Bigfoot Scramble

DIRECTIONS

Take I-40 from Nashville or Knoxville (East or West). Take the Cookeville exit # 288. Head North on Highway 111 to Livingston approx. 20 miles. Then turn left on to Highway 85 (Hillham Highway) approx. 7 miles,  then turn right on to Highway 136 (Standing Stone Park Highway), go approx. 3 miles, turn right at Standing Stone State Park entrance.

Alternate, travel to Livingston on  Highway 111, go past Highway 85 and turn left at Bradford Hicks Drive, drive approx. 2 miles then turn left on Highway 52 (Celina Highway). Go approx. 8 miles then turn on Timothy Road/Highway 136 (Standing Stone Park Highway). Stay on Highway 136 , taking several left turns. You will pass the Park Office, cross the Dam over the lake, continue and turn left at Park entrance.

From Park entrance follow the winding park road, Beach Road to Overton Lodge.

Park information: 931-823-6347

GPS 36.46266 – 85.41066

COURSE

The 5 mile course starts across the lodge, following Morgan Creek to the turnaround at 1.5 miles. finishes at the Overton Lodge on Standing Stone/Kelly Lake, Hilham. Click here to review course path.  Continue past the starting line to a second turnaround at 3.7 miles. Same way back to the finish. Considered a fast and scenic course.

COURSE HISTORY

Originally, a 7.1-mile race, The Reindeer Stampede 7 Miler, started in 1995 as the last race before the Christmas break. It started at the crosswalk near the Recreation Hall and left the park going south on Hwy 52, then making Fletcher Circle, headed north on Hwy 52, passing the park entrance, and turning left at the next road. A few years later, the campground was paved, and the course was changed to The Reindeer Stampede 10K. It looped through the campground and headed out of the park to Hwy 52, making a right turn heading south to a turn-around, then heading back into the park, looping the campground again and finishing at the Hall. Runners complained of turning into the campground loop the second time when they could see the finish. So, the next year the course was changed again, leaving out the final loop of the campground and taking in Fletcher Circle from the original course, and finishing back at the Recreation Hall. In 2005 the date of the race was changed to mid-November, trading with the date of the Johnsonville Charge. This allowed for the use of Overton Lodge and the whole course to move down to the lake. The Reindeer Stampede name would no longer work because of the date change. The name Bigfoot Scramble 5 Miler was chosen because of the rumors of Bigfoot being spotted at Standing Stone.  All courses were designed by Lynn Burnett, Livingston. The 2020 race was canceled due to COVID-19. New race director from 2023 is Dan Smithhisler.

COURSE RECORDS

Men    2021    John Payne    26:32
Women    2018    Kate Nicewicz    31:25

7.1 Mile Course (Reindeer Stampede)
Men    1997    Lance Winders    39:37
Women    1995    Amy Cox    46:15

10K Course (Reindeer Stampede)
Men    2003    Ben Mulvaney    34:41
Women    2002    Michelle Chapman    41:24

Post Race

Made famous by Lynn Burnett “the spaghetti DInner” was a bigger draw than Bigfoot. The spaghetti dinner days are long gone but at least Bigfoot remains with the charcoal grilled Bigfoot Franks prior to the awards ceremony.