Secluded area serves as peaceful getaway
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Established in 1951 for 4-H, YF&H, and other organizations to utilize for camping, hiking and various wilderness activities, it continues today in the same vein, providing a setting for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of today’s society.
Camp Woodlee is still used by 4-H groups from Warren, Coffee and Grundy counties, among others, according to Janey Kirby, an Environmental Engineer at Tennessee Tech and a descendent of the Woodlee family who originally donated the land for the camp.
“Some school groups come up, Leslie White and Vicky Burch’s fifth grade classes, they camp here in the spring of every year,” Kirby said.
The camp features rustic cabins, most of which do have electricity, but still offer a very backwoods atmosphere.
The camp is near the Collins River and has several springs which the kids enjoy playing in as well as searching for various aquatic wildlife.
Andy Clendenon, 12-year-old son of Betty and Cary Clendenon, says one of his favorite activities is looking for the creatures that live in the spring.
“There’s crawfish, salamanders, aquatic bugs,” he said, “and sometimes fresh water shrimp.”
One of the most fascinating features of the surrounding area is Hubbard’s cave. The cave is owned by the Nature Conservancy and provides a hibernating place for the endangered Gray Bat. Three of the cave’s entrances are gated with metal bars to protect the bat’s habitat, but during the summer visitors can obtain a key to the west wing of the cave. The west wing is a dry passage which the bats no longer use. The cave is considered open from May 15 to September 15.
One of the interesting things about the cave is the fact it has some Civil War artifacts inside from when it was a saltpeter mine. Saltpeter is used in the manufacture of gunpowder and the ceilings of the cave are black where workers used torches as they carried out the mineral.
Cave explorers are asked not to disturb the artifacts in the interest of preserving local history.
Though the Collins River was once used for swimming lessons, the river has fallen considerably in recent years. There are boats located at the caretakers cabin, but campers have to do some wading to get the boats out to waters deep enough to paddle. Campers do enjoy wading, though, when the water isn’t too cold.
There are many species of plants and wildlife to enjoy viewing at the camp, and in the spring, wild ducks can be found at the Collins River near the camp’s bottom gate. Ruby throated hummingbirds also frequent the area, as well as the occasional white-tailed deer.
Kirby says the area has become an important retreat from the modern day world for her.
“It’s just a place to relax and get away. It’s quiet and there’s nothing like being up here at daybreak,” she said. “All you hear is birds and bugs and it’s nice and cool and crisp. It just brings you back to where you should be.”