Macon County, Tennessee Covered Bridge Geocaches

Central Tennessee has a lot to offer. While there to speak in an association of Baptist Churches I had the opportunity to travel to some of the outlying towns. I left Livingston on my drive northwest. As I traveled I passed through some beautiful country. It took a full hour to get to the beautiful little town of Red Boiling Springs, the westernmost town I'd visit on this trip. If you take the by-pass around town you'll miss the small valley with its picturesque stream and covered bridges. I suggest you go into town to see it. As the name suggests, this was once a town that attracted tourist seeking the healing sulfur waters of the boiling springs.

It was a Sunday morning and I was dressed for church when I stopped to look for Sulfur Water Crossover (GC1X2PQ). My GPSr led me right to the bridge. The first time it took me midway on the bridge. I crossed over the Salt Lick Creek on the bridge and found myself on the lawn of the Donoho Hotel. I began searching all the obvious places on both ends of the bridge and up on the bridge. The bridge is for pedestrian traffic only, being to narrow for any motorized vehicles. I know I must have looked odd to anyone who might have been watching. After some searching I came up with the cache, signed the log and replaced it. The Donoho Hotel is one of three historic hotels built to house tourist who came to the sulfur waters during the boom years. It was built in 1916 and has been in continuous operation since then. What a nice place!

After church service I ventured back into town to try a second covered bridge cache. Bridge Over Troubled Waters (GC1X8RW) proved to be more difficult. I actually didn't get a good chance to search for it due to muggle traffic. My GPSr kept directing me off the bridge into what appeared to be someone's yard. That also caused me to take a picture and move on. Come check out the caches in the area when you can.