Three Days on the Obed: Backcountry Camping, a Full Moon, and Some Very Unexpected Visitors
Some trips are about the destination. This one was about what showed up. Over three days and two nights along the Obed Wild and Scenic River, I got a camp in the trees, a river that never stopped talking, a full moon, and two sets of visitors I never could have scripted. One was a pair of men with a remote-control car. The other was two teenagers with hammocks who arrived after dark with their flashlights off.
My boyfriend and I hiked in just over two and a half miles with everything on our backs. It was the kind of weekend that reminds me why the National Park Project matters so much to me.
Don’t judge me… my backwoods backpack is still in storage in Oklahoma!
The Hike In
The Obed sits on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee and is part of the National Park Service. It doesn't get the attention of the big-name parks, and that's part of what makes it so good. We took the Alley Ford Trail down to the water, a little over 2.5 miles, long enough to leave the trailhead and the rest of the world behind.
Nothing prepared me for the first view of the river. You hear it before you really see it, water running over rocks and lapping against the shore, and then the trees open up and there it is. It was incredible.
Camp Life
We made camp where we could see the river but still sat among the trees, which gave us shade and shelter without losing the view. Then we settled into three days of doing very little on purpose. Camp coffee in the morning, camp tea in the afternoon, and long stretches of simply sitting and listening. There is a particular kind of quiet that only exists a few miles from a trailhead. After a few hours it stops feeling like silence and starts sounding like music, with the river in the lead.
I also found my favorite spot. Near camp, a huge tree grows almost horizontally, and I loved walking up its trunk and sitting there, a few feet above the ground, watching the water. I spent more time on that tree than I'd like to admit.
Visitors, Round One
The first visitors arrived the morning of the full moon: two men, one with a remote-control car. Yes, a remote-control car, miles from the trailhead. They went straight to the river to fill their water bottles. The younger, more nimble of the two clearly knew the area well and led the way. The other gentleman chatted with us and told us all about his recent gallbladder surgery. I've never seen anyone so committed to an outing. They filled up, said their goodbyes, and headed on, car and all.
Visitors, Round Two
The second pair came after dark that same evening. We first noticed them as they got closer: two teenage guys who turned their flashlights off as they approached. I'll be honest, we were a little freaked out. Two figures walking quietly out of the dark, carrying hammocks and, as far as we could tell, nothing else. I don't even know if they had water bottles.
We never heard from or saw them again. Looking back, it makes a good story. In the moment, it made for a very alert night.
The Full Moon
The moon lit up the sky like it was throwing a party for the stars. We didn't need a lantern that night. The light came down through the trees and shimmered on the river, and it made the whole evening, strangers in the dark included, feel a little bit magical.
The next morning, the river was wrapped in mist.
Photo by Forrest Hunt
Why This Matters to Me
I've spent much of my career at the intersection of music and the outdoors, commissioning new works inspired by our national parks through the National Park Project. Trips like this are where that work really begins. Not at a desk, but a few miles down a trail, listening to a river and meeting the people who find their way out there. It was also a reminder that these places belong to everyone, from men with RC cars to teenagers with hammocks to musicians with too much gear.
If weekends like this one mean something to you too, there are a few ways to stay connected to the work:
Support the National Park Project. A portion of every purchase from my store helps fund new commissioned musical works inspired by our National Parks. You can read more about the project here.
Help commission a new piece inspired by Mammoth Cave National Park. The Larkspur Reed Trio is currently raising funds for this exact project. You can donate directly here.
I'm also a proud member of the National Park Travelers Club. If you're chasing park stamps and stories of your own, it's a great community to find.
One Last Thing
The Obed is easy to overlook, and that's exactly why it's worth the trip. If you want a place where you can walk in, set down your pack, and have the river mostly to yourself, put it on your list. Just be ready for company. Out here, it tends to arrive when you least expect it.
If you enjoyed this trip, follow along for more park adventures and behind-the-scenes National Park Project updates on Instagram and Facebook.