By Gairdt Edwards

Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area is a park found on the top of Brumley Mountain. It is a local secret that contains some of the most beautiful scenery the area has to offer. Sitting at an elevation of 3,600 feet, Hidden Valley is a great place to cool down and get away with its isolated locale and cooler temperatures.

I had heard about this secret place when I began attending college in the area. At the time I was an outdoors junkie and my friend and I set out to find the place. It took us a while to locate because, if you’re new to the area, it’s easy to drive past the small sign indicating where to turn.

Hidden Valley is located on Highways 19/58A between Abingdon and Lebanon.

When the two of us finally found the entrance, I realized that driving my little red stick-shift was not the best vehicle choice. The road was a steep incline made up of gravel and switch-backs.

However, we weren’t willing to give up. I put the car into a low gear and trudged up the mountainside. When we finally reached the top, we were not disappointed. We immediately saw the multi-acre lake that was the focus of the park. It had campgrounds around the banks and the rest was a nature haven filled with wildlife and heavy forest.

I could immediately tell why this park is a favorite for many: it offers fishing, hunting, camping, and boating. The park is also a great hiking location.

As soon as we stepped out of the car, we felt the refreshing cool air. We hiked around the lake and decided that we would have to come back again in the near future.

This 6,400 acre park is absolutely breathtaking. Since then, my friend and I have both traveled to Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area on multiple occasions including fun camping with friends and a simple day trip in order to get away.