C15: Scott County

Region: East Tennessee
Time Zone: Eastern

TN52 enters Scott County from Morgan County in the west. The road is only in Scott County for about five miles before TN52 ends at U.S. 27. From here, you can go south on U.S. 27 to Harriman (one of the great railroad junctions in the south) and then to I-40. You can also go north on U.S. 27 and east on TN63. This will take you into Campbell County, where you'll find I-75 and four state parks.

Things to See in Scott County


(Left) This sign is on U.S. 27 looking north. It points to the beginning on TN52. (Right) This is the eastern end of TN52, located in Elgin in Scott County, Tennessee. The road in the foreground is U.S. 27.

The Rathole Division

Elgin, Tennessee
If you are a railroad fan, one of the most famous U.S. railroads crosses under TN52 shortly after you enter from U.S. 27. The railroad is the "Rathole Division" of the CNO&TP. The Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific is owned by the City of Cincinnati and is operated by Norfolk Southern Railway. One section of the CNO&TP running between Wilmore, Kentucky, and Emory Gap, Tennessee, had 27 tunnels. Most of the tunnels were hot, crooked and pitch black dark. This was a very hazardous 160 miles of track, and this section, not surprisingly, became known as the "Rathole Division." During the early 1960s, Southern Railway improved this track. This project saw numerous cuts and line relocations to bypass tunnels and reduce the steep grades and tight curves. Today, only four of the 27 tunnels remain, and all of those were completely rebuilt. The railroad (double tracked here) crosses under TN52. It also crosses over U.S. 27 a few miles south of where TN52 ends. Either spot will allow you to see up to 50 trains per day. The photo on the left above is looking southbound from the TN52 bridge. The photo on the right is taken looking northbound.

Brimestone Recreation

Brimstone Recreation
2860 Baker Highway
Huntsville, TN 37756
Toll-Free Phone: 1-800-BRIMSTONE
Local Phone: 423-663-HUNT (4868)
www.brimstonerecreation.com

ATV Riding, Hunting, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Bird Watching, Dirt Bikes, Rail Buggies, Camping

Things to See in Nearby Counties

Big South Fork Scenic Railway
(A National Park Concessionaire)

Big South Fork Scenic Railway
100 Hendersonville Street
Stearns, KY 42647
1-800-462-5664
(606) 376-5330
www.bsfsry.com

Take U.S. 27 north into Kentucky to the town of Stearns where the McCreary Heritage Foundation operates a scenic railway. "Sit back and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area while the train makes its way through deep gorges and hugs steep cliff lines to take you back into a bygone era of logging and coal mining." The train ticket includes a three-hour round-trip train ride, a layover at Blue Heron where a coal mine tipple still stands along with recreations of various buildings from the actual 1930s coal camp), and entry to the McCreary County Museum in Stearns. Text in quotes from their web site. Photo: Clipart.

The City of Knoxville

Knoxville, Tennessee (Knox County)
www.knoxville.org
Knoxville is just a short drive down I-75 from Scott County. The Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation maintains an extensive web site of things to do and see around Knoxville. You may visit their web site here: www.knoxville.org Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Tourist Development: www.tnvacation.com.

Area Web Sites

Scott County
www.scottcounty.com