The Honorable Stancil Ford Overlook at Panther Creek State Park – See Cherokee Lake, Clinch Mountains and more! You don’t have to hike to this overlook, unless you want to. This weeks Travel Thursday will take us to Panther Creek State Park to the Overlook.
The Honorable Stancil Ford Overlook at Panther Creek State Park
I have been to Panther Creek State Park only a couple of times. This was maybe my third time. One of the times, my daughter and I went on a hike (in 2012). Another time, I think we just drove up and then back down. This time, I drove a little further up and we got to see an overlook. You could see Cherokee Lake and even Clinch Mountain. Heather & I went to The Overlook at Panther Creek State Park in November 2017.
My most recent visit and encounter with Pathfinders
The mom talked to me a bit about Pathfinders and then told me about Hacksaw Ridge. She told me about someone in her family was friends with the actual guy the story is about. While we were there, I got to talk to some Seventh Day Adventist boys and mom. I thought they were Boy Scouts, but they weren’t. They weren’t Trail Life either. This one was similar, but for the Seventh Day Adventist. They were called Pathfinders. The Pathfinders allow both males and females in their origination.
Info Signs
As you can see there are info signs at The Honorable Stancil Ford Overlook at Panther Creek State Park. The info board tells you what you are looking at in several spots long the overlook. It also orients us to where special things are to look at in various directions. Some of those are Norris Lake, Powder Springs Gap, Clinch River, Cherokee Dam, Richland Knobbs, Rutldge, Buzzard Knobb, Log Mountain, Avondale Lookout Tower (that might be something to go check out), Tazewell, Notchy Gap, Cumberland Gap, Beans Gap & Thorn Gap, and Copper Ridge.
Another info sign tells about farming being an essential part of life in the Panther Springs community. It also talks about the construction of Cherokee Dam of 1940. Plus, another info sign explains how the community became known as Panther Springs. Plus some inserts of Kate Livington’s diary. One example is from Friday, December 25, 1863. The entry reads …
“Christmas, rather cold & cloudy. Mr. Young, Shelton and McCutheron left about 11 o’clock. A great many soliders were there. ‘Tis the first Christmas we ever spent under the sound of cannons.”
Yes, there are more info signs here. Another one tells you about the valley before as heart of the Cherokee Indian tribal until the 1700’s along with the “Indian River” being known as “Hogoheegee”. Plus another info sign has some leaves to help you identity what types you see at the site.
Another Overlook Close by
On the other hand, you can go to the Veteran’s Overlook and look down from Clinch Mountain onto Bean Station and Parts of Cherokee Lake.
Entry of Panther Creek State Park
At the entry of Panther Creek State Park you will get to see an owl. The owls name is Theodore “Teddy” Rossevelt. Teddy is a Barred Owl or known as a Hoot Owl. They believe he was born around 2011. In 2016, they found Teddy lying on Interstate 40 near Crossville, TN. He flew into a car causing some major injuries. One of them is blindness. Teddy most recently came to Panther Creek State Park February 2017, where he will reside for the rest of his life.
Plus, you can see some Eagle Scout projects that were done near the entrance too.
More info
Panther Creek State Park is located in Morristown, TN.
tnstateparks.com/parks/campground/panther-creek
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