Sequatchie Valley is a relatively long and narrow valley in the U.S. state of Tennessee and, in some definitions, Alabama . It is generally considered to be part of the Cumberland Plateau region of the Appalachian Mountains ; it was probably formed by erosion of a compression anticline , rather than rifting process as had been formerly theorized.
16-754: The Sequatchie River is a 116-mile-long (187 km) waterway that drains the Sequatchie Valley , a large valley in the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee . It empties into the Tennessee River downstream from Chattanooga near the Tennessee- Alabama state line. The Sequatchie River originates from several springs at or near Devilstep Hollow Cave , including the spring, Head of the Sequatchie, which
32-403: Is a karst valley which, through underground erosion, should eventually become part of Sequatchie Valley (Thornbury 1965:149). Another, smaller karst valley, Bat Town Cove , is forming northeast of Grassy Cove, which may also grow and eventually become part of Sequatchie Valley. The Tennessee section of Sequatchie Valley contains the towns of Pikeville , Dunlap , Whitwell , Jasper , and, on
48-580: Is bounded on either side by escarpments of the Cumberland Plateau. The portion of the plateau east of the valley is relatively narrow and known as Walden Ridge in Tennessee. To the west the plateau is simply called the Cumberland Plateau. In Bledsoe County, Tennessee a section of the west side escarpment is called Little Mountain , which also marks the Tennessee Valley Divide . In Alabama
64-492: Is just a few miles into Marion County. Below Whitwell at the small community of Sequatchie (also known as Sequachee), the river receives the flow of the Little Sequatchie River , which descends from atop the Cumberland Plateau to the west. At Jasper , which is slightly west of the river, is a railroad junction. East of town is the crossing of U.S. Highway 41 by SR 28, and the bridge over the river. Shortly south of
80-455: Is protected as part of the Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park . Dye traces establish the origin of their water as originating from Grassy Cove , the pastoral limestone sinkhole located to the north-east. The Sequatchie River follows the general trend of the Sequatchie Valley , flowing south-west for 182.12 mi (293.09 km). The stream crosses into Bledsoe County near the head of
96-621: The Interstate 24 bridge is the mouth of the Sequatchie into the Guntersville Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River . Sequatchie Valley The Sequatchie River drains the valley in Tennessee, flowing south to southwest from the southern part of Cumberland County, Tennessee to the Tennessee River near the Alabama border. Geologically, the Sequatchie Valley continues south of
112-608: The Cumberland Plateau, is located just west of the southern part of Walden Ridge. Being part of the Cumberland Plateau, Walden Ridge is also part of the Appalachian Plateau physiographic province. The Sequatchie River runs through the valley. To the east of Walden Ridge are the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians and the Tennessee River . Walden Ridge is significantly higher than the Cumberland Plateau, and its eastern slope, descending over 1,000 feet (300 m) from
128-506: The Sequatchie Valley. The Sequatchie Valley is traversed throughout much its length by U.S. Route 127 . The first sizeable town on the Sequatchie is Pikeville , the county seat of Bledsoe. State Route 30 , which descends Walden's Ridge into the Valley and then climbs the escarpment back onto the plateau, crosses here. Crossing into Sequatchie County , the stream flows into Dunlap . Just north of Dunlap, US 127 turns southeastward, beginning
144-462: The Tennessee River into central Alabama. The Tennessee River flows through the Alabama portion of the valley to the vicinity of Guntersville, Alabama . The valley continues south of Guntersville, where it is called Browns Valley, drained by Browns Creek (Thornbury 1965:148). Although this whole valley is geologically the same, the name Sequatchie is commonly used only for the Tennessee portion of
160-431: The Tennessee River, South Pittsburg . Towns in the Alabama portion of the geologic valley include Bridgeport , Scottsboro , Guntersville , and, around the southern end, Blountsville . 35°7′30″N 85°31′44″W / 35.12500°N 85.52889°W / 35.12500; -85.52889 Walden Ridge Walden Ridge (or Walden's Ridge ) is a mountain ridge and escarpment located in Tennessee in
176-531: The United States. It marks the eastern edge of the Cumberland Plateau and is generally considered part of it. Walden Ridge is about 74 miles (119 km) long, running generally north-south. Its highest point is at Hinch Mountain (near Crossville ), which reaches 3,048 feet (929 m) above sea level. Sometimes Walden Ridge is called the Cumberland Escarpment . Sequatchie Valley , a long valley in
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#1732869345904192-496: The ascent onto Walden Ridge and eventually down into Chattanooga . A set of railroad tracks previously ran along the river from this point, testament to heavy underground coal extraction in years past. For almost the rest of its length the Sequatchie is paralleled by State Route 28 . State Route 283 also runs along the base of the Walden's Ridge escarpment for several miles. The river then enters Marion County . The town of Whitwell
208-628: The plateau to the Tennessee Valley , is steep and escarpment-like. Geologically, Walden Ridge continues south into Georgia and Alabama as Sand Mountain . Walden Ridge originally extended across the present path of the Tennessee River to Sand Mountain but was eroded when the Tennessee River Gorge was formed. The section of Walden Ridge that is visible from the Chattanooga area is often colloquially referred to as "Signal Mountain" due to
224-566: The plateau to the east of the valley is called Sand Mountain , while that to the west is Gunters Mountain . At its northern end, the Sequatchie Valley is marked by a more mountainous portion of the Cumberland Plateau known as the Crab Orchard Mountains . Between the main Crab Orchard Mountains and the Sequatchie Valley there is another valley, called Grassy Cove , located several miles north of Sequatchie Valley. Grassy Cove
240-691: The presence of the small town of Signal Mountain, Tennessee nearby, the proliferation of broadcasting towers on its eastern edge, and the area's use by early 19th century Native Americans (and later Civil War soldiers) as a signal point toward Lookout Mountain south across the Tennessee River. According to the USGS , variant names of Walden Ridge include Waldens Ridge , Walldenns Ridge , Wallens Ridge , Walden's Ridge, and Walden Ridge Plateau . 35°41′55″N 84°57′28″W / 35.69861°N 84.95778°W / 35.69861; -84.95778 This Hamilton County, Tennessee geography–related article
256-493: The valley, through which the Sequatchie River flows. A distinctive feature of the Sequatchie Valley is its straightness. From its northern end to its geological southern end at Browns Valley, the valley is almost perfectly straight. It is over 150 miles (240 km) long in the geologic sense and about 65 miles (105 km) long as the valley of the Sequatchie River. Its width is about 3–5 miles (5–8 km). The valley
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