Ayers Gap

This post is another from the archives of the old website. Jim Wheeler (woodnotejim) is the writer and photographer.

I love living in Franklin; there’s so much beauty here. The only catch is, all of its real gems are hidden. Thankfully, you don’t usually have stray too far from the path to find them. Maybe the best example of this is a little known nature preserve called Ayers Gap. I can go from my couch to this view in less than ten minutes. There’s parking right off the main road, and it’s only a three-minute hike. But it’s not widely advertised- if you don’t already know about it, it’s unlikely to be something you’ll happen upon. And that three-minute hike is almost straight up. But that’s what makes it a true hidden gem. Elusive but accessible, and totally worth the effort.

To find Ayers Gap, turn east onto Route 207 from Route 32. A parking alcove will be a little more than a mile up on the left. There are two trailheads; take the far right trail. It is about a three-minute hike, stay to the right. There will be a small trail on the right once you start nearing the top that leads up to the rock ledge.

The best time of day to visit during the Fall is late morning to mid-afternoon. In the summer months, it’s a great vista for Milky Way photographers. Happy hiking!