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Back to Highway 91
Shady Valley
Located in the extreme northeast section of Tennessee,
this mountain valley, which was first settled in the late 1700s,
is thought to have been formed by an ancient ice flow. The geologic
anomalies that formed Shady Valley also left about 10,000 acres of
swamp fields. These wet bogs were the environment for naturally growing
cranberries, and this abundance of the tasty little berries led to
the valley’s being the hub of the cranberry industry in the
United States. Sadly, only one third of one acre of these bogs is
left today. In the early 1960s, the U.S. Corp of Engineers built
a drainage system along Beaver Dam Creek to turn the wetlands into
valuable farmland. The annual Cranberry Festival, held the second
weekend in October, commemorates the past and helps to raise money
for the Shady Valley School. This event brings together almost 5,000
people from both near and far and is the highlight of the year in
the friendly mountain community.
Shady Valley is situated a thousand or more feet higher than the
terrain on the other side of the mountains. The first settlers surely
had a hard time just accessing the area. Lying 2,900 feet above sea
level, it has more moderate temperatures than the surrounding areas
during Tennessee’s hot and humid summers. Consistent rainfall
keeps the valley lush and green and leads to brilliant fall colors
just in time for the October festival.
At the intersections of US 421, Hwy.
91, and Hwy 133, the Shady Valley
Country Store is one of Johnson Counties oldest continuous businesses.
First established in the 1920s, the present location was built in
1956 and purchased by present owners Carroll and Peggy Long in 1998.
The “store,” as it is called by local riders, has the
distinction of being the epicenter of motorcycling in the Northeast
Tennessee area. It boasts 489 curves within a twelve-mile radius.
No matter what kind of bike you ride, this is a great place to stop
and rest, meet the friendly locals, and trade stories with other
motorcycle enthusiasts. Besides motorcycling, other points of interest
are The Appalachian Trail, Backbone Rock State Park, The Valley Bike
Trail, and Jenkins Wild Cranberry Bog.
Shady Valley offers an atmosphere that most of us can only dream
about.
Accommodations info:
Too Tired Motorcycle Lodging at the Shady Valley Country Store- 423-739-2374
Camping and Lodging available.
Shady Valley Country Store
Backbone Rock Recreation Area
Located 8 miles northeast of Shady Valley on Hwy. 133
11 campsites accommodate tents to RV’s (no RV hook-up)
423-735-1500
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