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Grainger Co. leaders say gate will be removed from Indian Cave Road at Holston River

'No trespassing' signs and a chain block the public from driving down Indian Cave Road. Leaders said that shouldn't be the case because it's a public-owned road.

BLAINE, Tenn. — In Grainger County, a road used by some to access the Holston River is now blocked by no trespassing signs, a chain, and "STOP" spray-painted in bright yellow.

County leaders said that shouldn't be the case because Indian Cave Road is a public-owned road.

"The county road distance is 1.3 miles, which actually goes to the end of the pavement," Grainger County road superintendent Charlie McAnally said. "They're supposed to be up here at the end of the week or first of next week to take it down."

Kasey Sharp spent years making memories at Indian Cave, which is located at the end of the road. That part is closed to the public because it's privately owned.

"We've come here since we were kids... as long as we can remember," Sharp said. "Churches came back here. People got baptized. Our local fisherman use it for the ramp. There was a campground. There was a place to put tents. When we were kids, they had line dances."

Credit: WBIR

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Sharp said there has been no public access to the cave in years. That won't change when the road reopens, but she said it's a start.

"We have nothing in our county for our families to do," she said. "We want to make these owners our heroes. We want to make these owners realize what an important place this is to us and to reopen it."

10News attempted to reach Bob Monday, who is listed as the current property owner of Indian Cave. His secretary told us he was in meetings and would call us back when he got a chance.

As of Tuesday evening, 10News has not heard from Monday.

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