Pickett State Park/Blackhouse Mountian 1-23-2016

[Zjman]

Everybody these days screws ya. Customer is never right. Greedy bastards

 

[Sawzall]

I could understand if we were cancelling for other reasons but it is crappy for them to keep half of the money under these circumstances. Not a good way to run a business in today's world with Google reviews.

 

[Zjman]

I could understand if we were cancelling for other reasons but it is crappy for them to keep half of the money under these circumstances. Not a good way to run a business in today's world with Google reviews.

Put em on blast here. Maybe somebody wanting to go there will avoid them if they see it here.

 

[ridered3]

I could understand if we were cancelling for other reasons but it is crappy for them to keep half of the money under these circumstances. Not a good way to run a business in today's world with Google reviews.

Similar thinking there for sure.

 

[TBItoy]

I could understand if we were cancelling for other reasons but it is crappy for them to keep half of the money under these circumstances. Not a good way to run a business in today's world with Google reviews.

probably grasping straws since they will likely go out of business now. Not a good way to run a business.

I haven't been to Pickett in 7-8 years? I didn't even know there were rentals and such

 

[ridered3]

probably grasping straws since they will likely go out of business now. Not a good way to run a business.

I haven't been to Pickett in 7-8 years? I didn't even know there were rentals and such

Seems like the offroad oriented campgrounds/cabins have popped up over the last 2-3 years (with the exception of Laurel Creek and one other campground close by that's always been aimed at "normal camping folks").

 

[xjcrawler]

Cancelled our cabin reservation at Black House Mountain Campground since we can't ride. Only getting a 50% refund.

Damn!!! That place is expensive!!!!!


#6 Papa Bear Cabin Black House Mt Park
Jun 07, 2024-Jun 08, 2024
2 Guests | 1 Night

$259.00
Remove
​

Admin Fee x 1

$12.95


Papa Bear Cabin Cleaning Fee x 1

$75.00
Subtotal

$346.95
Taxes

$50.32
Hotel Tax

$17.35
State Tax

$24.29
County Tax

$8.68
Total Due

$397.27

 

[Sawzall]

We had cabin #2 rented, (a tiny cabin), for 2 nights and the total was $332.51. I left them a Google review and they replied that they have now decided to also do a raincheck of a later date for up to 1 year or the 50% refund.

 

[Sawzall]

.

 

[ridered3]

We had cabin #2 rented, (a tiny cabin), for 2 nights and the total was $332.51. I left them a Google review and they replied that they have now decided to also do a raincheck of a later date for up to 1 year or the 50% refund.

Well at least they've offered the raincheck now too. Tough spot for everyone to be for sure.

 

[ridered3]

 

[xjcrawler]

View attachment 216570

Sounds like the same path as Tellico?? Kiss it goodbye!!!!

 

[ridered3]

Sounds like the same path as Tellico?? Kiss it goodbye!!!!

Quite possible for sure. They (the State) did something similar with Franklin State Forest where they closed it for maintenance for X amount of time, then extended it to Y amount of time, and eventually reopened Z a handful of miles to OHV traffic but that was it.

What grinds my gears here is that the State had done minimal to no maintenance here for a long, long time (dating back to when I lived/rode up there 2004 to 2010ish) so to suddenly "care about maintenance" is quite interesting.

 

[ridered3]

Looks like SFWDA is starting to possibly get involved.

 

[Zjman]

Damn sxs ruin everything

 

[ridered3]

Damn sxs ruin everything

That for sure. Plus more online publicity/knowledge of its existence, plus not attempting to "tread lightly", plus virtually no maintenance performed has certainly had a negative effect overall.

 

[TBItoy]

The proliferation of mapping apps/software along with SXS makes riding "new" areas much more accessible to people.
And when it's a state forest with no maintenance, management, permits, etc, it's easy for vehicles to wreck the place.

Anyone that has ridden there is guilty of taking bypasses around the giant ruts and mud holes.
Hell most of us are guilty of cutting/making new climbs on rock ledges/obstacles

The spiderwebbing of trails out through the forest around ruts and holes is the real problem.

The TN Forestry Service has no resources to support OHV use, so there only option (as of now) is closure when the roads become unpassable.

TWRA used to be the same on the Wildlife Management Area but that has slowly changed over the past 20 years and now the North Cumberland WMA is a designated OHV riding area with plans in place.

*Hopefully* the TWRA will continue to develop OHV opportunities for other areas. Maybe SFWDA getting involved will be good... My opinion is that it will have somewhere between no effect to slightly positive, but people will now have a scapegoat to blame when areas get closed.

 

[TBItoy]

Quite possible for sure. They (the State) did something similar with Franklin State Forest where they closed it for maintenance for X amount of time, then extended it to Y amount of time, and eventually reopened Z a handful of miles to OHV traffic but that was it.

What grinds my gears here is that the State had done minimal to no maintenance here for a long, long time (dating back to when I lived/rode up there 2004 to 2010ish) so to suddenly "care about maintenance" is quite interesting.

Forestry has to survey the timber occasionally (like every decade or so) as part of the forestry management plan. My thoughts are they are getting ready to sell some of the timber so it will be closed for a while.
They did the same thing in Natchez Trace years ago.
The Natchez Trace State Forest is/was the west TN equivalent to Pickett SF as far as OHV riding in the 80s/90s/early 00s.
As far as I know, it is still a popular riding area, but has managed to stay out of the greater public knowledge.

 

[ridered3]

The proliferation of mapping apps/software along with SXS makes riding "new" areas much more accessible to people.
And when it's a state forest with no maintenance, management, permits, etc, it's easy for vehicles to wreck the place.

Anyone that has ridden there is guilty of taking bypasses around the giant ruts and mud holes.
Hell most of us are guilty of cutting/making new climbs on rock ledges/obstacles

The spiderwebbing of trails out through the forest around ruts and holes is the real problem.

The TN Forestry Service has no resources to support OHV use, so there only option (as of now) is closure when the roads become unpassable.

TWRA used to be the same on the Wildlife Management Area but that has slowly changed over the past 20 years and now the North Cumberland WMA is a designated OHV riding area with plans in place.

*Hopefully* the TWRA will continue to develop OHV opportunities for other areas. Maybe SFWDA getting involved will be good... My opinion is that it will have somewhere between no effect to slightly positive, but people will now have a scapegoat to blame when areas get closed.

Lots of accurate truths in that post regarding spiderwebbing etc.

As for the SFWDA potential involvement, that's a very accurate summary of what will probably happen scapegoat wise.

 

[ridered3]

Forestry has to survey the timber occasionally (like every decade or so) as part of the forestry management plan. My thoughts are they are getting ready to sell some of the timber so it will be closed for a while.
They did the same thing in Natchez Trace years ago.
The Natchez Trace State Forest is/was the west TN equivalent to Pickett SF as far as OHV riding in the 80s/90s/early 00s.
As far as I know, it is still a popular riding area, but has managed to stay out of the greater public knowledge.

Hadn't consider the timber survey/harvesting aspect of things but that would be an interesting wrinkle.

 

[ridered3]

Recent release/update on Pickett State Park/Blackhouse Mountain from an OHV standpoint.

Some trails are now permanently closed to OHV, some trails have limited access (seasonal), some no longer make loops, and a handful of gates have been put in place. No idea what the area looks like now after the park service has been doing their trail maintenance program.

https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/fore...BScFPxitgRCF1yudAA_aem_CbXvLV9M_uXZE3to0MrRBA
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/a...Map (updated 1_24_2025) - georeferenced 1.pdf
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/a...esignation Map (zoomed) - georeferenced 1.pdf

 

[TBItoy]

Thanks for posting an update. Looks like they closed the only "real" trail on the TN side, so that will detract most anyone from going.

It will still be worth riding out to Wagon Gap and Yellow Doors overlooks, and to Carpenters Rock House in a daily driver, and maybe it won't get absolutely tore to **** by side by sides.

I'm interested to see how the gates at the state line fare, I give it a week after they are installed before they are cut or bypassed around. There is no way to police/patrol/enforce that IMO.

 

[ridered3]

Thanks for posting an update. Looks like they closed the only "real" trail on the TN side, so that will detract most anyone from going.

It will still be worth riding out to Wagon Gap and Yellow Doors overlooks, and to Carpenters Rock House in a daily driver, and maybe it won't get absolutely tore to **** by side by sides.

I'm interested to see how the gates at the state line fare, I give it a week after they are installed before they are cut or bypassed around. There is no way to police/patrol/enforce that IMO.

Accurate summaries all around.