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Nearly 200 years ago, a beech nut took root near a shady creek in the Ocoee River Valley.
As a sapling, it saw Cherokee hunters, who left their mark with carved pictures and strange lettering. By the time it was 20 feet high, the Europeans who followed had left their initials inside heart-shaped outlines.
One carver even gave the beech a name:
"The Love Tree."
Today, the little creek feeds a 3-acre pond surrounded by a stand of oaks - one with the nest of a broad wing hawk - that shelter a cluster of brand-new duplex cabins.
Overseeing it all is a stately, 70-foot tall beech, still called "The Love Tree."
Now, it's part of High Country Outfitters' new 30-acre Ocoee River Outpost in the unincorporated area of Ocoee in Polk County, Tenn., where U.S. 411 and 64 meet and form a cornerstone of some 2,000 square miles of adventure.
"We want to make this a resort, the Aspen or Telluride of the South," said High Country co-owner Bubba Sloan of Marietta.
Lovers still meet at the tree, and for many it's a jumping-off point for adventure - rafting, rock climbing, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, trophy trout fishing, spelunking, beach volleyball and even a 550- gallon hot tub.
Considering the huge population inside a 200-mile radius, the area is still a frontier.
"Not many people know about this area," said Sloan. "All they know about is the rafting."
Many think there is no rafting this year because of the Olympic whitewater venue on the Ocoee, but that's not true. Rafting will be closed for three days, July 26-28. Right now, the schedule is adjusting from weekends-only to nearly daily trips.
The Ocoee, recognized as one of the top whitewater areas in the country, plunges 269 feet over 5 miles of boulder-strewn terrain like a giant carnival ride. Paddlers must help maneuver the rafts through tight gorges roaring with whitewater, around automobile-size boulders and through churning potholes and whirlpools with names like Hell Hole, Double Suck and Broken Nose. Prices range from $22-$44 per person.
The Ocoee, though, is just one facet of a recreation diamond.
In an area that stretches from the Georgia state line to the southern boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with boundaries of U.S. 411 in the west and the North Carolina state line to the east, outdoor recreation abounds.
Visitors can also enjoy: whitewater kayaking, rafting and canoeing on the Ocoee, Hiwassee, Tellico and Conasauga rivers; serene, romantic sunset tours in kayaks on Lake Ocoee; rock climbing on the sheer cliffs of Starr Mountain overlooking the Hiwassee; caving under the limestone ridges west of the Ocoee River, world renowned for spelunking; mountain biking the miles of fire road and trails in the Cherokee National Forest; deer, turkey, wild boar and bear hunting (in Georgia as well as Tennessee); and specialties such as High Country's Ropes Course for corporate groups and individuals.
For information on the High Country Outpost, call 800-233-8594. |
