Short Hikes Relatively Close to SMS
Greenbriar Area
Porter’s Creek Trail—Go to the Greenbriar section of the park… Take Pittman Center Rd to the end, turn right on 321, and then almost immediately left into the National Park. Go to the end of the paved road, then, when the road forks, go to the right.
1 mile up to the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club cabin, an extra mile or so up to Fern Branch Falls, another 1.7 to the campsite at the end of the trail. Depending on time, you can do any of the three trips. To the hiking cabin is 2 miles round trip (about an hour of walking at a normal pace); to the Falls is about 4 miles round trip (two hours or so); to the campsite 7.4 miles round trip (about 4 hours).
To the cabin is an easy uphill along a semi-gravel road. Beyond the cabin, it gets a little steeper and more “trail-like.”
Clingman’s Dome Area
Clingman’s Dome—Take Newfound Gap Rd until the turn-off for Clingman’s Dome Rd on the right. Take the road till the end, park, and walk the paved path all the way to the tower. Though it’s paved, it is on the steep side, and it’s almost always cool to cold. We’ve gone up there in August and September before and froze our fannies off. Also, the road is closed from November to March, so make sure it’s open before you go!
Allow a half hour to the tower, half hour back.
Andrews Bald—Park at the Clingman’s Dome parking lot. Walk up the paved path until you see a sign for the Forney Ridge Trail. Follow the Forney Ridge trail down and then up for 1.8 miles to the bald. I don’t know what to say about the balds—they are probably my favorite geographic destination in the park, even more than waterfalls and cabins. It’s just a meadow on the top of a mountain, but man, is there great view! Plus, the flame azaleas in June are amazing. This is one of three “maintained” balds in the park. If you’re up there at the right time, you’ll see park service volunteers weedeating, cutting up wood, etc.
3.6 roundtrip (1.5-2.5 hours)
Wears Valley/Elkmont Area
Little Greenbrier School—Go to Wears Valley, park at the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area. The start of this trail is on the Wears Valley side of the bridge. It’s a nice, easy, half mile walk back to the school house and cemetery. Don’t be surprised if you see a car at the school… you can also drive up another way if you don’t want to walk.
1 mile roundtrip (45 minutes to an hour)
Little River Trail/Cucumber Gap Loop— Go to the end of the road at Elkmont through the historic district and park at the gate. This is where the trailhead for the Cucumber Gap Trail starts. It will do a mostly gentle uphill for about 2.4 miles, then it will meet the Little River Trail and loop back 2.4 miles on a gentle downhill on a wide, sturdy path that goes directly beside Little River for much of the way. This is, in my opinion, one of the easiest and finest short day hikes in the park. It can be done at a leisurely pace for an all day outing and picnic, or you can get up early and go trail running.
4.8 miles roundtrip (2-3 hours, but I’ve done it in an hour running without killing myself)
Avent Cabin—Go to the end of the road at Elkmont through the historic district and park at the gate. This is where the trailhead for the Cucumber Gap Trail starts. Take the Cucumber Gap trail to the junction with the Meigs Mountain Trail and Jakes Creek Trail. Take Jakes Creek Trail. About 500-600 yards up the Jakes Creek Trail, there is a slightly worn footpath that breaks off of the trail and down the hill. The footpath will cross a creek with a small footlog. The path on the other side of the creek is more defined, and leads 200 feet up the hill to the Avent Cabin. As this is an unmarked and unmaintained trail, it receives little traffic, even though it is on the National Register of Historic Places. The cabin was once used by an artist who was nationally renowned (and featured on an episode of the Heartland Series, which is where I first learned of the cabin). It’s a very neat cabin. It still has some furniture, curtains, household items, etc. Be sure to sign the log book. This takes maybe an hour to an hour and a half round trip.
To extend your trip, go back out to the Jakes Creek Trail and continue up the trail half a mile to the Newt Prong Bridge, the location of one of the worst logging accidents in the Smokies. There are still some logging cables, rails, saw blades, etc. scattered all around this area. The addition will add on an extra half hour to an hour to the Avent Cabin trip.
Just to the cabin—1.4 miles roundtrip (1 hour or less)
To the bridge and back—2.4 miles roundtrip (1.5 hours or less)
Tremont/Cades Cove Area
Spruce Flats Falls—Drive to Tremont and park at the visitors center. Walk up the road that goes past the visitor center about 10 feet, and there is a gravel walkway on the left. Take it up 200 feet or so to the dormitory, then go up the footpath to the left. You’ll be at the trailhead for the Lumber Ridge Trail. Take the Lumber Ridge trail 100 feet, and then turn right onto the Buckeye Trail. Follow it to the falls. It’s about 45 minutes of semi-steep up and down over rocks and roots to the falls, then 30-45 minutes back. Don’t be intimidated by the phrase “semi-steep up and down over rocks and roots”—my 7 year old daughter made it just fine.
1.9 miles roundtrip (roughly 1-2 hours)
No comments:
Post a Comment