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[Backcountry Strider]

Have decided to spend a night in the BSF on the way to my weeklong Asheville trip.  As this is my first time and I am bringing my wife who I am trying to gently introduce to my other love of the outdoors, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good day trip as well as some camping. Basically trying to put together a full day hike and car camping in the same area. Doesn't appear to be many campground options and I was thinking about doing the Angel Falls and overlook trail so I'd like be around there.  How is the backcountry camping?  It appears you can camp with 200 feet of the parking areas; is this feasible/a good idea? 

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[ShifuCareaga]

sorry I can't tell what you want, because you seem pretty knowledgable already. are you looking for help KY wide or TN side? And are you heading south or passing through?

For your wife, frankly I'd do all the stuff that is easiest to do, such as Yahoo Falls or Mark's Branch Falls, or Lick Creek Falls, maybe one of the easy overlooks.

Also are you backpacking or want a campground? It sounds like you want to have her get into some more woods... but most of the non-campsite campgrounds are back country or horse camps. Maybe TN side, which is not my expertise...

So, just clarify what you want to do. Check TNlandforms website or my map for KY side, there are plenty of beautiful drives and day hikes.

[wsp_scott]

I would consider camping at Alum Ford and then dayhiking in the Yahoo Falls/Arch area. The campground is tiny and doesn't have water, but both times I have passed through (on the Sheltowee Trace), there was no one there.

[Cliftyman]

I second Yahoo Falls for daytripping... very easy to access, very pretty and if you want you can hop on the Sheltowee and hike further up or downstream.

Only thing I don't like is the river used to be much more interesting before they fixed the dam.  I went several years ago when the Wolf Creek down was drawn down about 90 feet to repair leaks in it.  You could walk out on all the boulders and stuff in the river.... with the dam coming back up 90 feet all that stuff is inundated so you can't see all that cool structure in the summer anymore.  I'm pretty sure that extends all the way up past the Yamacraw bridge too.... you have to go clear up to Blue Heron if you want to see the BSF in its free flowing state (at least during the summer months when Lake Cumberland is holding water)