The Town of Monteagle in collaboration with the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance and the Town of Tracy City will hold the first ever Mountain Goat Trail Fall Bicycle Poker Run. This free, family-friendly event celebrates the new Monteagle-to-Tracy City stretch of the Mountain Goat Trail and will take place Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“The event is designed to be a fun and leisurely day on ‘mountain time,’ a chance for families, friends and trail enthusiasts to enjoy the outdoors, visit local businesses, and celebrate community,” says Imagine Monteagle Event Organizer Iva Michelle.
Participants will cycle the trail at their own pace, collecting playing cards at seven businesses along the way, with prizes awarded for the best hands at the end of the day.
The poker run will travel approximately seven miles of the Mountain Goat Trail’s existing 12 miles.
The Mountain Goat Trail now runs all the way from Sewanee to Tracy City. From 1856 to 1985, the Mountain Goat Railroad carried coal and passengers between Palmer and Cowan in Grundy and Franklin counties of the Cumberland Plateau. It was named the Mountain Goat because the climb onto the plateau was one of the steepest railroad ascents in the world.
Now, the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance is seeking to reclaim the path of the railroad. Working with local governments and other interested groups, the Alliance’s mission is to turn the old railroad bed into a multiuse recreational path. When finished, the 35-plus-mile trail will once again connect the Tennessee towns of Cowan and Palmer.
Cyclists and pedestrians can now access the existing portion of the Mountain Goat Trail anytime via a gravel lot in Sewanee located on Highway 41A at Hawkins Lane, in Monteagle at Mountain Outfitters or Monteagle City Hall, or from Tracy City Elementary School.
Poker run registration is from 9 to 11 a.m. on Oct. 4 behind the Depot Cafe, 403 W. Main St., Monteagle. The event will conclude with an awards party at Monteagle’s Harton Park at 4 p.m., when the winning hand will be announced.
The awards party will feature Gypsy Rose—the singing duo comprised of Sarah Douglas and Anna Sias, known for their covers of memorable popular music from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.
Free parking is available, and the event is scheduled to continue rain or shine. Helmets are required; e-bikes welcome.
The event also includes a scavenger hunt along the trail. Plus, additional fun that weekend includes the Fiery Gizzard Festival in Tracy City and specials and promotions from area businesses along the Mountain Goat Trail.
Participating in the bicycle poker run is free, though advance registration is required; to register, find the Mountain Goat Trail Fall Bicycle Poker Run on Eventbrite.
For more information, email monteagletourism@gmail.com or call 931-871-6040.
