Background

As I’m training for the inaugural Caney Fork Ultra 40 miler on 2019-08-31. This was my last long trail run as next weekend will be filled. While I know that the 40 miler trails will be very technical, I wanted something less technical where I could stretch my legs.

After visiting Edgar Evins State Park, Window Cliffs, and Bridgestone-Firestone Centennial Wilderness (where Caney Fork Ultra is being held), I decided to risk my run and go to Standing Stone State Park.

Standing Stone State Park and Forest

When originally looking at Standing Stone State Parks map, there is really only 1 trail worth the effort, Lake Trail. Lake Trail has been listed at a 4.75 mile trail, but I found it to be closer to 4.25 miles. I thought I would make multiple loops of this trail and I could practice aid stations.

Searching what else was around the area, I stumbled upon the Trail Run Project, and specifically, this trail. From this, I learned that Standing Stone State Park, was surrounded by a state forest of the same name.

I was still skeptical that forest was actually there because, the forest didn’t show up on Google maps and wasn’t labeled on any other online maps I searched. But when reviewing the Public Road Use Map, the Copper Mountain trail is clearly labeled.

The combination of Lake Trail and Copper Mountain Trail would create a 10.15 loop.

The Running

I parked at the dam, crossed the bridge, and started Lake Trail in a counter clockwise fashion.

The trail is clear and is marked pretty well with 2 exceptions, both are where the trail meets a road. The first exception is the second road crossing at Beach Rd.

As you can see, you have to travel down the road a little less than .1 miles to meet up with the rest of the trail. It’s not completely obvious and took me a second to figure out.

The next trouble area was also on Beach Rd. Again, you come out to the road, but there is no signage that simply tells you to follow the road to Overton Lodge.

When you’ve arrived at Overton Lodge, there still isn’t any signage that just points to running around the building to the trail in the back. Once you’re on the backside of Overton Lodge, it’s fairly easy to find the trail blazes, which lead to Lake Trail.

Once back on Lake Trail, almost immediately, a sign for Copper Mountain Trail can be found. The sign lists the trail as 8 miles, but I found it to be about 6.25, although looking at the Strava, it looks like my watch didn’t quite accurately track that trail.

Copper Mountain Trail is pretty clear considering it’s low usage, but there are a handful of trees down that can’t just be stepped over.

  • .1 Miles onto Copper Mtn Trail (36.464400, -85.4107)
  • 1.41 Miles (36.4646, -85.4028)
  • 1.86 Miles (36.4644, -85.3958)
  • 2.9 Miles (36.4568, -85.3840)
  • 3.9 Miles (36.4595, -85.3887)
  • 3.98 Miles (36.4602, -85.3831)
  • 4.09 Miles (36.4616, -85.3822)
  • 4.48 Miles (36.4658, -85.3858)
  • 4.86 Miles (36.4676, -85.3922)
  • 4.94 Miles (36.4670, -85.3935)
  • 6.84 Miles (36.4712, -85.4049)

There’s plenty of wildlife on the Copper Mtn Trail. I saw a small herd of deer, almost stepped on 3 box turtles, and ate many spider webs. At the end of the Copper Mtn trail, there’s a small sign letting you know you’re back in Standing Stone State Park and the trail reintegrates into Lake Trail with ease.

The remained of Lake Trail is less easy to run (and I walked it), due to the growth of vegetation over the trail, which makes running those portions difficult/dangerous as you can’t actually see where you’re stepping at all time. The overgrowth along side some very narrow portions, that at times nearly take you into the lake, makes the last .5 miles or so. You will also come across some boat houses on this portion of the trail. The loop ends back at the dam, with the boat rental being the end of the trail and the road taking you back down to the parking lot below the dam.

Summary

Overall, these were 2 great trails and I’m sure I’ll be making more trips to Standing Stone and hopefully making more use of the state forest’s trails and forest roads. I’ve always been worried that a trip to Standing Stone would not be worth the effort, but the combination of the Park and Forest proved me wrong.

Resources

This blog has great pictures and information just on the Lake Trail portion, but is worth diving into for other trails.