Nov 3 & 4, 2026.

Sometimes it’s difficult to know ahead of time how many miles of hiking trails, if any, a NWR possesses. I’ve now learned that the map may show footpaths, but those footpaths may primarily be for hunters and/or be abandoned/have little maintenance. Trails designated for hikers are often described as such on the NWR’s website or, in the case of Hatchie, a hiker may be advised to just walk a gravel auto road.

I tried to find one of the mapped footpaths in Lower Hatchie but never saw it. Drove and then walked deep into the woods too, past where the trailhead should have been. I did do a separate, very short path through the woods to the Mississippi River. The poor river looks more sand than water right now due to the region’s severe drought. Also enjoyed the view from an outlook by the main road, and I saw the back end of a snapping turtle as it walked away.

Hatchie had a nice gravel road that circled a small lake, and I walked it three times to get some miles in. Have had a solid week now with three or fewer miles a day, and I’m starting to feel like a blob. Today was better, and for the next couple of weeks I should be able to walk between five and fifteen miles a day except for days when I switch lodgings. Saw a turtle at Hatchie too, this one in the grass and trying to hide.

Finished up the TN NNLs by driving past McAnulty Woods, a National Natural Landmark containing virgin timber up to 450 years old. The woods are on private property, so the best I could do was take a photo in its general direction from the car.