, the Pot, the Skillet, the Pan, and, finally, the ten-mile Narrows, ending with Hale's Bar. Of these, the Kettle, or the Suck as it is better known, at the mouth of Suck Creek is the most infamous, drawing notice from Thomas Jefferson, who had never been anywhere near the area, and lending its name to the entire stretch of treacherous river, which is also known locally by the name Cash Canyon.
As of 2018, 17,000 acres of land in the gorge out of 27,000 acres sought for preservation have been purchased or otherwise secured for conservation by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust, a non-profit conservation trust founded in 1981. The Trust also does scientific studies, develops trails, and conducts education efforts.[2][3] The Prentice Cooper State Forest is on the northern edge of the gorge.
Image galleryedit
Signal Point Looking East
Signal Point Looking West
Elder Mountain
Referencesedit
^Johnson, Douglas Wilson (1905). "The Tertiary History of the Tennessee River". The Journal of Geology. 13 (3): 194–231. Bibcode:1905JG.....13..194J. doi:10.1086/621220. S2CID 129511253.
^"Tennessee River Gorge Trust". Tennessee River Gorge Trust. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
tennessee, river, gorge, mile, canyon, formed, tennessee, river, known, locally, cash, canyon, fourth, largest, river, gorge, eastern, united, states, gorge, into, cumberland, plateau, river, winds, into, alabama, from, tennessee, also, known, walden, gorge, w. The Tennessee River Gorge is a 26 mile 42 km canyon formed by the Tennessee River known locally as Cash Canyon It is the fourth largest river gorge in the Eastern United States The gorge is cut into the Cumberland Plateau as the river winds its way into Alabama from Tennessee The Tennessee River Gorge was also known as Walden Gorge Walden Ridge originally extended across the present path of the Tennessee River at the gorge to Sand Mountain 1 View of the gorge from Snoopers RockMap of the hazards in the river prior to the closing of the locks of Hales Bar Dam in 1913 Contents 1 Ecology 2 History 3 Image gallery 4 References 5 External linksEcology editThe Tennessee River Gorge is home to endangered species like the mountain skullcap Many archaeological sites have been discovered in the gorge that show that people have been dwelling in the canyon for at least 10 000 years History editPrior to the completion of Hales Bar Dam in 1913 and the subsequent raising of the water level the stretch of the Tennessee River flowing through the Gorge was notorious for its navigational hazards whirlpools eddies shoals and one huge rock Beginning with Williams Island and the sandbars on either side of it these obstructions included Tumbling Shoals the Holston Rock the Kettle the Suck Shoals the Deadman s Eddy the Pot the Skillet the Pan and finally the ten mile Narrows ending with Hale s Bar Of these the Kettle or the Suck as it is better known at the mouth of Suck Creek is the most infamous drawing notice from Thomas Jefferson who had never been anywhere near the area and lending its name to the entire stretch of treacherous river which is also known locally by the name Cash Canyon As of 2018 17 000 acres of land in the gorge out of 27 000 acres sought for preservation have been purchased or otherwise secured for conservation by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust a non profit conservation trust founded in 1981 The Trust also does scientific studies develops trails and conducts education efforts 2 3 The Prentice Cooper State Forest is on the northern edge of the gorge Image gallery edit nbsp Signal Point Looking East nbsp Signal Point Looking West nbsp Elder MountainReferences edit Johnson Douglas Wilson 1905 The Tertiary History of the Tennessee River The Journal of Geology 13 3 194 231 Bibcode 1905JG 13 194J doi 10 1086 621220 S2CID 129511253 Tennessee River Gorge Trust Tennessee River Gorge Trust Retrieved 2018 12 29 https www tennesseerivervalleygeotourism org content tennessee river gorge dead link External links editTennessee River Gorge Trust Tennessee River Blueway35 01 41 N 85 32 42 W 35 028 N 85 545 W 35 028 85 545 nbsp This Hamilton County Tennessee geography related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This Marion County Tennessee geography related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This article related to a protected area in Tennessee is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tennessee River Gorge amp oldid 1072781952, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
