Buck Bald

0

In order to properly appreciate the landscape that surrounds you as you travel through eastern Tennessee, you really need to find a viewpoint that’s above the trees.  A short drive to the top of Buck Bald will do the trick quite nicely.

Buck Bald is just a few miles off TN Hwy. 68 (on Forest Road 624, about 4 miles if I remember correctly).  There is a sign at the turnoff.  Buck Bald is just a few miles south of the town of Coker Creek, which claims it as one of its local attractions.  You can view the town’s website here.

Buck Bald is 2,348 feet above sea level, meaning you’ll have to climb about 500 feet from the elevation of Route 68.  The top of the mountain is naturally treeless, and it’s the former site of a fire tower.

I can only assume that C-15 is some reference to the old fire tower that once stood here.  The letter and numbers are written in concrete.

There’s not a lot to do at the top of Buck Bald, once you’ve taken in the scenery and enjoyed a picnic.  So, do what dozens of local teens have done: grab a Sharpie, and leave your mark on this picnic table.

Note: This trip was first published in 2006.

No comments

You might also enjoy this...

Tufa Formations at Mono Lake

US 395 drops down from the mountains to pass Mono Lake, near the town of Lee Vining.  If you’re headed southbound, this great viewpoint will ...