What do Eagle Scouts, giant sandstone boulders and the Tennessee River Gorge Trust have in common?
They all came together to help form three new campsites near River Canyon Road.
The Pot Point Boulder Field campground opened in fall, but Eliot Berz, director of conservation and access for the trust, says that the new sites are already popular. Spots on the online reservation calendar have been filling up.
“We wanted to make it a beginner-friendly experience for those who haven’t gone backpacking before,” says Berz. The three campsites are all completely new, connected by a trail extension to the Pot Point nature loop – only a 1.4-mile hike from the parking lot to the campsites. The campground is accessible from the Pot Point Nature Loop and Ritchie Hollow Trailhead, with the trailhead located at 17805 River Canyon Road.
The sites were made possible by the Lyndhurst Foundation, Chattanooga Hiking Club, Black Creek of Chattanooga community and local Eagle Scout Ansel Brasel, who helped to build the third campsite as part of his Eagle Scout project. And they each have plenty of amenities, including a raised area for pitching tents, fire pits and picnic tables. Berz says there are plans for a composting privy, too.