Hemlock Hollow-Changes

[The Cleaner]

As some of you know,in the last few years a place called Hemlock Hollow has been up&open near Allen Gap on the TN-NC section.They offer a variety of services some just for hikers.They have a few small cabins for rent and they have "Hostel" on their sign out front.I was in there last April and ther was a very limited supply of gear&hiker food.Well last week,the local paper"The Greeneville Sun"ran a one page story about HH.A lot of the article was about the owners and how they came here and got HH started.The story did mention thru hikers and some of them had mailed various flags which are now on display there.I've not been hiking much over the summer I don't like heat or bugs which we have had plenty this summer.So I thought I'd get out my mountian bike and ride up to HH from Greeneville.My GPS showed 17 miles and 1200ft elevation gain from my house in downtown G'ville.I arrived at HH at 12:45 only to find it closed.I was out of water and had planned on a big burger for lunch.One of the owners was there,working, and they said sorry but the newspaper story had some mis-information.They do have a web page and maybe it tells more correct info.Long story-short.They now are open Wed-Sun.-Noon-8pm.I'm assuming that during the spring hiker season they will have different hours.Well Hatie did give me a free bottle of water and I knew I could get something to eat down TN70 at the bottom of the mountian about 8 miles away.I made it there shortly ,ate a burger and made it home at 3:45 after riding a trip total 36.69 miles.Just wanted to update in case any southbounders or section hikers plan on a stop there.I'm sure one can get recent changes on theHH website(I have not checked it yet) and change plan if need be.I got the impression that the Kinseys are not experienced in this type of business and that they are on the learn as you go plan.So unless you want to find out the hard way ,like I did, e-mail HH before including them in your trip plan. Happy hiking to all.....

[The Cleaner]

I just checked-out their website.It lists cafe hours Wed-Sun.Doesn't say hours of operation for other services.Call before you go.

[wcgornto]

As a SOBO, this place was a godsend for me two years ago on November 10th, which was a Tuesday. there was a steady, heavy, bitter cold rain all day. I cut a planned 23 mile day short to 16 miles because of the rain and made my way to this place. Thankfully it was open. I don't remember any cafe, but the bunk house was open and I had it to myself with my soaked, dripping stuff. For me, it was the most valuable four weather detour I had based on timing, location and immediate need on the entire trail.

[wornoutboots]

Don't believe everything you read on here, Hemlock Hollow is a great place!!! Thisis a true family run business & Unfortunatley Hattie's husband has had very serious heart issues that would completely stop any other business, they are adoing everything they can & they do a top notch service. Please patronize this wonderful place. BTW why is it important how many miles you rode?? Jeeze : O /

[Marta]

Don't believe everything you read on here, Hemlock Hollow is a great place!!! Thisis a true family run business & Unfortunatley Hattie's husband has had very serious heart issues that would completely stop any other business, they are adoing everything they can & they do a top notch service. Please patronize this wonderful place. BTW why is it important how many miles you rode?? Jeeze : O /

How many miles he rode is important because it gives context to how much he needed water. Hemlock Hollow can be a nice place, but their hours of operation are somewhat capricious. It's good to know that beforehand.

[Tennessee Viking]

You rode your bike up TN 70...brave man.

[Rain Man]

BTW why is it important how many miles you rode?? Jeeze : O /

Why is it important that you know why it was important to him, us, et al?

Anyone, how old is this place? I hiked through there about 5 years ago, and never heard of it. If I had, I might have given them some business. Are they new, or did I just do a bad job of research that hike?

Rain Man

.

[Lazarus]

We stayed there in 2008. It was a really wet day with torrential rain, & we were happy to find it. Hattie & her husband were very accomodating, & we had a great stay.

[Tennessee Viking]

Rain Man,

Its just a couple years old from what I understand. Usually a lot of hikers will bypass it since they just stopped in Hot Springs. But its becoming a lot more popular on that long stretch after Hot Springs.

I only knew about it because of driving Upper Paint Creek Road/Viking Mtn Road to the top of the mountain. At first I thought it was just a motorcycle campground. But it has little cafe and rustic cabins. The burgers are delicious from what I here.

About a mile north of Allen gap, you cross dirt road at its dead end. Head down the road of .7-.8 miles to the main road , and across from that is Hemlock Hollow.

[The Cleaner]

You rode your bike up TN 70...brave man.

I went out TN351 though the Camp Creek area to USFS raod#98-aka Greene Mtn road.It's a nice gravel road with a gradual ascent up the mountian to the intersection w/Viking Mtn rd then down to HH.Was planning to return that way but had to make it to nearest country store since I was low on fuel(food in my stomach).In years past I have ridden same route but going to Hot Springs for lunch&returning to G'ville and that's a 60 mile round trip, for those interested....

[The Cleaner]

Don't believe everything you read on here, Hemlock Hollow is a great place!!! Thisis a true family run business & Unfortunatley Hattie's husband has had very serious heart issues that would completely stop any other business, they are adoing everything they can & they do a top notch service. Please patronize this wonderful place. BTW why is it important how many miles you rode?? Jeeze : O /

How can one patronize a business that has a CLOSED sign in plain view? There were carpenters working that day,I talked to Hatie and she said hours of operation--THUR to SUN Noon to 8pm......btw I have backpacked almost 5000 miles(logbook miles) since 1979.....

[Speakeasy TN]

One more vote to add HH to your plans. On my thru attempt this place was fantastic! It appears that the only service that you needed was the restaurant. The hours are listed on the website. You got free water and feel free to bash the business? Classy.

[generoll]

don't see him bashing anything. just telling folks to check the hours of operation rather then assuming it's a 24/7 operation. might matter to SOBOs.

[Slo-go'en]

I discovered the place thanks to a little hand written sign on a tree while doing a SOBO through N.C. in the spring of '07. Like Lazarus, was happy to find it as it had been raining for a few days and really didn't want to hike another day in the rain to Hot Springs. I belive I was one of the first hikers to visit the place.

Since they are only a day out of town, it doesn't make too much sense for NOBO's to visit there, but it is a good stop for SOBOer's. They do stock gourma coffee if you like the stuff.

[Gray Blazer]

The place has a beautiful long porch dining area overlooking a nice creek. The food is good. Bring a camera so you can get a pic of the hummingbirds that hang around the feeders on the deck.

[doritotex]

So...in the "off season", they are only open 5 days a week, not 7 days a week?! Do you expect them to work 365 days a year? And..if you are from Greeneville, you would know that an article in the "Greeneville Sun" is alway full of inacuracies and written by an illiterate high school drop out. Anyone who "has logged more than 5000 miles", should know to call ahead if they are not 100% sure that a business might not be open during the week, and maybe carry an extra power bar and an extra bottle of water.
I've parked my car there for a couple days several times, and I have found them to extremely helpful and nice....and obviously, I have internet...so I check their website before I go. Don't blame someone else for your failure to plan ahead and be prepared!!