Despite its generic name, the High Falls of Cheat is known as one of Monongahela's more distinctive waterfalls. As less than 20 feet in height, the falls isn't very tall - but its signature feature is its width, stretching across a 100-foot wide cliff. The enormous pool and swimming hole denoting the base of High Falls is a welcome sight on a warm summer day. A scenic trail leads to the falls across Shavers Mountain from the West Fork Glady Fork valley. High Falls is unusual in that it is one of the longest waterfall hikes in Monongahela, yet it is also easily accessible by a scenic tourist train ride from Elkins. The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad Company runs a seasonal track through the Tygart Valley and up the remote gorge of the Shavers Fork Cheat River, otherwise accessible only by foot. The track runs directly past High Falls, so during the summer, don't be surprised to find company from people who reached the falls by train. On the other hand, you're likely to have the hike and falls all to yourself in the cold winter months, especially if you choose to visit after a foot of fresh snow has fallen, like I did. This hike occurred on Monday, February 1st, 2021. My plan was to simply hike the High Falls Trail out and back from the trailhead along FS 44.

R/T Length of Trail: 7.8 miles
Duration of Hike: 4:30 plus 1 hour and 30 minutes of stopping/photography
Type of Hike: Out and back
Total Elevation Gain: 1,542 feet
Difficulty Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Beautiful alpine forest along Shavers Mountain crest; numerous views of Shavers Fork Cheat River; well-constructed gradual ascents
Cons: Substantial walk alongside the Tygart Valley railroad at the end of the trail
Points of Interest: High Falls of Cheat - 7 stars; Meadows at the site of Beulah 
Trail Blaze Colors: High Falls Trail - blue; Allegheny Trail - yellow
Best Seasons to Hike: Year-round
Fees: None 
Beginning Point: High Falls Trailhead along FS 44
Directions from Elkins, WV: From the intersection of US 219/US 250 and US 33 near downtown Elkins, follow US 33 East for 12.0 miles. Then, turn right onto Glady Road (CR 27). In 9.4 miles, after entering the community of Glady, turn left onto Bemis Road (CR 22). Continue 0.2 mile; then, turn right onto Beulah Road. Follow Beulah Road for 3.0 miles to where it turns into FR 44. Continue along FR 44 for another 1.0 miles to the High Falls trailhead on the right. There are several wide spots along the road shoulder that can house roughly 6-8 vehicles. The best pullout is about 75 yards before the trailhead. FR 44 is in good shape and suitable for all passenger vehicles, but keep in mind it does not appear maintained in winter. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike. 

The start of February brought a blockbuster winter storm to West Virginia's Potomac Highlands. One to two feet of snow fell area-wide, with the highest totals observed Tucker County WV, Preston County WV, and Garrett County MD. My goal was to photograph a waterfall during the snowstorm, but lacking snowshoes at the time, I tried to stay away from the epicenter of the storm. Nevertheless, it turned out that at least a foot of snow had fallen further south in Randolph County (where High Falls is located) as well; needless to say, this made for one grueling hike given the length and elevation gain. I had never seen a snowy picture of High Falls before and was excited to see it in these conditions. The mile of driving along FS 44 was one of the more nerve-wracking winter drives I've done, as I was the first vehicle on the unmaintained road since the storm. Having chains and a shovel with me helped me feel more comfortable, but I still think heading out here solo in extreme winter conditions was probably not my brightest decision! 

​The High Falls Trail (#38) begins at a large wooden sign and drops down the west side of FS 44. After 50 feet, turn left onto an old roadbed. The trail follows the roadbed for a little while before bearing right into a small opening and coming to a wooden footbridge across West Fork Glady Fork at 0.2 mile. West Fork is an exceptionally beautiful and clear stream, meandering across the flat bottomlands amongst snow-claden spruce trees. After the crossing, the High Falls Trail begins a gentle ascent. Entering a broad open meadow, the trail reaches a junction with the West Fork Rail Trail at 0.4 mile. This trail runs from north to south along a former railroad bed for 22 miles from Glady to Durbin, much of it along the West Fork Greenbrier River. In addition, the Allegheny Trail, West Virginia's master trail, follows the West Fork Trail northward from this junction to Glady. The High Falls Trail and Allegheny Trail run together for the next 1.2 miles as the path climbs Shavers Mountain. 

​Past the junction, the High Falls trail continues ascending through the beautiful meadow, which offers fine panoramic views of the West Fork Glady Fork valley and Shavers Mountain. Perhaps more importantly, these meadows denote the site of the former community of Beulah. Once upon a time, houses stood proudly and cattle grazed in these fields. Today, all that remains are a few wobbly wooden fences, and nature is slowly taking over with shrubs and hawthorne trees. Once the trail leaves the vast meadow, it begins a moderate ascent up Shavers Mountain. Thanks to numerous switchbacks, the grade is never steep. The trail starts to level out around 1.2 miles and contours along the slope before arriving at a saddle on the crest of Shavers Mountain at 1.6 miles. A nice mountaintop campsite lies to your right. Just ahead, the trail enters a shady spruce forest and arrives at the Allegheny Trail's split. 

The Allegheny Trail turns left and continues a rather steep climb up Shavers Mountain on its 330-mile ​journey. This hike continues straight on the High Falls Trail. You've now reached the high point of the hike; I was surprised at how significantly the snow was deeper here, despite the modest elevation gain. The trail meanders through the spruce forest and crosses a couple rivulets that form the headwaters of Deer Lick Run. After a gradual descent begins, turn right onto an old roadbed at 1.9 miles. Follow the roadbed for 0.2 mile and then turn left to begin a steeper descent. This turn is rather easy to miss, because the broad roadbed continues ahead. The trail soon crosses a small stream and passes a conglomerate of boulders at 2.35 miles to the right. As the High Falls Trail approaches the Shavers Fork Cheat River, the forest changes back to mostly hardwood, and the understory becomes increasingly overgrown with rhododendron. The trail reaches the gorge floor and arrives at the Tygart Valley railroad tracks at 3.1 miles. I found the trail on the west side of Shavers Mountain to be generally steeper with fewer switchbacks than on the east side. 

The rest of the trek to High Falls is along the railroad tracks. You are asked to walk alongside the tracks, not on them, and to pay close attention to incoming trains in the summer. The tracks are inactive in the winter though, which was evident on this day with numerous fallen trees and the tracks buried under a foot of snow. The tracks are flat, so this part of the hike is easy without snow. As you walk, you will see numerous views of the Shaver Fork's scenic cascades, especially as you approach High Falls. One of the best views is at 3.7 miles, showing a vast stretch of the river in the upstream direction. At 3.85 miles, you will arrive at the small track-side depot alongside High Falls (where the tracks make a sharp right curve). You will find a pair of dilapidated pit toilets and picnic tables here. Take the boardwalk to your left, which follows a wooden staircase down to High Falls. The path splits; the left fork leads to an observation deck at the top of High Falls, while the right fork leads to the base. 

I recommend checking out both views of High Falls for the complete picture. The horseshoe-shaped waterfall is 20 feet high and 100 feet wide. The waterfall is named High Falls not because it's a tall waterfall, but because it is located at the highest elevation of all major waterfalls in Monongahela, at 2,900 feet above sea level. An extensive gravel bar lines the giant pool at the base. The pool is popular with swimmers in the summer, and I have seen videos of people jumping off the top. On this day, dozens of icicles lined the overhanging bluffs on either side of the waterfall, and a heavy snow squall blew in while I photographed High Falls. Once you've seen all of High Falls, simply retrace your steps back across Shavers Mountain, concluding the hike at 7.8 miles. Be extra cautious returning along the railroad tracks when they are active in summer - trains generally approach from the north. The community of Bemis is located five miles to the north. 

The Endless Wall Trail is one of the most famous trails in New River Gorge National Park and all of West Virginia. Following the brink of the gorge for nearly two miles, the trail provides many outstanding views looking down from the towering cliffs of the Endless Wall. None is as legendary as Diamond Point, a rock promontory that features unobstructed views in both directions of the New River Gorge. However, what is less common knowledge is that the Endless Wall Trail serves as an access point to a set of spectacular off-trail waterfalls on Fern Creek. The trail crosses a placid Fern Creek above the gorge rim, but few people realize that a plethora of awe-striking beauty lies downstream. A side trail off the Endless Wall Trail known as the Climbers' Trail descends into the gorge through a series of ladders and caves, providing relatively easy access to Matteus Falls and Upper Fern Creek Falls. But reaching the middle and lower waterfalls of Fern Creek is a true adventure that is devoid of any paths, full of expansive rock gardens, and punctuated by house-size boulders. This trip report is split into two sections: the first describes the Fern Creek waterfall excursion, and the second describes the rest of the easy Endless Wall Trail. I initially hiked the Endless Wall Trail on Saturday, August 1st, 2020. I then returned to the area and explored the entirety of Fern Creek from top to bottom on Sunday, January 17th, 2021. This trip report combines details and photos from both hikes. 

R/T Length of Hike: 3.0 miles
Duration of Hike: 3:20 plus 2 hours and 20 minutes of stopping and photography 
Type of Hike: Out and back 
Total Elevation Gain: 1,185 feet
Points of Interest: Matteus Falls - 8 stars; Upper Fern Creek Falls - 2 stars low water, 7 stars high water; Middle Fern Creek Falls - 8 stars; Lower Fern Creek Falls - 7 stars; Vista at start of climbers' trail - 6 stars; Ladders and caves along the Endless Wall
Best Season(s) to Hike: Winter

R/T Length of Hike: 2.9 miles
Duration of Hike: 1:30 plus 40 minutes of stopping and photography
Type of Hike: Loop 
Total Elevation Gain: 438 feet
Points of Interest: Diamond Point - 10 stars; Other views along Endless Wall
Best Season(s) to Hike: Fall

Fees: None 
Beginning Point: Fern Creek Trailhead along Lansing-Edmond Road
​Directions from Fayetteville, WV: From the intersection of US 19 and WV 16/Court Street near downtown Fayetteville, follow US 19 North for 2.3 miles (across the New River Gorge bridge). Then, turn right onto Lansing-Edmond Road (CR 82). Continue another 1.3 miles to the signed parking area for the Endless Wall Trail at Fern Creek Trailhead on the right. If you keep driving another 0.5 mile, you will reach the signed Nuttall Trailhead. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike.

This is a rather unusual trip report! Part of this trip report serves to discuss the Endless Wall Trail, a rather easy and very scenic trail that visits numerous panoramic views of the gorge. As a matter of fact, the Endless Wall Trail was one of my first hikes in West Virginia - a trail I hiked last summer but never got the chance to write about on this website. Then, in January, I returned to the Endless Wall Trail with a different goal: I was determined to access the renowned off-trail waterfalls located along Fern Creek deep in the New River Gorge. I wanted to make sure I saw these waterfalls during winter, as the boulder fields around Fern Creek are known to be a copperhead haven in the summer. The reason I decided to split up this report into different sections is simple. The Endless Wall Trail is a great choice for everyone, whether you are a regular hiker or whether you are just looking for a casual family outing. However, the rough off-trail trek to the Fern Creek waterfalls is only for seasoned adventurers who are confident in their capabilities to navigate steep, boulder-strewn terrain. I decided that it still made sense to describe both hikes in one page because they begin at the same trailhead. I will start with the description of the Fern Creek waterfall trek, because there is very little info available online about it in contrast to the Endless Wall Trail. 

Both hikes begin at the Fern Creek trailhead along Lansing-Edmond Road. The Endless Wall Trail exits the far end of the parking area and quickly enters a gorgeous, shady hemlock grove. On this day, a light dusting of snow peppering the dense rhododendron shrubs lining the trail made for a perfect scene. The trail soon starts a gradual descent and reaches a picturesque wooden footbridge across Fern Creek at 0.5 miles. You are above the rim of the gorge, and therefore, above all the waterfalls on Fern Creek. A side path before the bridge leads downstream to a mediocre view of the top of Upper Fern Creek Falls. You won't really be able to see the waterfall there, and I encourage you to stay away from the cliff edge. After the footbridge, the trail gently rises along the plateau and soon approaches the rim of the gorge. At 0.7 mile, you will arrive at a junction with the Climbing Access Trail on the right. The Endless Wall Trail continues straight ahead to Diamond Point and other vistas - to read more about the rest of the trail, scroll down to the second half of this report. To access the waterfalls on Fern Creek, as well as some really spectacular rock formations beneath the gorge rim, turn right on the climbing access. 

The Climbing Access Trail reaches the rim of the gorge in just 250 feet. The main trail bears right, but I highly encourage that you take the short side path on the left to a really nice view of the New River Gorge. Although it's not Diamond Point, it's still an unobstructed view of the gorge, showing the murky waters of the New River flowing nearly a thousand feet below you. The tan-colored sandstone cliffs formed a beautiful contrast to the snow-covered slopes of the gorge. The main trail soon reaches another rock outcrop, which provides a nice view through the trees of the New River Gorge Bridge. The trail than bears right and reaches the first of three ladders into the gorge. The first ladder is about 12 feet high and leads to a unique cave that the trail then passes through. On the other side of the cave, the trail descends a 25-foot ladder and an 8-foot ladder before reaching the foot of the bluffs. 

At the foot of the bluffs, look around and you will see that you are surrounded by an assortment of spectacular rock formations. The official Climbing Access Trail turns left and squeezes through a long, tight crack between two bluffs. That trail goes on to circumnavigate the cliffs of Diamond Point and returns to the Endless Wall Trail via another series of ladders in about a half-mile. However, to access the waterfalls of Fern Creek, you will want to instead turn right on the unofficial extension of the Climbing Access Trail, which leads westward eventually all the way to Fayette Station Road. The path loosely parallels the bluff line, although it meanders about 100 feet below it. As the trail approached Fern Creek, it became a little faint amongst scores of large boulders having fallen from the bluffs. The fresh coating of snow also made it harder to find. If you don't see the path, just follow the route of least resistance near the bluffs and you will soon return to it. 

About 0.2 mile after the ladders, arrive at a small stream crossing. This is the south branch of Fern Creek, which is home to Matteus Falls (GPS: N38.05800° W81.06205°). Note that this branch of Fern Creek is not shown on topo maps. Scramble upstream along the creek to see the waterfall, which is only 50 feet away. You will shortly arrive at towering 60-foot bluffs. Straight ahead is a spectacular natural arch-like formation. To the left, Matteus Falls is barely visible in a slim fissure within the bluffs. You should be able to rock hop into the slot canyon for a better view. I was not able to get a close-up view on this day, as it would've required wading beyond the last rock into knee-deep water. Although I couldn't view it fully, I would say Matteus Falls is at least 40 feet high. This is one of the most unique waterfalls I've ever seen - the slot canyon is hardly a foot wide. 

Returning to the main pathway, you will reach the larger north branch of Fern Creek in just another 100 feet. Despite being shown on topo maps, this creek did not appear very large when I was here, so perhaps the south branch is actually the main one. You are directly at the base of Upper Fern Creek Falls (GPS: N38.05830° W81.06205°). This falls really is worth seeing only during high water and after heavy rain. At those times, a torrent of water free-falls over the bluffs and crashes into the rock garden below. But at most other times, all the water trickles through a slim crack in the bluffs and hardly resembles a waterfall. With that said, house-sized boulders and jagged bluffs all around this spot are very impressive. 

eIn order to access the off-trail middle and lower waterfalls of Fern Creek, my recommendation is to continue following the climbing access path westward along the bluffs for another 0.2 mile. This is because the terrain along Fern Creek between the upper and middle falls is extremely rugged, plus overgrown with rhododendron. I've heard from at least one individual who attempted to follow the creek downstream to the middle falls but reached a dead-end at a cliff. Thus, the better choice is to stick with the climbers' path, which scrambles up a rocky gully between a gigantic boulder and the main bluff line. After this, the path closely follows the very foot of the bluffs on a rather rollercoaster route. I think a good point to leave the trail is once the woods to your left open up and the rhododendron thins out. 

It is hard to describe a precise route for the bushwhack down to Middle Creek Falls. My suggestion is to bushwhack directly down the steep slope in a southwesterly direction. Do not approach Fern Creek until you are around the same level as the falls. A GPS would help in navigating directly to the waterfall, though I don't think it's necessary. As you get closer to the falls, you will start encountering large rock outcrops that become increasingly challenging to maneuver around. Observing the vast rock gardens scattered across the slopes of the gorge helped me realize why bushwhacking here in the summer would be like trudging through a minefield of snakes! You should approach Middle Fern Creek Falls (GPS: N38.05757° W81.06591°) after about 0.2 mile of bushwhacking. This is an awesome waterfall! It's 60 to 70 feet high, plunges in a free-fall over a huge bluff line, and lands in a conglomerate of boulders. During periods of very high flow, Middle Fern Creek Falls can be seen while driving across the New River Gorge Bridge on Highway 19. 

Lower Fern Creek Falls is located another 0.15 mile downstream, but the trek there is hardly any easier. I recommend staying closer to the creek for this part of the bushwhack. Immediately below the Middle Falls is a broken line of cliffs that is rather difficult to climb down. The easiest route seemed right by the creek. You will reach the base of a scenic yet unnamed 20-foot waterfall here that is well worth a few pictures. After this, a faint path of least resistance becomes a little more evident as it twists between the gigantic boulders lining the creek.  As the creek steepens, you will want to move perhaps 50 feet away from it. After passing an island and some noisy cascades, you will finally reach the top of the Lower Falls as the railroad tracks come into view. The final scramble to the base is relatively easy. 

The lower falls on Fern Creek (GPS: N38.05766° W81.06794°) is about as large as the middle falls, even if less of a sheer drop. I would say the waterfall is at least 80 feet high, although a section of it is not visible from the base. This waterfall will likely be the photographers' favorite due to the intricate stairstep cascading pattern and layered rocks. I think it will look even better when surrounded by green foliage, but of course, I think doing this bushwhack in the warm season is a bad idea! Amazingly, in the last 0.4 mile or so, you've lost 700 feet in elevation since you left the climbing access path. Lower Fern Creek Falls is almost at the gorge floor; the New River is in plain sight straight ahead. So you might wonder, "can I just follow the railroad tracks instead of making the hellacious climb back up?". The answer is no. The railroad tracks immediately below Lower Fern Creek Falls are considered private property, and it is illegal to walk alongside them. Note that the railroad tracks cross Fayette Station Road less than a mile to the northwest. It would be an easy hike from there to Lower Fern Creek Falls, but again, this would be illegal. Therefore, your only option is to retrace your steps. I decided to make my return climb a bit further to the north and stay away from the creek entirely. The terrain was equally steep, but I did manage to avoid some of the tougher rock scrambling around Middle Fern Creek Falls. Once you return to the climbing access path, the rest of the hike will be a piece of cake in comparison, and you can now brag about having accessed several of the most spectacular yet hardest-to-reach waterfalls in the New River Gorge. 

The Endless Wall Trail passed the junction with the climbing access trail at 0.7 mile from the Fern Creek trailhead. If you are just the casual hiker looking to experience all the beautiful vistas of the Endless Wall, continue straight on the main trail. At 0.9 mile, the trail reaches the rim of the gorge, where a couple of side paths lead to nice views on your right. At 1.0 miles, arrive at the signed intersection with the 100-foot Diamond Point spur trail. The spur trail gently descends to the rocky promontory of Diamond Point, which affords incredible views both up and down the New River Gorge. Scraggly pines are scattered throughout the point and tenaciously cling to the cliffs. To your left is the edge of a sheer cliff, dropping down over a hundred feet, providing a birds-eye view of the gorge in the upstream direction. The sheer bluffs of the Endless Wall stretch out as far as the eye can see. Two railroad tracks running alongside the New River are clearly visible - if you're lucky, you might even spot a train with wagons full of coal! On the west side of Diamond Point is a different view, showing the New River Gorge Bridge in the downstream direction. Look straight down and you will see kayakers navigating the New River's noisy rapids on a warm summer day. 

Many people choose to just hike out and back to Diamond Point, but I encourage you to walk the rest of the trail and see the additional vistas it has to offer. At 1.2 miles, a sign denotes the other end of the Climbing Access Trail on the right. If you would like a little more challenge and interesting bluff scenery (without the off-trail trek down Fern Creek), one option is to use the Climbing Access Trail to loop back to the trailhead. I didn't hike most of that trail, but I do know it is significantly slower than the Endless Wall Trail, with more ladders and mild rock scrambles along the bluffs. Meanwhile, the Endless Wall Trail turns into a narrower path flanked by mountain laurel and passes occasional side paths to small vistas. A really nice view is on the right at 1.5 miles, where the powerful rapids of the New River are once again squarely in sight. The trail meanders along the rim for another half-mile before abruptly turning left onto the plateau at 2.0 miles. After crossing a small stream that feeds into Fern Creek, the Endless Wall Trail ends at the Nuttall Trailhead at 2.3 miles. Finishing the hike involves an easy 0.6-mile walk back west along Lansing-Edmond Road. Hikers frequently close off the loop this way, and as the road gets low traffic, vehicles should not be a huge concern. But the best part? The roadwalk is all downhill! 

The Laurel Fork Wilderness is one of the least-travelled areas in Monongahela National Forest. The wilderness spans the length of the Laurel Fork of the Cheat River, an impressive waterway that winds through a remote area of the mountains east of the unincorporated community of Glady. You won't find any spectacular vistas or towering cascades here, but what you will find is a pristine river and a lovely (albeit sometimes faint) trail where solitude is guaranteed. The Laurel Fork Wilderness has been split into two halves by CR 40/FR 423, which crosses Laurel Fork at the Laurel Fork Campground. The report below describes an exploratory foray into the Laurel Fork North Wilderness. This hike occurred on Tuesday, January 12th, 2021. Starting at the campground, I traced the Laurel River Trail downstream through the broadening Laurel Fork valley to a junction with the Stone Camp Run Trail, and I then returned the same way. 

R/T Length of Trail: 8.8 miles
Duration of Hike: 3:40
Type of Hike: Out and back 
Total Elevation Gain: 621 feet
Difficulty Rating: 4 out of 10 
Pros: Numerous views of Laurel Fork and surrounding hillsides
Cons: The trail can be a little hard to find in places where it diverges from the old railroad grade 
Points of Interest: None in particular, as good views of Laurel Fork are spaced throughout the trail
Trail Blaze Colors: None - the Laurel River Trail is unblazed but occasionally marked by rock cairns 
Best Season(s) to Hike: Spring, Fall 
Fees: None
Beginning Point: Laurel Fork Campground
Directions from Elkins, WV: From the intersection of US 219/US 250 and US 33 near downtown Elkins, follow US 33 East for 12.0 miles. Then, turn right onto Glady Road (CR 27). In 9.4 miles, after entering the community of Glady, turn left onto Bemis Road (CR 22). Drive 2.2 miles and then continue straight onto FR 422. FR 422 is in good shape and suitable for all passenger vehicles, but keep in mind it does not appear maintained in winter. In another 2.4 miles, bear right on FR 14. Drive 0.3 mile, and then, bear left on FR 423 at a sign for Laurel Fork Campground. Continue 1.5 miles to Laurel Fork Campground. The trailhead at the far end of the north loop of the campground, which is on the left right after a bridge across Laurel Fork. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike. 

Having never hiked in the Laurel Fork Wilderness before, I was not sure which section of the Laurel River Trail to focus on for my first hike in the area. My research on the area seemed to show that Laurel Fork upstream from the campground is a relatively small river in a tighter gorge with numerous tributaries and wetlands, whereas downstream from the campground, it becomes a much larger river that flows through a broad valley, constantly threading between islands and multiple channels. For this hike, I decided to explore the river downstream from the campground, and save the upstream section for spring wildflower season. I felt like the Laurel River Trail would be particularly convenient for a wintertime river hike because it always follows the same side of Laurel Fork, without any wet fords. 

The hike begins rather inconspicuously along the Laurel River Trail at the far end of the north campground loop. The trail isn't denoted by any signs, so look for a small map of the Laurel Fork Wilderness that is posted by the pathway. The trail quickly enters the Laurel Fork North Wilderness and jumps onto an old logging grade that largely parallels the Laurel Fork the whole way. In just 0.1 mile, the trail makes an easy rock hop across Tingler Run. Laurel Fork is audible and partially visible through the trees to your left. At 0.3 mile, enter a grassy meadow and walk a straight line along its left edge. A large rock cairn at the far end confirms the trail's route as it re-enters the woods. Even though there are no blazes, rock cairns mark most key points of confusion along this trail. At 0.4 mile, the trail reaches Five Lick Run, a sizable tributary of Laurel Fork. This is the largest creek crossing on this hike, and it may be challenging for you to get across with dry feet if you aren't wearing boots.

The trail reaches an open view of a beautiful bend on Laurel Fork at 0.5 mile, where the river runs in a series of pleasant ripples. A towering hemlock crowns the far side of the river. Just ahead is a landslide, where the trail scrambles through a rock garden along the river's very edge. The trail continues to follow the riverside for a little longer before bearing right on the old railroad grade at 0.8 mile, gradually climbing above Laurel Fork. You won't return to the riverside again for over a mile. At 1.2 miles, the trail passes through a lush hemlock grove, the river now nearly 100 feet lower. Pass another scenic bend in Laurel Fork at 1.6 miles, partially visible through the trees below. The long-decommissioned Middle Mountain Trail from FR 14 once joined the trail here. A gradual descent along the old railroad grade ensues, and the trail finally returns to Laurel Fork at 2.0 miles. 

The next half-mile features continuous views of Laurel Fork as the trail closely follows the river bank. Laurel Fork is wide and mostly placid here, but miniature gurgling cascades occasionally break up the river's course. Note how the river tends to briefly split into large channels and form forested islands. At 2.5 miles, the trail reaches a vast meadow. This spot can seem confusing, because the old railroad grade turns right away from the meadow, and a rock cairn stands in between the meadow and the railroad grade. The Laurel River Trail bears left to enter the meadow, and then follows the right-hand side of the meadow past another cairn to a crossing of shady Adamson Run. Rock hop the stream, bear left, cross a muddy area, and look for the faint path as it traces the very edge of the meadow. The trail can probably get very overgrown here in summer. As you follow the meadow, watch for open views of the Middle Mountain ridge rising above the far side of the Laurel Fork valley. 

The meadows come to an end at 2.8 miles as the trail reaches the lively Laurel Fork again, and the old railroad grade suddenly reappears. This is one of my favorite views of Laurel Fork on the hike (pictured above), showing the river snaking its way through the meadow between its low banks. A line of lush green hemlocks guard the river's edge. Just ahead, the trail is squeezed between the river and a line of small rock outcrops. The trail soon edges away from the river but stays in bottomland before rock hopping the small Bill White Run at 3.25 miles. On the other side, the trail passes through a small island of raspberry bushes that is likely to be unpleasant in summer. A gentle downhill follows before the trail reaches Laurel Fork again at 3.6 miles, and continuous views of the river resume for the next 3/4 mile. As I walked along Laurel Fork, I marveled at how clear the river's stony bottom was visible beneath the evening sunrays. 

At 4.3 miles, the trail becomes increasingly faint as the old railroad grade appears to vanish and the valley widens greatly. The trail shortly reaches a crossing of Three Bear Run, a small stream with high banks. On the other side, the trail enters a large meadow and is marked by a series of rock cairns. Reach the inconspicuous junction with the Stone Camp Run Trail at 4.4 miles. It is marked by the third meadow cairn in the meadow and stands alongside a lone dead tree. If not the cairn, you would probably not even notice that this is an intersection. The Laurel River Trail continues for another seven miles and crosses the Laurel Fork itself once, before reaching its terminus on FR 14. However, this is a fine place to turn around if you're just day hiking and don't have a shuttle set up. However, before you head back, turn left on the Stone Camp Run Trail and follow it 100 feet to a very nice view of Laurel Fork. The banks of Laurel Fork are open and grassy here, and the clear, placid water looked inviting for a summertime wade. Take a moment to relax, close your eyes, and embrace the vast solitude that surrounds you. A lone cairn on the far side of Laurel Fork denotes the Stone Camp Run Trail's crossing of the river here; that trail comes to a trailhead along FR 14 in 1.5 miles, following a steep climb up Middle Mountain. 

You will return to Laurel Fork Campground the same way along the Laurel River Trail. The trail will be easier to follow on the way back now that you've figured out all of the faint trail sections, but the return trip will feature a little more uphill since you are now following the river upstream. On the flip side, you will get to enjoy many more nice views of the Laurel Fork, now flowing towards you. You will reach the Laurel Fork Campground at 8.8 miles, concluding the hike. 

The Tea Creek Wildlife Management Area is the little, less intimidating brother to the better-known Cranberry Wilderness. ​Located just northeast of the Cranberry Wilderness on the other side of the Williams River, the Tea Creek area features dozens of miles of hiking trails with many of the same rushing creeks and dark spruce forests. Unlike the Cranberry Wilderness, all trails in Tea Creek WMA are well-marked and easier to follow. The loop described here is a very nice introduction to the area, traversing a myriad of ecosystems across the headwaters of Right Fork Tea Creek. The hike begins in the vast Tea Creek Meadows alongside Highlands Scenic Highway and follows first Right Fork Tea Creek and then Red Run for the first several miles, passing along beaver-formed wetlands and through rock gardens. The return route traces a relaxing old logging grade along the higher and drier slopes of Gauley Mountain. This hike occurred on January 2nd, 2021. My plan was to hike the Right Fork Trail from Tea Creek Meadows to the Red Run Trail. I then followed the Red Run Trail to the Gauley Mountain Trail, and I took the Gauley Mountain Trail back toward Tea Creek Meadows. I closed off the loop along the Right Fork Connector Trail and exited via the Tea Meadows Interpretive Trail. 

R/T Length of Trail: 7.1 miles
Duration of Hike: 3:15
Type of Hike: Loop 
Total Elevation Gain: 711 feet
Difficulty Rating: 5 out of 10 
Pros: Scenic views of creeks, wetlands, and red spruce thickets 
Cons: Two creek crossings may be hard to complete in winter or during wet periods
Points of Interest: Wetlands around the headwaters of Right Fork Tea Creek; confluence of Right Fork Tea Creek and Red Run; Tea Creek Meadows 
Trail Blaze Colors: Right Fork Trail - Blue; Red Run Trail - Blue; Gauley Mountain Trail - Blue; Right Fork Connector Trail - Blue 
Best Seasons to Hike: Summer 
Fees: None 
Beginning Point: Tea Creek Meadows Trailhead by Little Laurel Overlook 
Directions from Marlinton, WV: From the intersection of US 219 and WV 39 (8th Street) within downtown Marlinton, follow US 219 North for 7.0 miles. Then, turn left onto Highlands Scenic Highway (WV 150), and continue for 5.7 miles to Little Laurel Overlook on your left. A short paved road on the right leads 100 feet to the Tea Creek Meadows parking area. Be advised that this section of Highlands Scenic Highway is not maintained during winter and may be potentially impassable at times from November through April. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike.

My first visit to the state of West Virginia was in the summer of 2020. Stormy weather and multiple rounds of heavy rain thwarted some of my hiking plans, but I still managed to make a brief foray into the Dolly Sods Wilderness as well as an easy walk to the High Rocks vista off the Highlands Scenic Highway. After deciding to continue my college studies remotely in fall 2020 and spring 2021 due to Covid-19, I decided to temporarily move to West Virginia's Potomac Highlands and explore in more detail a region largely new to me. My first hiking opportunity of the new year came on the heels of a two-day heavy rain event, so I searched out a moderate-length hike with nice creek views, and concluded that this circuit in the Tea Creek headwaters would fit the bill. 

​This hike begins in the Tea Creek Meadows, a large grassy expanse that lines the north side of the Highlands Scenic Highway near the headwaters of Right Fork Tea Creek. Directly across from the meadows is the Little Laurel Overlook, an impressive roadside vista looking south towards Red Spruce Knob and the upper Williams River valley. Three trails leave the trailhead. The well-signed Tea Creek Mountain Trail heads west into the hardwood forest at the back of the small parking area (this trail eventually descends into the Williams River valley and reaches Tea Creek Campground in 4.3 miles). Meanwhile, the Right Fork Trail and Tea Creek Interpretive Trail begin behind the gate in the meadows. The loop begins away, as you must bear left on the poorly-signed Right Fork Trail (while you will return from the interpretive trail on the right). I would like to point out that many maps show the Right Fork Trail actually splitting off from the Tea Creek Mountain Trail 0.2 mile from the parking area. This is incorrect; the two trails are entirely separated, and the first 0.2 mile of the Right Fork Trail passes through the west side of Tea Creek Meadows. As you walk through the grassy meadow, you will observe panoramic views of Tea Creek Mountain to the west and Gauley Mountain to the east. 

The trail exits the meadow and abruptly descends into the forest before reaching a junction with the Right Fork Connector Trail at 0.25 mile. This trail traverses the Right Fork Tea Creek headwaters and connects to the Gauley Mountain Trail, so you'll follow part of it on the way back. For now, bear left to stay on the Right Fork Trail, which picks up an old logging grade as it gently descends into the Right Fork valley. The forest is largely spruce in this area with a few hardwood trees mixed in. At 0.5 mile, the trail begins passing views of several beaver-created wetlands near Right Fork Tea Creek. As I was walking this part of the trail, I noticed a brown path of mud and dirt climbing the snowy slope from the wetlands and crossing the trail.  My eyes traced the muddy track and led me to a tree that had been felled by a beaver literally moments before my arrival - fresh, bright wood chips were sprinkled all over the white snow. 

After crossing a couple of bridges across small side streams, the trail passes a particularly scenic view of Right Fork Tea Creek emerging in a gentle cascade from the spruce-lined wetlands around 1.0 mile. The trail jumps on and off the logging grade to avoid muddier areas, so pay close attention to the blazes. To be fair, I did this hike on a relatively warm day after several days of rain, and the deep snow cover on the ground was in the process of melting, so it was hard for me to tell which areas were normally dry. The entire trail had turned into a muddy stream! At 1.2 miles, the trail comes right alongside Right Fork Tea Creek at a scenic, open bend. Up ahead, the west side of the creek is entirely open hardwood forest, while the east side of the creek is encompassed by a dense, lush spruce grove. The trail then continues to closely follow the creek and passes several vibrant cascades. At 1.55 miles, reach a crossing of Right Fork Tea Creek, the largest creek crossing of the hike. I've read that at normal water levels, particularly in summer, this creek crossing tends to be an easy rock hop. However, on this wet winter day, the creek was quite swollen and the crossing was more than ankle-deep in places. With temperatures in the 30s, I relied on my waterproof snow boots to make the crossing, but to my dismay, the water did manage to overtop one of my boots near the far end...

After the crossing, the trail rises onto a small knife-edge ridge slicing between Right Fork Tea Creek and Red Run, a major tributary. The open ridge provides panoramic views of both streams. The trail winds between sparse spruce trees and then makes a rough rock scramble down to a crossing of Red Run at 1.8 miles.  Upon reaching Red Run, you will notice one great difference: the brownish tannic waters of Red Run lie in stark contrast to the dark but clear waters of Right Fork Tea Creek. Naturally, all creeks in this area used to look like Red Run due to the acidic soil found within spruce forests, which would then leak acid into the creeks. However, the Forest Service has placed a lime depositing station at the headwaters of Right Fork Tea Creek to reduce the creek's acidity, in order to transform it into a suitable habitat for trout. Red Run's murky waters represent a stream more typical for its origins in a forest of red spruce. The Red Run crossing will be a rock hop under most conditions, but it was still running high this day, nearly ankle-deep. As you cross, note the colorful greenish stones lining the creek, corroded by acid over the years. 

Pick up a flatter trail on the other side of the crossing and reach a junction with the Red Run Trail at 1.9 miles. A miniature wooden kiosk with a trail map of Tea Creek WMA denotes the intersection; trail maps like this are generally posted at every trail junction in the WMA. The Right Fork Trail bears left, shortly thereafter makes a second crossing of Right Fork Tea Creek, and continues another one and a half miles to the Forks of Tea Creek, where there is a trail shelter and more scenic creek views. This hike bears right on the Red Run Trail, which picks up another logging grade as it begins a gradual climb out of the Right Fork valley. Note that the sign incorrectly denotes the Red Run Trail mileage as 2.7 miles; my GPS measured it as 1.9 miles, which seems closer to reality based on other trail descriptions I've read online. 

For its first 1/2 to 3/4 mile, the Red Run Trail ascends a sunny and relatively dry slope at a gentle grade well above Red Run. But around 2.5 miles, the trail again comes alongside the cascading waters of Red Run and gradually enters a shady spruce forest. This is one of my favorite parts of the trail thanks to all the lush woods that the trail meanders through, plus the numerous scenic stream views. It is also one of the muddier sections of the hike. As you walk through the spruce forest, observe the hundreds of mossy stones scattering a carpet of green through the woods. Around 3.3 miles, the trail crosses a small footbridge over a side stream and passes the confluence of two branches coming together to form Red Run. Even here, the acidity of the forest shines through in the water's tannic brown coloring. The trail then leaves Red Run for good, but it remains very rocky and slightly hard to follow as it meanders between the stately spruce trunks. 

Suddenly, pop out to a junction with the Gauley Mountain Trail at 3.8 miles. In relation to the faint, twisting Red Run Trail, the broad Gauley Mountain Trail resembles a superhighway, as it follows a well-defined old logging grade. To the left, the Gauley Mountain Trail emerges on top of the Gauley Mountain ridge and follows it for a couple miles to a trailhead on FS 24, passing several other trails to Tea Creek along the way. This hike turns right on the Gauley Mountain Trail to start heading back south. This part of the hike is very easy with essentially no elevation change, and the trail leaves the spruce forests of Right Fork and Red Run. After circumnavigating a lead from Gauley Mountain, the trail passes through an overgrown meadow at 5.1 miles and crosses a small branch of Right Fork Tea Creek. The trail then angles around another Gauley Mountain lead while passing very nice seasonal views of the Tea Creek valley and Tea Creek Mountain. 

At 6.0 miles, after a gentle descent, arrive at a junction with the Right Fork Connector Trail. While the Gauley Mountain Trail continues just 0.4 mile to another trailhead on the Highlands Scenic Highway, you want to turn right on the connector trail to close off the loop. The connector trail enters another area of spruce forest in the headwaters of Right Fork Tea Creek, crossing a large branch of the stream via footbridge at 6.2 miles. Soon thereafter, the trail passes several fleeting views of beaver-created wetlands to the right. I was finishing the hike around sunset, and these wetlands were draped in a beautiful pink-tinted mist. At 6.5 miles, intersect the Tea Creek Interpretive Trail. The exit route to the trailhead is the graveled pathway on the left, but before that, I highly recommend a quick 0.1-mile side trip along the boardwalk on your right. It leads to a couple of open views of the expansive wetlands near Right Fork Tea Creek, and if you stay still and quiet, this is a great spot to look for wildlife. After you finish observing the wetlands, return to the junction and follow the graded gravel path out as it rises into Tea Creek Meadows. As I concluded the hike in the same meadow that it started, I was awestruck by the brilliant streaks of pink and orange overspreading the sky. It was a remarkable change in weather from the pea-soup fog I had began the hike in a few hours earlier. You will reach your car and finish the hike at 7.1 miles. 

Towering over 2,000 feet above the east shore of Lake George is the little-known summit of Black Mountain. Given the fantastic views of Lake George and vicinity that Black Mountain provides both northward and southward, it is a wonder that this hike tends to stay so under-represented in the hiking community. Pike Brook Road serves as the starting point of the Black Mountain Trail, which reaches the summit in 2.5 miles with a remarkably well-graded climb. What's more, the full 7-mile loop drops down the back side of Black Mountain past multiple additional vistas before an exceptionally scenic traverse past Black Mountain Pond, Round Pond, and Lapland Pond. The Black Mountain Loop is definitely one of the highlight hikes of the Lake George area. Furthermore, this hike is a great winter pick for less experienced snowshoers, thanks to the trail's moderate grades and lack of the rock scrambling so typical to other parts of the Adirondack Park. This hike occurred on Tuesday, November 26th, 2019. My plan was to hike the Black Mountain Loop in a counter-clockwise direction from Pike Brook Road. 

R/T Length of Trail: 7.1 Miles
Duration of Hike: 4:15 plus about one hour of stopping
Type of Hike: Lasso 
Total Elevation Gain: 1646 Feet
Difficulty Rating: 6 out of 10 
Pros: Lots of panoramic views with a relatively easy ascent; great winter hike for those with less experience; diversity of scenery throughout the loop 
Cons: The first 0.6 miles of the trail (out and back) follow a double-track forest road that is slightly monotonous 
Points of Interest: Black Mountain views - 8 stars; Black Mountain Pond; Round Pond; Lapland Pond 
Trail Blaze Colors: Pike Brook Road to Loop Start - Red; Loop Start to Black Mountain Summit - Red; Black Mountain Summit to Black Mountain Point Trail Junction - Red; Black Mountain Point Trail Junction to Millman Pond/Fishbrook Pond Trail Junction - Blue; Millman Pond/Fishbrook Pond Trail Junction to Loop End - Yellow 
Best Seasons to Hike: Fall; Summer 
Fees: None 
Beginning Point: Pike Brook Road Trailhead
Directions from Whitehall, New York: From the junction of Broadway (NY 22) and Poultney Street (US 4 East) in downtown Whitehall, follow NY 22 North for 7.2 miles. Then, turn left onto County Road 6. In another 2.6 miles, turn left onto Pike Brook Road. Continue for 0.8 miles to the Black Mountain trailhead parking area on the right. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike. 

The obscure summit of Black Mountain came up as I was searching for a relatively easy half-day hike within an hour of Middlebury that I could do without having to get up early. I wasn't necessarily looking for anything spectacular - just a pleasant outing in the woods with some varied scenery. So to say I was surprised by the scenery of the Black Mountain Loop would be an understatement. This is easily one of my favorite hikes I've done since moving to Vermont in September. Considering that the well-graded trails hardly required any effort to hike, the reward-to-effort ratio of this hike is immensely high. 

You can't miss the start of the trail, heading straight up a steep hill along a double-track forest road beside the trailhead kiosk. Around the first corner is a gate that is typically closed. It was open this day, likely due to it still being hunting season, but even if you find it open, I don't recommend attempting to drive the forest road as it is quite rough in places and not that long. The trail turns west after 0.15 miles and becomes a very pleasant walkway as it levels out alongside a small rivulet. At 0.6 miles, the trail bumps up along a private inholding. The road leads past another gate and into a clearing with multiple structures within the private inholding. Be sure to follow the red blazes and bear right off the road and onto a narrower trail toward Black Mountain. At 1.05 miles (the sign reads 1.2 miles), reach a Y-fork that indicates the start of the Black Mountain Loop. To the left is the yellow-blazed trail to Lapland Pond, while to the right is the more direct trail to Black Mountain. I recommend bearing right, like I did, to get done with the main ascent sooner and leave the more undulating trail that interconnects the ponds for the latter half of the hike. 

The trail gains 1,000 feet in elevation over the next 1.8 miles - a very tame grade for Adirondack Park trails. The ascent remains on a relatively broad trail and steepens at a very gradual pace. You will cross a few seeps and climb up a couple minor rock outcrops, but nothing particularly worth nothing. As you gain elevation in the winter, you might notice through the trees the fire tower and wind turbine adorning Black Mountain's summit. The tower is again visible at 2.5 miles, now straight ahead and much closer. The trail doesn't take the most direct track to get there, circling around the cliffs that adorn Black Mountain's north slopes. The woods are a rather dense mix of high-elevation deciduous forest and some spruce, mostly precluding seasonal views of your surroundings. The woods finally start opening up at 2.8 miles as the trail emerges into a grassy clearing immediately below the summit. The old stone footings in the clearing are all that remains of another, older fire tower that used to occupy this spot. The clearing has fine views northeast toward Lake George, but wait until the summit rock with its similar but more expansive view. 

The main trail turns left at the clearing, reaching the Black Mountain summit at 2.85 miles. At an elevation of 2,640 feet, Black Mountain possesses the honor of being the highest peak on the Lake George 12'er list. On the right is the old fire tower, positioned within a heavily-fenced enclosure. The fire tower now doubles as a facility that relies on solar energy to provide emergency radio communications for search and rescue agencies, so the tower is closed to the public. A sign states that the radio communications equipment will be removed in the future and replaced by satellite communications - I wonder if the fire tower will then be opened to hikers. To the left of the trail stands a small wind turbine that I assume is somehow related to the radio communications tower. If you're here on a day with a breeze, you will have heard the noise of the turbine's rotating blades well before reaching the summit. 

A few feet past the summit, the red-blazed Black Mountain Trail turns left, marked by a sign that informs it is one mile to the junction with the trail to Black Mountain Pond. But hold up! Be sure to turn right here first onto the well-traveled path that emerges in just a few dozen feet atop the rock outcrop that features Black Mountain's best north-facing view (and is the cover photo for this trip report). Spread out in front of you is the picture-perfect north sector of Lake George, socked into a gentle valley that runs due north toward the town of Ticonderoga. Looking right in a more northeast/east direction, the rolling Taconic hills gradually fade into the southern extent of the Lake Champlain Valley, framed by Vermont's Green Mountains on the horizon. 

As you return to the main trail junction, I highly encourage you to keep hiking the Black Mountain Loop instead of just returning the same way along the shortest route. Not only will you see several more views of Lake George, but the trail section that traverses the shorelines of the multiple ponds just southeast of Black Mountain is a large part of what makes this hike so scenic. As you start following the Black Mountain Trail south along the summit ridge, you will instantly notice that this part of the trail is significantly narrower and lesser-traveled. After a moderate period of descent, the trail passes through a semi-open shrubby area at 3.1 miles with nice seasonal views - watch out for an obscure side path bearing right across a small rock slab. The path leads 150 feet to a stunning southwest view down the heart of Lake George. In the very center of the scene are the Lake George Narrows, punctuated by its nearly two dozen tiny islands that look as if someone had scattered a bunch of crackers. The rugged slopes of the Tongue Mountain Range on the west shore and Shelving Rock Mountain on the east shore run toward each other to squeeze the islands into Lake George's most dramatic section. I was fortunate enough to reach this vista about an hour of sunset, when the sun was about to emerge beneath a grouping of stormy clouds hovering above the narrows. Crepuscular rays streamed down right over the narrows and the unseen sun painted the threatening clouds in a surreal orange glow. 

Returning to the main trail, you'll begin a steeper descent toward Black Mountain Pond. The trail passes below a set of scenic cliffs around 3.3 miles - in the winter when the leaves are off the trees, there are nearly continuous views of the Lake George Narrows here. This is a very well-constructed trail that utilizes ample switchbacks as it loses elevation - an innovation I have not spotted frequently on Adirondack Park Trails. Watch for a well-used side trail on the left at 3.5 miles that leads to another rock outcrop with open southward views. The Lake George Narrows are once again in the view; Erebus Mountain dominates the view in front of you. To the left is a chain of ponds and wetlands - frozen on this day - that includes Black Mountain Pond and Round Pond. The main trail continues a fairly steep descent with switchbacks, passing a path to one more similar view of Black Mountain Pond and Erebus Mountain at 3.65 miles. At 3.9 miles, the trail finally bottoms out at an important trail junction. 

The red-blazed trail to Black Mountain Point on Lake George leaves right. This trail continues descending quite steeply, dropping 1400 feet in 2.0 miles before reaching the lake shoreline. From Black Mountain Point, you could then follow a trail that traces the Lake George shoreline for several miles before eventually reaching the Shelving Rock area, but that is well beyond the scope of this trip report. Our hike continues straight ahead on the blue-blazed trail toward Black Mountain Pond and Lapland Pond. The trail passes through a relatively flat but rocky gap of sorts before arriving by the edge of Black Mountain Pond at 4.15 miles. A few yards farther, the trail crosses a slanted rock outcrop with a nice panoramic view of this evergreen-lined pond. Above the rock on the left stands a room with a view - a classic Adirondack lean-to looking out over the serene, wilderness pond. The trail crosses a couple small streams draining the slopes of Black Mountain before abruptly rising away from the pond and meandering through cross-country terrain. I must say I was a little surprised by the amount of elevation change found on the trail section between Black Mountain Pond and Lapland Pond. There's no extended climbs, of course, but the trail isn't really ever flat either. 

The trail drops to the shore of Round Pond at 4.6 miles, lined by a wall of cottongrass so dense that the pond's waters were hardly visible. The trail circumnavigates this pond, passes through another faint gap, and reaches a T-junction with a yellow-blazed trail at 4.95 miles. If it sounds like I'm hesitant to apply names to these trails, it's because I am - Adirondack Park trails are unique in that they often aren't assigned specific names. Instead, the term "Trail to" is used, followed by a list of destinations along the route. But I digress. To the right, the trail leads a mile to Millman Pond and then another mile to Fishbrook Pond. Eventually, this trail can be used to access Sleeping Beauty Mountain, another one of the Lake George area's prominent peaks and also on the Lake George 12'er list. However, our loop hike turns left back in the direction of the Pike Brook Road Trailhead. 

As you follow the yellow-blazed trail north, Lapland Pond soon comes into view through the trees on your right. An opportunity for a more open view presents itself at 5.1 miles, where a side trail leaves right to the shore and to another lean-to overlooking the pond on a dry, rocky perch. Lapland Pond is the largest pond of the day, though similar to the others by character. As I photographed the pond under the pale pink colors of sunset, a disturbed beaver plunged into the water, easily cracking the thin November ice. 

Back on the main trail, you'll make a gentle ascent before leveling out in a rather boggy region. The fragile snow cover concealed what seemed to be a tremendous amount of mud, but I have no doubt this part of the trail can get quite messy, especially in the spring. Between 5.5 and 5.6 miles, the trail skirts the right side of a small wetland with an impressive collection of beaver signs - I counted over a dozen trees that were definitely felled by beavers, including a couple across the trail. Then, a brief descent brings the trail to a stump-punctuated wetland that looks like a pond but is not shown on the topo map. A wooden boardwalk crosses the pond's outflow stream at 5.9 miles. Finally, at 6.05 miles, reach a familiar junction - you have now rejoined the Black Mountain summit trail and closed the loop. Bear right and now trace the day's earlier steps, past the private residence and down the old forest road. You will conclude the hike on your return to the Pike Brook Trailhead at 7.1 miles. 

To summarize, I highly recommend for everyone in the area to consider this spectacular, underrated hike. Black Mountain is hard proof that you don't have to be in the alpine zone or on a high peak to get an outstanding hiking experience. And be sure to do the full loop rather than just go out and back to the summit. Loop hikes like this one that feature a variety of scenery all throughout - from different vistas to scenic paths along ponds and bogs - are among my favorites. 

One of the most distinctive landmarks in Vermont and the third-tallest peak in the state, the rocky, alpine dome of 4,085-foot Camel's Hump is known well for its incredible 360-degree views overlooking a lengthy swath of the Green Mountains, with Lake Champlain, the Adirondacks, and the Whites all in view. Although Long Trail - Vermont's own long-distance trail - directly crosses the summit, getting there is still a steep, strenuous ascent from any direction. What some people fail to realize though is that Camel's Hump is just one highlight of the Long Trail as it runs south to Highway 17. The 11.7-mile section of the Long Trail between Camel's Hump and Appalachian Gap is never dull, featuring a variety of overlooks, spectacular bluffs, intricate rock mazes, bogs, and the signature viewpoint atop Burntrock Mountain. Expect this to be a difficult and slow hike that will take all day and test your physical shape. This hike occurred on Saturday, October 5th, 2019. My plan was to leave two cars - one at Appalachian Gap on Hwy 17 and one at the Burrows Trailhead - and start ascending the Burrows Trail to Camel's Hump. I would join the Long Trail near the summit, and I'd follow the Long Trail the rest of the day to Appalachian Gap. 

R/T Length of Trail: 13.8 Miles
Duration of Hike: 9:45 plus 2 hours and 15 minutes of stopped time
Type of Hike: Point-to-Point (two cars required)
Total Elevation Gain: 5,352 feet 
Difficulty Rating: 9 out of 10 
Pros: Numerous viewpoints throughout the hike; very scenic rock features often present along the Long Trail; section between Hedgehollow Brook Trail Junction and Birch Glen Shelter is easy and a welcome relaxation compared to the rest of the hike 
Cons: Every single main ascent and descent on the hike is extremely steep, rocky, and rugged, making for very slow hiking 
Points of Interest: Camel's Hump Views - 10+ stars; Views along the ridge between Camel's Hump and Wind Gap - 8 stars; Views from Mount Ethan Allen - 7 stars; Views from Burntrock Mountain - 10 stars; View from Molly Stark Balcony - 7 stars
Trail Blaze Colors: Burrows Trail - Blue; Long Trail - White 
Best Seasons to Hike: Summer, Fall 
Fees: None 
Beginning Point: Burrows Trailhead for Camel's Hump 
Directions to Appalachian Gap Trailhead: If coming from Bristol, follow VT 17 East from the VT 116 junction for 9.6 miles to Appalachian Gap. The parking area will be on the left in the gap. If the lot is full, there is extra space to park along the road shoulders. If coming from Waitsfield, follow VT 17 West from the VT 100 junction for 6.2 miles to the Appalachian Gap parking area. 
Directions from Appalachian Gap Trailhead to Burrows Trailhead: Follow VT 17 West for 2.7 miles. Then, turn right on Gore Road (which later becomes Main Road) and continue 6.2 miles to Camels Hump Road on the right in the town of Huntington. Turn onto Camels Hump Road, and stay right at the Y-split in 0.6 miles. After the Y-split, continue another 2.8 miles to the end of Camels Hump Road at the Burrows Trailhead. The road becomes unpaved but is easily drivable for all passenger vehicles. The last 0.4 miles of Camels Hump Road are steeper and narrower, and are not maintained during winter. Thus, winter hikers must park in the lower winter lot, adding 0.4 miles to their hiking distance (0.8 miles roundtrip if doing and out and back hike to Camels Hump). 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike. 

Camel's Hump is a peak that consistently hovers near the top of New England peakbaggers' lists. With such a distinct profile and unique name, it's not hard to imagine why - the peak is the third tallest in Vermont and one of the best views in the state. However, my hike on the Long Trail all the way to Highway 17 illustrated that Camel's Hump is far from being the only highlight of this trail. While tough, this is one spectacular hike, with numerous vistas scattered all throughout and complemented by many fun rock scrambles and intricate cliff outcrops. Just be sure to take ample of time to complete this section of the Long Trail - we started our hike at 7 AM and still finished after sunset, hiking at a moderately fast pace. One more note of interest - you may notice that hiking the Long Trail in the direction I did, from north to south, from Burrows to Appalachian Gap, actually involves about 600 feet more ascent than descent. It may thus be counter-intuitive hiking the trail in this direction. I thought the same thing, but trust me, this is definitely the direction you want to hike it in! You'll get the most rugged sections of the trail out of the way in the first half of the day, and the walking will become increasingly easier after Burnt Rock Mountain. You'll unfortunately still have a 1,000-foot climb up Molly Stark Mountain not far from the end, but that's better than the brutal climb you'd have coming up Camel's Hump the opposite direction at the end of a long day! If you were to hike from Appalachian Gap to Camel's Hump, the walking would just become increasingly slower/more difficult, and I feel confident that it would appear as if there's more ascent than descent. Furthermore, I feel like descending the insanely steep and rocky Burrows Trail would be an extremely unpleasant experience.  

The hike begins at the Burrows Trailhead, one of two trailheads commonly used to access Camel's Hump (the other being Monroe Trailhead on the east side). Burrows Trail is the shorter of the two, but it's also noticeably steeper. The trail is 2.1 miles long and ascends 2,000 feet in this distance. Initially, the trail is just a relentless moderately steep climb through a scenic hardwood forest on the west side of Brush Brook. Around the 0.7-mile mark, the trail steadily turns steeper and more rugged. The forest starts transforming into more of a spruce-fir forest, and obstacles in the form of large rock outcrops become increasingly common. These obstacles often form welcome breathers for the ascent, though they would make the descent very annoying. The steepest stretch is from roughly 1.6 to 1.9 miles, when the trail climbs over 500 feet! After cresting the ridge, the trail drops down a few feet and reaches a junction with the Long Trail and Monroe Trail in the Hut Clearing at 2.1 miles. 

The grassy clearing in front of you, encircled by dense spruce, is the site of the Green Mountain House - a hotel built for travelers in 1859. It burned down in 1875. Later, in the early 20th century, the Camel's Hump Club - a local hiking group - used the clearing for three tin huts, but they were also removed in the 1950s, and no relics remain today. The Long Trail crosses the clearing perpendicularly. Straight ahead, the Monroe Trail leads 3.1 miles to the Duxbury parking area. To the left, the Long Trail leads 4.9 miles north to the lesser-used Banforth Ridge parking area along Duxbury Road in the Winooski River Valley - and eventually all the way to Canada. This hike turns right on the southbound Long Trail, in the direction of the Camel's Hump summit, which is only about 200 feet higher. 

The Long Trail continues the Burrows Trail's steep ascent up jagged rock slabs - but you know you're getting close to the summit as the spruce-fir forest starts to thin and the trees turn into stunted krummholz. Suddenly, at 2.25 miles, stunning views open up westward into the Lake Champlain valley and toward the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. The trail continues twisting through the krummholz, passing signs warning you to stay on the trail and vegetation-free rocks to help protect the fragile vegetation of the alpine area. The trail passes through a small gap, where the rocky pinnacle on the left is off limits. The trail then makes the final push to the top, reaching the rocky summit dome of Camel's Hump at 2.35 miles. 

Camel's Hump offers essentially unparalleled 360-degree panoramic views. The view is incredible in every direction you look. The spine of the Green Mountains extends north and south; to the north is the distinct, towering profile of Mount Mansfield, while to the south are Mount Ethan Allen (in the foreground) and Mount Ellen (farther back). To the northeast, there is a separate ridge to the right of Mount Mansfield called the Worcester Range, which includes prominent peaks like Mount Hunger and Mount Worcester. Further to the east, the White Mountains crown the horizon, with Mount Washington, Mount LaFayette, and Mount Moosilauke as prominent landmarks on a clear day. Meanwhile, the elongated, shimmering blue strip of Lake Champlain encompasses the view to the west. The numerous High Peaks of the Adirondacks such as Giant Mountain, Dix Mountain, Mount Marcy, and Whiteface Mountain beautifully frame the background of the lake. 

Camel's Hump is one of Vermont's most renowned landmarks for several reasons. At 4,085 feet, it is the third tallest peak in the state, but to many, it might as well be the tallest, because the other two - Mount Mansfield and Mount Killington - have both been scarred by development like communication towers and ski resorts. The vertical 200-foot bluff that forms the south side of Camel's Hump summit presents such a distinct profile that the peak is recognizable from dozens of miles away in essentially any direction. In fact, Camel's Hump is so famous that it was carved into Vermont's state quarter-dollar coin as a very prominent feature! As you explore the summit, be sure to remember that you must always stay on the open rocks and not trample on any alpine vegetation in between. 

The conditions that greeted me upon my arrival to the summit of Camel's Hump were nothing short of extraordinary. As I approached the top, I walked into a cloud of early morning fog that enshrouded slopes covered in a thick coating of rime ice. Not only were the krummholz all white with rime ice, but every single patch of alpine grass and exposed rock outcrop at the summit was white too. But as I stood on the frigid, windy summit, the fog suddenly began to disperse, and a blinding sun broke through, illuminating a puffy white undercast in the Mad River Valley and Winooski River Valley. At the same time, the sun reflected my shadow upon the thicker clouds on the west side of the summit, leading to the incredibly unique and rare Brocken Spectre phenomenon - a set of literally circular rainbows! The Brocken Spectre was such an amazing sight - I'd never seen one before. 

​As spectacular as Camel's Hump is, it's only the start of this exciting hike! The Long Trail crosses the rocky summit and then bends to the right, descending the shaded west side of the rock face. Even though it was only the first weekend of October, we encountered a fair amount of ice that made this part of the descent sketchy, with the temp hardly being above freezing and the sun's energy still hidden behind the summit. At 2.45 miles, the trail briefly enters a patch of fir before exiting onto another broad rock outcrop on Camel's Hump southwest side, affording broad views of the day's route ahead and of the Lake Champlain valley. As the trail circles across large boulders to the south side of Camel's Hump, you'll be passing below the massive cliff mentioned above whose form will be easily discernible even at the end of the day when you reach the view from Molly Stark Mountain's Balcony. 

Just past 2.5 miles, the trail finally drops back below tree line and reaches a junction with the orange-blazed Alpine Trail. The Alpine Trail serves as a rugged bad-weather bypass of Camel's Hump exposed summit. The trail reaches the Monroe Trail in a half-mile and rejoins the Long Trail well north of Camel's Hump in another 1.2 miles. For the purposes of this hike, bear right to stay on the white-blazed Long Trail and begin an extremely steep descent. You'll be slowly clambering down near-vertical rock outcrops within the spruce-fir forest for the next 0.15 miles. The trail drops into a gap about 850 feet below the summit at 2.9 miles and becomes tamer after this as it strives to parallel the southbound ridgeline. 

After dropping down a pair of steep, slick rock slabs at 3.0 miles and crossing the ridgeline, the trail gently rises to an elongated outcrop at 3.35 miles with great views looking back toward the pointed peak of Camel's Hump and east into the Winooski River Valley/Northeast Kingdom. Camel's Hump looks like an insurmountable obstacle from here, accessible only to advanced rock climbers! Between here and Wind Gap, the trail again turns decidedly slower and more "interesting" with all kinds of rock scrambles - a theme that will be repeated numerous times throughout the day. The trail steeply drops down a series of open rock slabs with great views at 3.55 miles, before entering a giant boulder jumble where the trail's ideal route actually takes you through a small cave-like underpass (you can also bypass it by a sketchy hop down from a rock). More southward views open up at 3.75 miles - note how close and imposing Mount Ethan Allen looks straight ahead, and that's precisely where the Long Trail is headed. One final very steep descent follows (200 feet in about 0.1 mile) before the trail reaches Wind Gap at 3.9 miles. 

Wind Gap is where the Dean Trail meets the Long Trail. The Dean Trail turns left and reaches the Monroe Trail in 1.0 mile, helping to form the popular Monroe Loop to Camel's Hump that I hiked with my dad just a month earlier (and I am including some pics from that trip as well). The Dean Trail is quite moderate and passes a spur trail to an open wetland with spectacular views of Camel's Hump and the other cliffs along the Long Trail to the south. You can see part of these cliffs as you look back from Wind Gap. Another trail that ties in at Wind Gap is the Allis Trail. While the Long Trail turns right and heads toward Montclair Glen Lodge (shelter) and Forest City Trail junction (which is an alternate route back to Burrows Trailhead), the Allis Trail heads straight and takes a slight shortcut as it saves 0.1 mile and directly climbs a small knoll before Mount Ethan Allen. I recommend taking the Allis Trail, as it's shorter and actually saves some climbing coming up from Montclair Glen Lodge. The top of the knoll features a bench with a limited but imposing view back toward Camel's Hump. 

The Allis Trail rejoins the Long Trail at another gap at 4.2 miles. The ascent of Mount Ethan Allen proper begins here - there isn't much to say about it other than it's 800 feet in 0.7 miles and includes a fair amount of rock slab scrambling, though nothing as extreme as the south side of Camel's Hump. The forest becomes predominantly conifer near the top, but the mountain is actually mostly wooded. Reach the North Peak of Mount Ethan Allen (elevation 3,860 feet) at 4.9 miles. A small rock outcrop provides a nice vista east toward Groton State Forest (home to the Spruce Mountain fire tower) and the White Mountains. The mountain is named in honor of Ethan Allen, a Connecticut farmer, writer, and politician who is known as one of the founders of Vermont. Allen formed resistance to New York's efforts to claim the land and lobbied Congress to recognize Vermont as a separate state; he and his family were also the very first to purchase plots of land where the city of Burlington sits today. 

After crossing the slightly lower South Peak of Ethan Allen Mountain, reach a side path on the right at 5.25 miles that leads to a much more expansive vista looking southward. If you follow the path all the way to the bluff at its end, you'll find a 180-degree panorama that once again includes everything from Mount Moosilauke in the White Mountains on the far left to Lake Champlain and the ADK High Peaks on the right. The next imposing bump along the ridge ahead is Mount Ira Allen, but the Long Trail actually bypasses that summit (though the difficulty remains the same). Beyond that, you can now see the relatively low but rugged rocky crown of Burnt Rock Mountain, which contains some of the hike's best views outside of Camel's Hump. Returning to the main trail, you'll find a mercifully moderate descent the next half-mile, with a couple minor bumps along the way and some boggy stretches to circumnavigate. After 5.75 miles, the trail makes a lengthy move to the east side of the ridge to skirt the summit of Mount Ira Allen. This sidehilling section of the trail isn't any easier though - the slope is extremely steep and you're constantly scrambling 10 feet up or 10 feet down various rock outcrops and obstacles, so if you're expecting any relaxation or easier walking, you'll be disappointed. 

As the trail descends into the Shephard Brook headwaters around 6.5 miles, it actually joins a streambed for a short stretch before making a couple rock hops across the different branches of Shephard Brook. Around 6.7 miles, the ascent to Burnt Rock Mountain begins. Burnt Rock Mountain actually consists of a whole seven sub-peaks, which are quite annoying to traverse. The actual summit vista is at the sixth sub-peak, but there are a couple memorable spots before this. One is at 6.95 miles, where the trail descends a steep, slick rock slab that drops straight into an unattractive mudhole - you have to be very cautious here if you want to avoid getting your feet wet! Then, at 7.05 miles, the trail reaches a picturesque notch lined by lush, mossy cliffs, called "Ladder Ravine". The trail turns right, traces the ravine, and then climbs out of it via a rickety, steel ladder. The top is a bit awkward due to a slanted, moist slab that you must step out on - there is a rope for assistance.  

At 7.25 miles, the trail crests an open rock outcrop atop the "fifth peak" of Burnt Rock Mountain, with great views looking back toward Mount Ira Allen and Mount Ethan Allen. The pointed top of Camel's Hump peeks out in the far back, looking strangely distant. The trail then dips through another shallow gap and scrambles up steep, jagged rocks to finally reach the main summit of Burnt Rock Mountain at 7.5 miles. The expansive rock slabs that constitute the summit afford outstanding views to the north, east, and south. While you're at the summit, pay attention to a pair of goat paths that leave to the right and lead to another cliff on the summit's west side, with more views toward Lake Champlain. These westerly views are a bit unique compared to the ones you had earlier atop Camel's Hump, because you're now lower and have a close-up panorama of the rolling farmlands in the Huntington River valley. It is amazing how far Camel's Hump looks from here - it's hard to imagine to get there within a day even from here! And when you see this view of the terrain that you've traversed so far, you can understand why it'd be so demoralizing to do this hike in the opposite direction. 

The descent from Burnt Rock Mountain is a particularly exciting set of rock scrambles. The trail stays on steep, open ledges for the next one-tenth of a mile as it rises to the seventh "sub-peak" of the mountain - pay close attention to the white blazes painted on the rocks. The final views are at 7.6 miles; after this, the trail makes a near-vertical descent down a rocky gully and joins a wooded ridge. Reach a junction with the Hedgehog Brook Trail at 7.95 miles. This trail turns left and traverses private land under conservation easement for two miles to a trailhead on Big Basin Road. The Hedgehog Brook Trail as a moderate and fairly popular route that folks use to access Burnt Rock Mountain without having to hike all day. This hike continues straight on the Long Trail, and there's some amazing news - after the arduous, rugged traverse most of the last eight miles have consisted of, the next 3.5 miles all the way to the foot of Molly Stark Mountain are an absolute joy to walk and will allow a much faster pace. 

The Long Trail passes Cowles Cove Shelter on the left at 8.1 miles, perched on a sunny south-facing hillside. A small rivulet the trail crosses ahead serves as a water source. Between here and 9.5 miles, the trail sidehills along the east side of the ridge, but the sidehilling is significantly nicer than earlier. Note that as you have lost elevation and the forest has become mostly deciduous, the trail has also become mostly void of rock outcrops and general ruggedness. After crossing a low point on the ridge, the trail makes a moderate descent to Huntington Gap at 10.0 miles. Here, you will cross a broad forest road that serves as the route of the Catamount Trail, Vermont's own long-distance ski trail that stretches over 300 miles from Massachusetts to Canada! The pleasant walking continues on as the Long Trail contours along the lower north slopes of Beane Mountain without ever gaining or losing much elevation. At 11.4 miles, the trail reaches Birch Glen Shelter and a junction with the Beane Trail. The Beane Trail continues straight, past the shelter, and moderately descends 1.4 miles to another trailhead on Carse Road to the west. Leaving a second vehicle at Carse Road instead of Appalachian Gap would significantly ease the hike's ending, eliminating the 1000-foot climb up Molly Stark Mountain, but I personally think it's worth hiking all the way to Appalachian Gap for Long Trail section-hiking purposes, and for the rewarding view back toward Camel's Hump from Molly Stark Mountain's Balcony. 

Turn left on the Long Trail and start tackling the ascent of Molly Stark Mountain, its steepness a rude awakening after the last few miles. There's little doubt in my mind that this was the most unpleasant part of the day for me - such a strenuous climb on tired legs after over ten hours of hiking, with the latter part of the day having been increasingly easy and pleasant.  At 12.4 miles, regain the ridge in a gap between Beane Mountain and Molly Stark Mountain. Straight ahead, the massive bluff of Molly Stark's Balcony towers above you. The steep rock scramble through a cleft near the base of the cliff will come as a surprise after the lack of rock outcrops along the rest of the ascent. The trail then curves around this marvelous set of cliffs before making a rock scramble to the top, reaching the view from Molly Stark's Balcony at 12.6 miles - the day's final vista. 

The view from Molly Stark's Balcony isn't the grandest view of the day, but it might certainly feel like the most rewarding. You have hiked over a dozen miles to get to this point and have most of the day's route laid out in front of you like on a piece of cardboard. In order, the summits of Burnt Rock Mountain, Mount Ethan Allen, and Camel's Hump are all discernible, the latter appearing impossibly far away. And not only did you come from such a distance, but you even climbed over two miles up Camel's Hump from a distant, invisible valley first! From this vantage point, it almost appears as if Camel's Hump is just as distant as Mount Hunger & the Worcester range further to the right! 

After the Balcony view, the trail continues ascending more gently, passing by the summit of Molly Stark Mountain (elevation 2,960 feet) at 12.85 miles. A moderate descent takes the trail to a small creek crossing at 13.25 miles. Just ahead of you is one final obstacle: the precipitous climb up Baby Stark Mountain. The trail climbs 200 feet in the next 0.15 miles, and along the way, it incorporates several tricky rocky scrambles involving some use of hands. At this point in the day, any bit of extra ascent - especially as steep as this - was just torturous, given that both my arms and legs were complete toast! The Long Trail crosses the top of Baby Stark Mountain at 13.4 miles and finally begins the last drop down to Appalachian Gap. As you might have anticipated, this is another extremely steep descent (the grade getting progressively worse), but at least it's the final one. There isn't anything technical on the descent, but there are plenty of steep and slippery rock slabs that will require extra caution to surpass, given your likely exhaustion at this point. Finally, at 13.8 miles, the Long Trail reaches Highway 17 at Appalachian Gap. Turn to the right - the parking area and your second vehicle are miraculously waiting just 200 feet away. You have at last concluded this spectacular and rewarding yet brutal hike along the Monroe Skyline, one of the most scenic sections of trail in Vermont! This hike has likely either made you hate or love the Long Trail - and hopefully it's the latter, and that it kindled the seed for the love of Long Trail section-hiking in you, like it certainly did for me. 

0.0 - Burrows Trailhead
2.1 - Hut Clearing at Long Trail Junction 
2.35 - Camel's Hump Summit 
2.5 - Alpine Trail Junction
3.35 - Views back toward Camel's Hump 
3.9 - Wind Gap 
4.9 - North Peak of Mount Ethan Allen 
5.25 - View below South Peak of Mount Ethan Allen 
7.05 - Ladder Ravine 
7.5 - Burnt Rock Mountain Summit Views
7.95 - Hedgehog Brook Trail Junction
8.1 - Cowles Cove Shelter 
10.0 - Huntington Gap & Catamount Ski Trail Jct
11.4 - Birch Glen Shelter & Beane Trail Jct
12.6 - View from Molly Stark's Balcony
12.85 - Molly Stark Mountain 
13.4 - Baby Stark Mountain 
​13.8 - Appalachian Gap at Highway 17 

Situated just east of the town of Stowe in Northern Vermont, the Worcester Range is an elongated ridge of rocky peaks that seems to stay under the radar as a hiking destination for two very simple reasons: it isn't part of the famous Long Trail's route, and there are no 4000-foot peaks, which are frequently the primary focus of New Englanders' outdoor explorations. The Skyline Trail runs along the spine of the range and connects its two most prominent peaks: Mount Worcester and Mount Hunger. Not having the time for an ambitious exploration of the full ridge, I settled for a hike that looped around the south end, visiting Mount Hunger and its impressive subpeak Whiterock Mountain. Featuring multiple rock scrambles and 360-degree panoramic views that include some of Vermont's most iconic landmarks like Camel's Hump and Mount Mansfield, this is an incredible hike that has definitely stayed underappreciated. This hike occurred on Saturday, September 21st, 2019. My plan was to climb Mount Hunger via the Middlesex Trail and then descend via the Bob Kemp Trail, making the side trip to Whiterock Mountain along the way. 

R/T Length of Trail: 6.0 Miles 
Duration of Hike: 3:50 plus 45 minutes of stopping 
Type of Hike: Lasso 
Total Elevation Gain: 2,105 Feet 
Difficulty Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Stunning views all throughout the hike, including continuous views on upper portion of Middlesex Trail; fun rock scrambles to Mount Hunger and Whiterock Mountain
Cons: Some of the rock scrambling on this hike is technical and makes it not a great choice for novices, despite its relatively short distance 
Trail Blaze Colors: Middlesex Trail - Blue; Whiterock Trail - Blue; Bob Kemp Trail - Blue; Whiterock Mountain Spur Trail - Blue
Best Seasons to Hike: Summer, Fall 
Fees: None
Beginning Point: Middlesex Trailhead off North Bear Swamp Road 
​Directions from Middlesex, VT: From Exit 9 along I-89, follow Center Road northward for 4.2 miles (the road turns unpaved after 1.2 miles). Then, turn left to stay on Center Road along with Brook Road. In another 0.2 mile, turn right again to continue following Center Road. Then, in 0.6 mile, turn left on Molly Supple Hill Road. Continue for 1.9 miles (the road actually turns paved in the meantime) to a slightly disorienting double left intersection; take the second left onto Story Road (unpaved again). Bear left onto Nellie Chase Road in 0.5 mile at a Y-split, and take another left onto North Bear Swamp Road in another 0.2 mile. Finally, follow North Bear Swamp Road for 1.6 miles to a turnaround area. An inconspicuous trailhead sign directs you to bear left on a much narrower gravel road. Follow this slim road for another 0.3 mile to the parking area for Middlesex Trail on the right - there is space for approximately 15 cars. The last 0.3 mile of the road are a bit rough with a number of potholes and a rutted spot at the entrance to the parking area; therefore, regular passenger vehicles will need to be cautious and go slow. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike. 

To many of you, it might be very big and surprising news that I moved to Middlebury, Vermont at the beginning of September, to start out my college studies. Having never traveled outside the Southeast before, it is incredibly exciting to be exploring entirely new-to-me mountains and trails. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of hikes I did in the Southeast over the past year that I'm afraid I'll never have the time to post trip reports for. I'm not certain how much time I will have to continue posting new trip reports for my future hikes here, but I definitely plan to be sharing some now and then. The trail report I'm writing here - for my third hike since moving to Vermont - is particularly important to me, as it's almost a bit unfair how underrated the Mount Hunger hike is given its beauty, and how little information there is about it online. 

​Start out the hike on the Middlesex Trail by the trailhead kiosk. After following the well-trodden pathway for 0.1 mile, the trail turns left onto a broad forest road and begins an easy to moderate ascent up the lower slopes of Mount Hunger through a hardwood forest. At 0.8 mile, the trail leaves the forest road and turns left, beginning a steeper ascent that is only briefly interrupted at 0.9 mile by a small stream crossing. Although the ascent is rather steep, the dirt pathway remains - for now - without any rock scramble obstacles and easy to hike. It is only here, around 1.1 miles, that the trail actually enters CC Putnam State Forest, the public land parcel through which the Worcester Range Skyline has been conserved. Up to this point, the trail had been meandering through private land under conservation easement. The Trust for Public Land and Stowe Land Trust are working on ensuring that this becomes public land and the important watershed areas on the south and east sides of Mount Hunger are conserved forever, but they still need the public's help to complete this.

After a second rock hop across a small stream at 1.4 miles, the trail levels out somewhat. Reach the start of the hike's loop section at 1.65 miles. The Bob Kemp Trail heads straight and Middlesex Trail turns right. Both lead to Mount Hunger, but Middlesex Trail takes the more direct approach, while Bob Kemp Trail swings by Whiterock Mountain forest. I recommend hiking the loop counter-clockwise like I did and like it is described here, because the Middlesex Trail near-vertical rock scrambles are much more fun when going up than down. Thus, turn right. After staying as a level, rocky path for a bit, the Middlesex Trail makes an abrupt left turn at 1.95 miles and begins a very steep ascent. Over the next 0.7 miles, the trail gains 900 feet in elevation! Much of this is in the form of clambering up upon rock faces that make up most of Mount Hunger's eastern face. The initial portion of the ascent remains generally forested, but you'll notice differences in the type of trees that show up: less oaks and more birches and spruces, a sure sign that you're gaining elevation. In addition, jagged rock formations will start popping up here and there, including one located on the trail's right as it passes through a scenic notch via a small ladder. 

At 2.25 miles, the main trail turns left while a short side trail signed "Vista" leads right. In fact, the view here is essentially non-existent and not even worth mentioning compared to the views coming up along the trail, so don't waste your time. The trail then affords an obstructed view of Mount Hunger's eastern cliff faces and proceeds to parallel their base, even briefly losing elevation  to circumnavigate the steeper bluffs. Then, at 2.4 miles, the trail climbs a steel ladder that deposits it onto the lower section of the cliff face itself. The next quarter-mile is entirely out on open cliffs, during which the trail climbs 400 more feet. The rock scrambling never is truly dangerous, and the route is well-marked via blue blazes, but it's still best if you hike this trail with some prior experience in rock scrambling and good agility/coordination. It is not a good choice for people with children or dogs, even though I personally witnessed a dog successfully scale the whole climb. 

The further you ascend the cliffs, the better the views become. The initial views are mostly to the northeast, with the wooded north peak of Mount Hunger in close range. Over time, the view opens up to the east more, revealing the great and relatively flat expanse of the Winooski River valley. Even though you've hardly surpassed 3,000 feet at this point, the flatness of the terrain below makes you feel as if you're very high up! Note how the woods have transitioned to entirely conifers - no deciduous trees are found growing among these cliffs. Finally, at 2.7 miles, reach the rocky dome that is the summit of Mount Hunger. 

For a little-publicized 3,540-foot peak, Mount Hunger's views are astounding! The summit offers a 360-degree panoramic vista, though since the summit is flattened, you will need to walk around a bit to see the best of the views on each side. When exploring the summit, be very careful to step only on rocks and not any of the surrounding sensitive alpine vegetation, which is easily destroyed by foot tread. The views from Mount Hunger include lots of prominent Vermont landmarks. To the southwest, the pointed peak of Camel's Hump is in plain sight about 15 miles away. The central ridge of the Green Mountains can continue to be traced further to Mount Ellen and Mount Abraham. On a clear day, even the faint outline of the Adirondacks is visible. If you look closely to the south, you'll see a small rocky outcrop along the ridge just below Mount Hunger - this is Whiterock Mountain, and as you'll find it when you get there, it's much more impressive than it looks! Down in the valley to the right is Waterbury Reservoir, and just to the northwest, a series of distinct humped peaks signify Mount Mansfield, the tallest point in Vermont. Rotating to the east side of the view, the entire Northeast Kingdom of Vermont is spread out in front of you, characterized by its rolling hills and sparse development. The tall peaks faintly delineating the horizon are the White Mountains in New Hampshire. 

The west side of the Mount Hunger summit features a signed junction with several other trails. Although Mount Hunger is the best-known landmark in CC Putnam State Forest, the Worcester Ridge features a number of other peaks and views, such as Stowe Pinnacle and Mount Worcester. At this junction, the Skyline Trail turns right and follows the ridge for about five miles to Mount Worcester, passes the descending trail to Stowe along the way, and eventually drops down to Hampshire Hill Road. For those seeking a full-day hike and a larger challenge, the Skyline Trail would be well worth doing - especially with two cars - and it's on my list. However, this hike turns left on the Waterbury Trail in the direction of Whiterock Mountain. The Waterbury Trail wastes no time in promptly starting an extremely steep descent off the mountain's west shoulder. The trail quickly enters the spruce-fir forest but continues skipping down tall, slanted rock outcrops that make going downhill slow and laborious.

After 200 feet of descent, at 2.85 miles, meet the junction with the Whiterock Trail. The Waterbury Trail continues descending straight steeply for two miles to a trailhead not far off VT 100. However, this loop hike turns left on the much tamer Whiterock Trail, which provides a very welcome breather. The trail contours along the slope a bit before resuming the descent along the ridge that connects Mount Hunger and Whiterock Mountain. Therefore, the trail - while still rocky - is much gentler now. Take time to observe the beautiful spruce-fir forest around you, peppered with jagged, mossy granite outcrops. The trail drops down a slanted rock face into a gap at 3.3 miles where it crosses a muddy wet area via a plank boardwalk. It is followed by a short, moderate ascent up the shoulder of Whiterock Mountain. 

The trail exits the woods onto a flat rock expanse at 3.5 miles. To the left, there are great views of the towering Mount Hunger and its rocky dome - can you imagine that you were standing all the way up there less than an hour ago?! Just ahead, the Whiterock Trail ends at another signed junction. The 0.15-mile spur trail to the summit of Whiterock Mountain that leaves right is a must-do, as it provides expansive views in every direction that arguably even rival Mount Hunger's views. The spur trail does have additional rock scrambling of about the same difficulty as the Middlesex Trail scrambles, so be mindful of that. 

The spur trail initially circles around the east side of the summit along a long, flat ledge with continuous views eastward. Watch for a right turn as the trail briefly dips through a line of spruce and then makes the first of two tricky rock scrambles. The key is to tiptoe up the natural incised notch in this steep cliff. Once past this spot, watch for blue blazes painted on the bedrock as the trail moves up the open granite face before reaching the second tricky scramble spot. Here, you climb up a boulder jumble through a steep notch leading to the summit. There is an awkward spot in the middle where having long legs helps a lot to step to the next rock; if for some reason you don't feel comfortable making this final scramble, don't worry about it, because the views from the various rock faces just below the summit are essentially just as great. 

Arrive at the Whiterock Mountain summit at 3.65 miles. Like Mount Hunger, the views are 360 degrees here as well. However, the summit is actually smaller and sharper, so you get to see more views from any one spot. Considering that Whiterock Mountain is just 3,160 feet high, it's amazing that it features such prominent views in all directions. The bulky mass of Mount Hunger and its rocky crown adds a unique element to the view that was obviously absent from the view atop Mount Hunger itself. Also, the open rocky area that is suitable for walking and exploring Whiterock's summit area is actually even more expansive than the one atop Hunger. 

Once you've fully soaked in the views atop Whiterock Mountain, carefully make your way back to the main trail and pick up the Bob Kemp Trail as it begins descending back towards the Middlesex Trailhead. The descent is entirely wooded and doesn't contain anything technical, but it's a very rocky and slow trail - customary of most peakbagging trails in Vermont and New England at this elevation. You'll encounter plenty of small rock outcrops and wooden ladders to cautiously navigate, and you definitely won't have any opportunities to increase your pace until you return to the Middlesex Trail junction at 4.35 miles. From here, it's simply a matter of retracing your earlier steps along the Middlesex Trail, and this part of the descent is much more pleasant and will pass by quicker. You will return to the Middlesex Trailhead at 6.0 miles, concluding the hike. 

To summarize, I think this is a wonderful hike that deserves more attention than it gets. Simply because there are no 4,000-footers along this hike, or that none of the mountains are along the Long Trail, does not mean at all that it's not a noteworthy destination. Not every mountain you'll climb will have such outstanding 360-degree views, and here, you get two such vista points in the time span of just one half-day hike, one that isn't super strenuous at that. I highly recommend this hike to all Vermont day hikers - conveniently located near I-89 makes it quite easy to access from Burlington! 

0.0 - Middlesex Trailhead
1.65 - Bob Kemp Trail Jct (Begin Loop)
2.4 - Begin Mount Hunger rock scrambles section 
2.7 - Mount Hunger Summit 
2.85 - Waterbury/Whiterock Trails Split 
3.5 - Whiterock Mountain Spur Trail Jct 
3.65 - Whiterock Mountain Summit 
4.35 - Middlesex Trail Jct (End Loop) 
6.0 - Middlesex Trailhead

Twentymile is the southwesternmost major access point to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and also one of the quietest. With nothing but a sleepy ranger station, small parking area, and trailhead, plus no significant destinations in close proximity, the Twentymile area remains little-visited compared to areas of the park like Cades Cove and Roaring Fork. Yet those who are willing to hike longer will find the Twentymile area quite interesting. The lengthy loop described here first follows the scenic cascades of Twentymile Creek before climbing to the Appalachian Trail and reaching the historic Shuckstack fire tower with its birds-eye view of Fontana Lake. The hike then heads deeper into the Smokies backcountry, traversing the Gregory Bald Trail - the eastern section of which near Doe Knob is one of the least-hiked trails in the park - before reaching the open grassy summit of Gregory Bald, featuring stunning 360-degree views. Even though both Shuckstack Tower and Gregory Bald can be reached via separate shorter hikes, it's hard to beat combining these two spectacular destinations into one large loop. This hike occurred on Saturday, October 6th, 2018. My plan was to initially hike the Twentymile Trail to the Appalachian Trail. After a side trip to Shuckstack, I would follow the AT north to Doe Knob. There, I'd pick up the Gregory Bald Trail and follow it all the way to Gregory Bald. On the other side of Gregory Bald, I would take the Wolf Ridge Trail and descend back to Twentymile. Although I completed this hike as a long day hike, you may find it more enjoyable as a two- or even three-day backpacking trip. 

R/T Length of Trail: 19.4 Miles
Duration of Hike: 10:00 plus 1 hour and 45 minutes of stopping
Type of Hike: Loop 
Total Elevation Gain: 4,966 feet
Pros: Gorgeous panoramic views 
Cons: Parts of the hike can feel a bit long and monotonous, especially the descent along Wolf Ridge Trail 
Points of Interest: Shuckstack Tower Views - 8 stars; Gregory Bald Views - 9 stars
Trail Blaze Colors: None, trails in GSMNP are not blazed. 
Best Seasons to Hike: Summer, Fall 
Fees: None
Beginning Point: Twentymile Ranger Station
Directions from Robbinsville, NC: From the intersection of US 129 and NC 143 East near downtown Robbinsville, follow US 129 North for 17.8 miles. Then, turn right onto NC 28 South and continue another 2.9 miles to the Twentymile entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the left. Drive inside the gate and follow the unpaved road for a quarter mile past the ranger station to the dead-end parking area. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike. 

Climbing the infamous 60-foot Shuckstack Fire Tower, gently swaying in the wind, had been on my list for years before the historic tower's construction deteriorates to the point where it is no longer safe to scale. However, I didn't want to just hike out and back to the tower and kept debating what route incorporating Shuckstack I would enjoy the most. That's when the half-insane idea of combining Shuckstack and Gregory Bald in one day hike popped into my mind. It would make for a perfect loop, traversing some of the least-visited segments of the park around Doe Knob, with fairly diverse scenery between the Twentymile stream valley and the two vista points. It had been years since I'd completed a mountain day hike this long, but as I now know, this is actually quite a reasonable hike as long as you're in strong fitness shape and have completed comparable elevation gain in a day before. 

Start out the hike along the Twentymile Trail, which follows a double-track forest road behind the metal gate. A sign denotes that it is five miles to the Appalachian Trail. The pleasant Twentymile Trail starts out essentially level as it parallels Twentymile Creek, with occasional glimpses of the creek's shoals through the trees. At 0.6 miles, cross a broad wooden footbridge across scenic Moore Springs Branch and arrive at the start of the Twentymile Loop Trail and Wolf Ridge Trail. This is where the loop section of our hike begins too; you'll be descending from Gregory Bald via the Wolf Ridge Trail, but for now, if you choose to hike the loop counter-clockwise like I did, you'll want to stay right on the Twentymile Trail toward Shuckstack. One-tenth mile farther, a signed spur trail bears right and leads to Twentymile Cascades in a couple hundred feet. The cascades, while not a real waterfall, are scenic and worth the quick side trip to see. 

Back on the main trail, you'll find that the same broad old roadbed alongside the creek continues, now gaining elevation at a slightly more noticeable rate. The trail crosses Twentymile Creek thrice via broad wooden footbridges at 1.6, 1.8 miles, and 1.9 miles. In between the second and third bridge is Campsite 93, a nice site in close proximity to the creek. At 2.3 miles, cross the fourth bridge over Twentymile Creek - this crossing is particularly scenic with a nice set of cascades and slides. The fifth and final bridge crossing occurs at 2.5 miles, after which the trail veers away from the creek and ascends moderately up a draw. Reach an important trail junction in Proctor Field Gap at 3.3 miles. The Twentymile Loop Trail bears left and reaches Wolf Ridge Trail at Moore Springs Branch again in 2.9 miles - this is a wonderful, moderate loop for folks wanting a half-day outing with plenty of nice creek scenery and serene forest. Straight ahead is the Long Hungry Ridge Trail, which reaches the Gregory Bald Trail in 4.6 miles, fording Twentymile Creek twice along the way. Long Hungry Ridge is a lesser-used trail that serves as a quicker access to Gregory Bald and shortens this loop by several miles, but you would completely miss out on Shuckstack. Therefore, to hike the full loop, turn right to stay on the Twentymile Trail. 

The hiking becomes decidedly more strenuous following Proctor Field Gap. The ascent is moderate to steep at times, along mostly dry, rocky trail without much to see along the way. The summit of Shuckstack peeks through the trees on your right (more noticeable in winter). Two fauna interactions provided me much-needed breathers along this leg of the ascent: first, a barred owl perched at a standstill in a tree - what a treat it was to see this specimen in broad daylight! And second, higher up the trail, a large rat snake had coiled up alongside the trail, providing me an opportunity to observe it and snap a few photos. 

Arrive at the junction with the Appalachian Trail in Sassafras Gap at 5.3 miles. You've climbed over 2,300 feet to get to this point. The Appalachian Trail runs left and right, while the Lost Cove Trail plunges downhill straight ahead toward Fontana Lake. While the main loop will follow the northbound Appalachian Trail to the left, you'll want to turn right on the AT (southbound) first to visit the Shuckstack tower. The Appalachian Trail continues a gentle ascent out of the gap, as you must ascend another 350 feet to reach the tower. The main trail actually initially bypasses the summit, contouring along the slopes just below it. At a broad ridge-top opening at 5.6 miles, turn left onto the unmarked but well-trodden side trail to Shuckstack. After one final steep scramble up some rock outcrops, reach the Shuckstack summit at 5.7 miles. On the left is a concrete foundation and well-preserved rock chimney, remains from the tower-watcher's cabin. To the right, meanwhile, is the rickety fire tower itself, towering into the sky. The summit of Shuckstack is forested so you'll have to climb at least partway up the tower to get any views. 

The top of the Shuckstack fire tower is a wooden, glass-enclosed cab with stunning 360-degree views. To the southeast is the vast fingery expanse of Fontana Lake, along with Fontana Dam, the tallest dam east of the Rocky Mountains. Further south beyond the lake are the Yellow Mountains, with Cheoah Bald on the horizon. To the east, north, and west is the Smokies' vast expanse of lush green wilderness. Gregory Bald is the highest point to the north-northwest. Rocky Top and Thunderhead Mountain can be seen in the distance to the northeast. In my personal opinion, the view would be nicer if the cab was an open observation deck, but it's still incredible. You may also swing the glass windows open if you wish.

After you've fully taken in Shuckstack Tower's view, return along the AT to Sassafras Gap, a pleasant downhill that is all but too short. The climbing resumes in earnest as you pick up the white-blazed Appalachian Trail northbound. Unlike the moderate but relentless ascent along the Twentymile Trail, this part of the hike features steeper grades combined with intermittent downhills, as the trail more or less ascends a ridge towards Doe Knob. After crossing several knobs, the trail steeply drops into Red Ridge Gap at 6.75 miles, crosses another knob, and reaches Birch Spring Gap at 7.1 miles. A side trail on the left leads westward 0.1 mile to Campsite 113, located by a spring at the head of an unnamed stream that is part of the Twentymile Creek watershed.

Past Birch Spring Gap, the Appalachian Trail makes a steep 400-foot ascent that tops out at 7.5 miles. After meandering along the ridge for a bit, where there must be nice seasonal views, the trail begins another steep ascent up Greer Knob at 7.9 miles; however, the trail avoids the summit and actually becomes easier as the trail turns westward to contour along the slopes. Reach another gap on the other side of Greer Knob at 8.7 miles - another ascent follows, but it is graded easy. Throughout this time, the hardwood forest remains largely similar, and there are likely lots of good views southwestward in winter. Finally, at 9.3 miles, the Appalachian Trail reaches a junction with the Gregory Bald Trail on the west side of 4520-foot Doe Knob. This loop continues with a left turn onto the Gregory Bald Trail, leaving the AT which continues in the direction of Spence Field and Thunderhead Mountain. From here on, the Gregory Bald closely follows or parallels the Tennessee/North Carolina state line. 

Compared to the superhighway that is the Appalachian Trail, traveled by thousands of folks every year, the Gregory Bald Trail will feel like a very little-traveled and forsaken trail. Its remote location makes the section between Doe Knob and Rich Gap in particular one of the least-hiked trails in the park, the faint footpath often hardly visible in the fairly open hardwood forest. Another characterizing element of the Gregory Bald Trail is the countless knobs it crosses, leading to constant ascents and descents, but nevertheless, it is actually my favorite part of the hike. The trail first drops into Buck Gap just 200 feet past the junction before making an easy climb to Brier Lick Knob at 9.55 miles, slightly skirting the top. A very steep descent brings the trail to Brier Lick Gap at 9.75 miles. After this, the slim footpath edges to the south side of the ridge and contours along a steep slope featuring scenic woods with a distinct higher-elevation feel. Stark patches of galax and mountain laurel are intermixed with the hardwood forest. 

The trail crosses Cold Spring Gap at 10.2 miles, before making a 500-foot ascent that approaches the summit of a large but unnamed knob at 11.1 miles. Another descent brings the trail to the Long Hungry Ridge Trail junction at 11.25 miles - sounds familiar? This is the same trail that you saw at the Proctor Field Gap junction much earlier in the day! Just one-tenth of a mile farther, at 11.3 miles, reach Rich Gap. To the right is the Gregory Ridge Trail, which descends to Forge Creek Road into Cades Cove in 5.0 miles. The Gregory Ridge Trail is a much more popular access route to Gregory Bald, so the trail once again becomes heavily-used from here on. Continue straight along the Gregory Bald Trail as it begins yet another steep climb toward Gregory Bald itself. Your legs are likely to be getting worn out by now, but fortunately, the Gregory Bald climb is almost the last ascent of the hike - aside from a minor one to Parsons Bald a little later. 
 
The climb to Gregory Bald consists of two sections with a brief level stretch around 11.7 miles. At 12.0 miles, the trail reaches the edge of the woods and arrives at a split as it starts moving into the open bald area. The left fork is the official trail to the summit, but the right fork is a well-used alternate path that provides beautiful easterly views and also leads to the top. Reach the summit of Gregory Bald at 12.15 miles. The grassy top provides stunning 360-degree views of both the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the Smokies. To the north, the rolling meadows of Cades Cove are in plain sight, framed by Rich Mountain in the back with the lowlands of the Tennessee River valley extending to the horizon. To the south and east, the view is slightly more obstructed but still very beautiful. On this day, scattered thundershowers were crossing the Yellow Mountains and central Smokies, so I did not have great visibility in this direction. The summit of Gregory Bald is famed for its vast area of flame azalea bushes, which bloom a brilliant orange in June and attract hundreds of visitors. 

4940-foot Gregory Bald is the highest point on this hike; what's more, nearly all of the hike onward is downhill, news that couldn't be more welcome at this point. You've still got over seven miles to go before you'll return to the Twentymile trailhead, but the hiking will be much quicker now. A moderate descent brings the trail to a three-way intersection at 12.6 miles. Here, the Gregory Bald Trail turns right and steeply descends 4.1 miles into Tennessee to one-way Parsons Branch Road. This used to be another popular access point for Gregory Bald, but Parsons Branch Road has been closed for quite some time as of this writing. Meanwhile, this hike bears left on the Wolf Ridge Trail, the route back to Twentymile. The fairly spacious Campsite 13 lies at the intersection and serves as a great basecamp for backpackers wishing to see the sunrise or sunset atop Gregory Bald. 

Shortly after the junction, the Wolf Ridge Trail dips through Sheep Pen Gap and begins the final gentle climb to Parsons Bald. After a 150-foot ascent, the trail crosses the overgrown summit of Parsons Bald at 13.3 miles. Although this mountain is called a bald too, the summit open area is very narrow in comparison to Gregory Bald, and there are no views to be seen. After pushing through some bushes, the trail finally begins the lengthy descent into the Twentymile valley. ​This is where the trail officially leaves the state line, headed into North Carolina for good. There isn't much to say about the next 3.6 miles, especially since I hiked this section in darkness! The trail stays surprisingly obvious and well-defined though, and the descent - while monotonous at times - never gets steeper than moderate and has occasional switchbacks that should prevent it from burning your knees too much. A potentially confusing spot occurs at 14.5 miles, where the trail makes an acute right turn in a small opening. Having descended roughly 2,500 feet since the summit of Parsons Bald, the Wolf Ridge Trail arrives at a junction with the short side trail to Campsite 95 at 16.9 miles. As I was hurrying to wrap up the hike, I neglected to check out the campsite side trail, but I understand that it is a very nice site located right alongside the gurgling waters of Dalton Branch. 

Turn left to stay on the Wolf Ridge Trail, which now follows a broader roadbed above the cascades of Dalton Branch. Some more downhill brings you to the junction with the Twentymile Loop Trail at 17.7 miles. Stay right on the double-track Fork Ridge Trail (in conjunction with the Twentymile Loop Trail, which also heads straight to Proctor Field Gap), and at 17.8 miles, reach two footlog crossings in quick succession - one of Dalton Branch and one of Moore Springs Branch. The trail crisscrosses Moore Springs Branch via footlogs four more times (with wade bypasses to be used by horses), and each of the elevated footlogs have wonderful views of this swift stream. It was a shame to be missing out on much of this scenery due to darkness, but it was my own fault that I started the hike so late with such a long drive from the Atlanta metro area into this corner of North Carolina. One thing I did notice about this section of the Wolf Ridge Trail in the darkness was that the footing was a bit uneven and rocky at times, despite the trail's width. 

At 18.8 miles, the Wolf Ridge Trail arrives at the Twentymile Trail, a sight for sore eyes, as you've finally closed this loop. Turn right and retrace the final 0.6 miles back to the parking area, reaching your vehicle at 19.4 miles.  Bravo - you've just tackled both Shuckstack and Gregory Bald in one tremendous hike! Now, whether you end up doing this as a killer day hike or spreading it over a night or even two nights is entirely up to you. You're likely to have a fantastic time either way in one of the Smokies' lesser-visited and underappreciated corners. 

0.0 - Twentymile Trailhead
0.6 - Start of loop 
0.7 - Twentymile Creek Cascades 
1.8 - Campsite 93
3.3 - Proctor Field Gap Jct (Twentymile Loop & Long Hungry Ridge Trl)
5.3 - Sassafras Gap Jct (Appalachian Trl & Lost Cove Trl)
5.7 - Shuckstack Fire Tower
6.1 - Sassafras Gap 
7.1 - Birch Spring Gap (Campsite 113) 
9.3 - Gregory Bald Trl Junction at Doe Knob 
11.3 - Rich Gap Jct (Gregory Ridge Trl)
12.15 - Gregory Bald Summit 
12.6 - Wolf Ridge Trail Junction and Campsite 13
13.3 - Parsons Bald
16.9 - Campsite 95
17.7 - Twentymile Loop Trl Junction near Moore Springs Branch 
18.8 - End of loop 
19.4 - Twentymile Trailhead

I somehow failed to take a video from the summit of Gregory Bald - my apologies. :( 

The Fall Creek watershed feeding into the Chattooga River in Oconee County, South Carolina, houses a trifecta of attractive yet lesser-known waterfalls that make for a wonderful half-day trip to access. Andrew Ramey Falls, a 30-foot cascading drop, is just a few hundred feet from Fall Creek Road down an obscure scramble path. The little-hiked pathway becomes more intimate and faint following Andrew Ramey Falls, but it stays easy enough to follow - if one pays attention - all the way to the spectacular sights at Pristine Falls and Falls Creek Falls. If you have the extra energy, you have the extra option of continuing an extra one-tenth of a mile down to the Chattooga River for a refreshing swim. Furthermore, solitude is essentially guaranteed on this trek! This hike occurred on Saturday, September 29th, 2018. My plan was to hike out and back to Andrew Ramey Falls, Pristine Falls, and Falls Creek Falls. 

R/T Length of Trail: 3.2 Miles 
Duration of Hike: 2:00 plus 1 hour and 45 minutes of stopping and photography
Type of Hike: Out and Back
Difficulty Rating: 5 out of 10
Total Elevation Gain: 519 Feet
Pros: Gorgeous, secluded waterfalls
Cons: Path can be a bit hard to discern at times
Points of Interest: Andrew Ramey Falls - 6 stars; Pristine Falls - 8 stars; Fall Creek Falls - 9 stars
Trail Blaze Colors: None - not an official trail 
Best Seasons to Hike: Winter; Spring 
Fees: None 
Beginning Point: Faint path just past Fall Creek culvert on Fall Creek Road (FS 722). 
Directions from Walhalla, SC: From the intersection of Main Street (SC 28) and South College Street (SC 183 South) in downtown Walhalla, follow SC 28 North for 10.6 miles. In the community of Mountain Rest, turn left onto Chattooga Ridge Road. Continue another 7.3 miles, and then, turn right onto Fall Creek Road. Turn left in 0.3 miles to stay on Fall Creek Road, which turns into unpaved FS 722. In another 0.5 miles, arrive at the Fall Creek culvert. There is a small pullout on the left with space for two to three cars just beyond the culvert. There is also a larger pullout before the culvert. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike. 

Despite Oconee County being South Carolina's capital of waterfalls, housing several hundred noteworthy cascades, my travels had rarely taken me to this area and I had hardly made a dent in the regions most beautiful yet lesser-known waterfalls. Thus, on this day, I was excited to knock out the trifecta of seldom-photographed waterfalls in the Fall Creek watershed and round off the evening by later heading to Opposum Creek Falls, which will be described in another trip report. 

​Start off the hike by looking for the obscure path on the immediate north side of the North Fork Fall Creek culvert. At the time of my hike, the path was oddly blocked by a large pile of small branches and deadfall, making it extra tricky to find. Once you're actually on the path, however, you will find it descending along a very obvious worn track directly alongside the North Fork of Fall Creek. The path first comes out a set of scenic cascades immediately above Andrew Ramey Falls. Bear right slightly and continue the steep descent into the valley. At about 200 feet from the road, look for another path splitting off to the left and descending 50 feet to creek-level and the base of Andrew Ramey Falls (GPS: N34° 49.362' W83° 15.089'). Be sure to make this quick side trip before continuing on down to Pristine Falls and Fall Creek Falls! Andrew Ramey Falls is a picturesque 30-foot sheer drop that forms a set of delicate cascades over the stairstep rock ledge. The shallow pool in front - perfect for wading - is strewn with colorful pebbles. This waterfall doesn't frequently receive high marks from people who have seen Pristine Falls and Fall Creek Falls, but I encourage you to think otherwise, as I really like this waterfall. 

Past Andrew Ramey Falls, the path becomes a bit fainter as it descends through a rhododendron jungle near North Fork Fall Creek. You will shortly pass a couple of small cascading waterfalls, sometimes called Midway Falls and Rhodo Falls respectively. After crossing a small tributary, the path reaches the flatter bottomlands along Fall Creek around 0.3 mile and becomes very overgrown with dog hobble. Even though the path is discernible, you will definitely need to keep a close eye as you are pushing through the vegetation. 

At 0.6 miles, reach a junction with another faint path that leaves left and heads toward Pristine Falls. It is important to recognize this junction if you wish to see Pristine Falls. The intersection is located almost directly across from the confluence of North Fork Fall Creek and Fall Creek. Turning on the Pristine Falls path, you will instantly come to a shallow ford of North Fork Fall Creek. The water is only ankle-deep; it may even be possible to rock hop in times of lower water, but the waterfalls will not be as dynamic in those conditions. On the other side, walk about 100 feet through an open flat before picking up the trail along an old logging road that moderately ascends the ridge on the north side of Fall Creek. One-tenth of a mile from the Fall Creek path, at 0.7 miles, look for a narrow but well-worth leaving the main logging road at an angle to the right. This is the path to Pristine Falls. The path meanders along the slope for a bit before dropping to Fall Creek in the form of a muddy scramble. You can see Pristine Falls from here, but for the best views, rock hop and wade 200 feet upstream, reaching the base of Pristine Falls at 0.8 miles. 

Pristine Falls (GPS: N34° 49.313' W83° 15.388') is a powerful, complex waterfall in a secluded grotto. The waterfall starts out as a steep slide/sheer drop before transforming into a curtain-like free-fall.  Although the total height is over 50 feet, you can only see the waterfall's most impressive 25-30 feet when standing at the base. I also really like the more distant view of the waterfall from downstream, because it highlights the conglomerate of jagged, mossy boulders lying immediately below the waterfall's small sandy pool. Pristine Falls was christened and discovered by Christopher Cockfield on Google Earth. I know I speak on the behalf of the whole waterfalling community when I saw that we are thankful for the discovery of such a spectacular, hidden waterfall so close to the main trail to Falls Creek Falls, adding even more allure to this backwoods trek! 

Retrace your steps to the main trail, returning to the Fall Creek Falls Path at 1.0 mile. Resume following the trail downstream along the now-larger Fall Creek, which stays quite placid along its sandy course. At 1.05 miles, pass the remains of a chimney at an old homesite to the left (this is a good landmark to determine whether or not you have passed the Pristine Falls junction). The trail alternates between travelling a bit higher on the hillside and immediately alongside the creek, and it continues to be a little overgrown in the flats near the creek. Reach a particularly confusing area around 1.35 miles, where the trail seems to dead-end at an old campsite. The trail actually bears right through a muddy area and then uncomfortably traces the very edge of Fall Creek. 

Finally, at 1.65 miles, the path approaches the top of Fall Creek Falls. The flat rock slabs at the top of the falls are relatively safe to walk out on, but as always, be sure you stay away from the waterfall's dangerous edge! The main path curves right and makes a broad arc away from the waterfall on its north side, tracing the base of a cliff line. Avoid the temptation of scrambling down to the waterfall too quickly, and simply keep following the path downstream. You will soon arrive at a spot that appears like a switchback. While a very faint path continues ahead to the Chattooga Rive, you must turn sharply left to access the base of Fall Creek Falls, which you'll reach at 1.75 miles (GPS: N34° 49.133' W83° 15.992'). 

Fall Creek Falls is a stunning finale to this hike, for its structure is exquisite! I love how this 40-foot waterfall drops over the sheer ledge at the top, hits a small flat outcrop, and drops of another equally sheer drop before consolidating into the gentle slide to the sandy pool at the bottom. A portion of the waterfall is free-falling, adding further character. It was also beautiful to observe the lush moss growing behind the delicate curtains of water flowing down the sheer ledges. The pool is full of subtle patterns in the sand, constantly being crafted by the gentle flow of water. 

At Fall Creek Falls, you have the option of continuing along Fall Creek downstream to its confluence with the Chattooga River, which lies a little over one-tenth of a mile downstream. Although I did not have time to extend my hike there, I know that you get to see one more small, cascading waterfall right where the creek reaches the Chattooga, and the mighty Chattooga is a sight all in itself. The primary drawback of continuing to the Chattooga is that the path is almost non-existent and not much better a bushwhack beyond Fall Creek Falls, though chances are you would have no problem navigating it if you have already gotten this far. At any rate, if you simply choose to retrace your steps from Fall Creek Falls, you will return to your vehicle at 3.2 miles, concluding the hike. Even though the entire hike back to Fall Creek Road is at an easy to moderate uphill grade, it never feels difficult except the final quarter-mile near Andrew Ramey Falls, and besides, you will be feeling much more refreshed by now from having seen these beautiful water features. Be sure to keep a close eye on the faint path and not deviate anywhere on your return trip!

0.0 - Fall Creek Road
0.05 - Andrew Ramey Falls
0.6 - Pristine Falls Trail Jct
0.8 - Pristine Falls
1.0 - Back on Main Trail 
1.05 - Old Homesite
1.75 - Fall Creek Falls
3.2 - Fall Creek Road

Imagine a large mountain waterway winding its way through a wilderness for nearly a dozen miles with zero road access. Picture a rugged, little-traveled pathway following this waterway, crisscrossing the creek many times through deep, slick fords, circumnavigating countless blowdowns and rock scrambles. There, you've discovered the Slickrock Creek Trail! This is the best creek trail I've ever walked in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, and I'm not even exaggerating. Nowhere else have I found a combination of such remote beauty and rugged wilderness trail, which never follows any of the logging roads customary to most North Carolina waterways. As if you needed more incentive to tackle this hike, the Slickrock Creek Trail features two secluded waterfalls - Wildcat Falls and Lower Falls - with swimming holes that couldn't be any more refreshing after a long summer day in the backcountry. This hike occurred on Saturday, September 15th, 2018. My plan was to day hike a lengthy loop through the heart of the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Creek Wilderness backcountry. I would start off along the Slickrock Creek Trail at Cheoah Dam along US 129, but before long, I would take the Ike Branch Trail. At Yellowhammer Gap, I would pick up the Yellowhammer Gap Trail, followed by the Nichols Cove Trail and Windy Gap Trail. The Windy Gap Trail would finally bring me to Slickrock Creek, from where I'd spend the rest of the day tracing the Slickrock Creek Trail back to US 129. 

R/T Length of Trail: 14.2 Miles 
Duration of Hike: 8:30 plus 2.5 hours of stopping
Type of Hike: Lasso
Difficulty Rating: 8 out of 10 
Total Elevation Gain: 3,429 Feet
Pros: Remote, scenic trail along Slickrock Creek with many backcountry campsites
Cons: Some portions of the Slickrock Creek Trail can be pretty technical; the first half of the hike might feel like a bit of a drag at times
Points of Interest: Wildcat Falls - 8 stars; Lower Slickrock Creek Falls - 6 stars; 
Trail Blaze Colors: None, as trails within the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness are unblazed. Most trail junctions and crossings of Slickrock Creek are signed. 
Best Seasons to Hike: Summer
Fees: None 
​Beginning Point: Cheoah Dam Trailhead
​Directions from Robbinsville, NC: From the intersection of NC 143 West (Cherohala Skyway) and US 129 north of downtown Robbinsville, follow US 129 North for 14.2 miles to the Little Tennessee River bridge immediately below Cheoah Dam. Just before the bridge, look for an obscure gravel road leading into the woods to the left. Drive down the road for about one-tenth of a mile to what appears as some kindof minor water quality/treatment station. Do not attempt to drive further; park in the wide space just before the station. There's space for a few cars without blocking the road and trail. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike. 

On this mid-September weekend, the remnants of Hurricane Florence were barrelling inland into the Carolinas and Georgia, and the threat for high winds had entirely closed down the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and many popular recreation areas throughout the national forests. While these circumstances made it quite difficult for me to find an accessible hike that I hadn't done yet, it also worked in my benefit, because the threat of rough weather had apparently scared everyone away from the trails, yet in fact, the entire day was perfect as it stayed partly cloudy with no rain and light winds. 

Start off the hike by walking past the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness sign onto a level old logging road grade. You are now walking along the Slickrock Creek Trail (#42) within the 17,394-acre Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, not only a vital area of protection for the vast remote land on the north side of the Cherohala Skyway west of Robbinsville, but also an important link to the adjacent Citico Creek Wilderness in Tennessee. Combined together, these two wilderness area feature one of the largest remaining wild areas in the Southeastern US, crisscrossed by miles of little-traveled pathways. It is no wonder that Slickrock Creek is one of the most scenic and remote streams I've had the pleasure of hiking miles along in years of Southern Appalachian exploring. 

The trail initially stays nearly level as it narrows to a single-track footpath and passes through a few muddy spots. The upper reaches of Lake Calderwood along the Little Tennessee River are visible about 100 feet below the trail. At 0.7 miles, reach a junction with the Ike Branch Trail (#45), usually marked by a wooden sign. I prefer hiking this loop clockwise, as the east side of the loop features a lot more of rollercoaster-type elevation gain, and gently hiking downhill along the refreshing waters of Slickrock Creek is a much more pleasant second half of the hike. Therefore, turn left on the Ike Branch Trail to begin the loop section of the hike. From the stinging nettle and blowdowns, it immediately becomes apparent that this slim pathway receives much less traffic and maintenance. The trail climbs very steeply up the ravine formed by Ike Branch and reaches a crossing of this small stream when the ascent moderates at 0.9 miles. After crossing the stream once more, the Ike Branch Trail continues a moderate ascent up this remote valley. The trail passes a little-used campsite on the left at 1.6 miles and shortly tops out in a gap along a low ridge. After this, the trail follows an elongated U-shaped curve along a level grade around a knob, providing seasonal views into the Slickrock Creek gorge on the right, before reaching a junction with the Hangover Lead Trail at 2.3 miles. 

At the junction, the Hangover Lead Trail (#56) and reaches Yellow Hammer Gap in 100 feet. There, the Hangover Lead Trail turns right and begins an extremely steep ascent along the Hangover Lead ridge, eventually leading to a parking area at Big Fat Gap. Another trail that leaves Yellow Hammer Gap is a newly-constructed section of the Benton MacKaye Trail (#2), which leads to Tapoco Lodge at US 129, eliminating the former very dangerous roadwalk that BMT thru-hikers had to do along US 129. This hike continues straight on the Yellow Hammer Gap Trail (#49) in conjunction with the Ike Branch Trail at the initial junction (100 feet west of Yellow Hammer Gap). You are also briefly joining the Benton MacKaye Trail, which you may see marked by white diamond blazes. I also noticed some faded white diamonds along the Ike Branch Trail, indicative of that being the BMT's former route. At 2.4 miles, the Ike Branch Trail (#45) splits right, reaching Slickrock Creek in 0.6 mile. This connector can be useful if you would just like to do a short half-day loop hike without delving into the heart of the Slickrock Creek backcountry. Meanwhile, this hike bears left and uphill on the Yellow Hammer Gap Trail. 

The hike follows the Yellow Hammer Gap Trail for the next 1.7 miles. The trail feels surprisingly long, thanks to the constant up-and-down formed by numerous spurs of Hangover Lead that the trail constantly crosses. There is essentially no flat ground on this trail, and some of the ascents are quite steep, so I'd definitely hike the loop in this direction to get this section done first. On the flip side, this is one of the best-manicured trails on the hike, having undergone a recent revamp that significantly improved the trail's grade. At 4.1 miles, the Yellow Hammer Gap Trail ends at a junction with the Nichols Cove Trail (#44). The Nichols Cove Trail turns right and follows Nichols Cove Branch for about 1.5 miles to Slickrock Creek. The Nichols Cove Trail also continues straight, where this hike is headed. Before continuing on, however, take a moment to gaze at the interesting little cemetery fenced in on the junction's left. The cemetery contains just a single headstone; if you wander through the woods above it, you may run into the remains of a chimney. 

The Nichols Cove Trail begins an easy climb through shady flats into the upper reaches of the Nichols Cove Branch valley. The ascent becomes steeper at 4.6 miles, and the trail soon leaves the valley and enters a tight mountain laurel tunnel as it gains elevation. The trail tops at a junction with the Windy Gap Trail (#400) at 5.0 miles, the hike's highest point at elevation 2,500 feet. You have climbed roughly 600 feet since the cemetery. The Windy Gap Trail leads left 1.4 miles to a parking area at Big Fat Gap. Meanwhile, this hike continues straight on the Nichols Cove Trail, beginning the plunge to Slickrock Creek. What you'll instantly notice is that the trail becomes much lesser-traveled and overgrown beyond this point. In fact, this was probably the most remote trail of the hike, the faint path constantly weaving across deadfall and often being hard to discern. At 5.7 miles, the trail enters a disorienting flat area with campsites near Slickrock Creek. Just try to walk across and look for a semi-obvious spot where you cross a small stream (Big Fat Branch). On the other side, the Nichols Cove Trail ends at a junction with the Big Fat Trail (#41). The Big Fat Trail is a newer trail leading from the Big Fat Gap parking area, and serves as the quickest and most popular access point for folks wishing to see Slickrock Creek. 

To continue this loop hike, turn right on the Big Fat Trail, and in just 350 feet, reach a T-intersection with Slickrock Creek Trail (#42) at 5.85 miles. The rest of this hike follows the Slickrock Creek Trail back to US 129 for over 8 miles. Turn right on the trail, and after walking through more campsites, reach your first of twelve Slickrock Creek fords at 5.9 miles. This is the easiest and shallowest ford, crossing a small tranquil pool - the fords get consistently broader and trickier as the creek grows larger, particularly below Wildcat Falls. Most crossings have an ancient, wooden "Slickrock Creek" sign with an arrow on each side, but they are often hard to find and can go missing, so it's best to not solely rely on these signs. 

After initially passing through more flats, the trail begins tracing Slickrock Creek. The creek views aren't that great at first, but don't worry, as they gradually become more and more wild and dramatic, especially past Wildcat Falls. After navigating across a small rock outcrop with an old rail lying around - a relic from the logging days, back when this trail used to be a railroad - the trail reaches a junction with the Big Stack Gap Trail (#139), a little-used connector that crosses into the Citico Creek Wilderness of Tennessee. As an aside, this is the point where the Tennessee/North Carolina border begins tracing Slickrock Creek the rest of the way to Calderwood Lake, so you'll be crossing between the two states from now on. Make the broader Ford #2 at the junction and continue hiking downstream, now along the River Right side. Ford #3 occurs at 6.8 miles, right at the top of Wildcat Falls. Given the proximity of this waterfall, care must be taken at this crossing if water levels are above average. 

On the other side, the trail ascends up a rock shelf, rounds a small outcrop, and follows a level grade above the creek with shrouded views of the upper tiers of Wildcat Falls. Although the full drop of Wildcat Falls is close to 60 feet, only the lowermost 20-foot drop is accessed by trail. At 6.9 miles, the scramble trail to the base of Wildcat Falls turns right. Although the rough trail follows a steep slope chock-full with loose boulders, it's only 150 feet long, and the waterfall is one of this hike's major highlights. The scene that presents itself at the base is a gorgeous one. The remote lower tier of Wildcat Falls makes a double drop 20 feet down a cliff into a peaceful pool, great for swimming and cooling off. A small gravel bar at the pool's edge was a perfect addition to the scene on this day's low water levels. Downstream, the creek forms swift, intricate cascades as it flows into the forest, surrounded by mossy boulders of various shapes and sizes. 

Return to the main trail and continue hiking downstream along Slickrock Creek. You will soon come to Fords #4, #5, and #6 in quick succession - at 7.2, 7.25, and 7.35 miles, respectively. These crossings are still pretty easy, but you will notice that the creek has definitely become wider by now. Ford #7 occurs at 7.6 miles, after which the trail stays on the River Left (west) side of Slickrock Creek for quite a while. This is where my favorite part of the hike begins, and it's simply impossible to describe in words how amazing the trail is here. The trail stays remote and rugged the whole way, always a single-track pathway with occasional blowdowns, tricky rock scrambles, and overgrown sections. And at the same time, the trail shadows Slickrock Creek's every turn, providing countless views of the creek's constant wild cascades and the boulder fields surrounding it. Most Southern Appalachian creek trails either follow broad old road grades, stay far enough above creeks that the views aren't great, or both. This trail is remarkable as it never has either problem! 

At 9.25 miles, the trail makes the eight crossing of Slickrock Creek. This is the first ford where I learned why the creek is called "Slickrock" - some of the rounded, polished underwater stones in this creek are insanely slippery! You'll want to use caution, as I encountered similarly slick rocks at every one of the remaining crossings from here on, especially the last two, which were the toughest. After crossing small Nichols Cove Branch, reach the other end of the Nichols Cove Trail (#44) at 9.5 miles. This is where that trail arrives at the creek after leaving the cemetery. Immediately afterwards, at 9.55 miles, the trail makes Ford #9. Then, at 9.7 miles, the trail rock hops Little Slickrock Creek and arrives at a junction with Stiffknee Trail (#106) by a campsite. Turning left into Tennessee, the Stiffknee Trail leads 1.8 miles to a parking area at Farr Gap, making this another one of the easier and more popular access points for Slickrock Creek. Given how large the creek's size is, it is truly unique that Slickrock Creek never once crosses or parallels a roadway on its winding course to Calderwood Lake - such is the power of wilderness protection! 

At 10.0 miles, make Ford #10 of Slickrock Creek, where the water is now at least knee-deep. At 10.25 miles, reach the other end of the Ike Branch Trail at another campsite. The trail crosses an unnamed stream after this and then makes a particularly tricky scramble along an eroded slope about 15 feet above the creek - it appears that a landslide almost washed the trail into the creek here. A log jam just downstream makes for an interesting sight. Ford #11 comes up at 10.4 miles - the fords keep getting more difficult, the water swifter and deeper, but there's only one more left after this one! The trail then rises away from the creek for the first time in a while, becoming notably overgrown. Finally, at 10.9 miles, after returning to creek-level, the trail passes above Lower Falls, the other of two waterfalls on this hike. 

Two paths lead to Lower Falls - one to the flat bedrock at the top, and one to the true base. Both are obvious and neither is difficult. Even though Lower Falls is only 15 feet high, I really love this waterfall - almost as much as Wildcat Falls. The twin drop is very picturesque, and the large pool is simply outstanding for a rest stop and even a quick swim before continuing the hike. I also liked a lot the mossy cliff that the falls spills over. Lower Falls would make a great destination for the shorter Ike Branch Loop that one has the option of completing, if the hike described here is too long or strenuous. 

Back on the main trail, reach the twelfth and final ford of Slickrock Creek at 11.3 miles. The trail stays on the creek's River Right side the rest of the way, but what follows is actually one of the hike's more difficult sections, as the trail makes constant rock scrambles that are required to maneuver across the gorge's extremely rugged and wild terrain. Of special note is a spot around 11.8 miles, where the Slickrock Creek Trail inches across a slim ledge hardly a couple feet wide, with a sheer drop-off to the creek. The views of the creek in this area are also some of the best on the hike; the creek is much bigger and the gorge is much deeper than six miles earlier. Finally, around 12.4 miles, you will want to stay right as the trail begins rising above and away from Slickrock Creek (a path bears left and leads to the creek's confluence at Calderwood Lake). This is another sketchy section, as the narrow trail hugs a cliff while following the edge of another sheer drop-off. Of course, everything becomes exponentially trickier if you're hiking this part of the trail in the dark like me (blame poor time management skills)! 

At 12.6 miles, the trail turns decidedly east and starts taking a fairly straight course toward US 129, constantly hovering 150-200 feet above Calderwood Lake. Of course, even though the trail looks straight on the map, it's nothing but in reality. The trail stays very narrow and rugged as it circumnavigates numerous cliffs and steep slopes. A set of three wooden footbridges assist the trail in crossing a few steep-sided ravines. It is only around 13.3 miles that the trail starts to broaden and level out, resembling more the trail you saw when you left it at the Ike Branch junction. At 13.5 miles, return to the intersection with the Ike Branch Trail and continue straight; from here, it's simply a matter of retracing your earlier steps to the US 129 parking area. You will return to your vehicle at 14.2 miles, concluding this stunning but strenuous hike. 

It is a no-brainer that I decide to rate this hike a "Best Hike". This is seriously one of the best hikes I've ever done in over six years of exploring the Southern Appalachians. The Slickrock Creek Trail is quite possibly the best creek trail I've ever hiked, and one I'm looking forward very much to experiencing over and over again. I cannot recommend this hike enough to anyone wishing to have a true wilderness experience and see some scenic views/waterfalls as well. The only thing that could make this hike better is if it followed Slickrock Creek all 14 miles! 

0.0 - US 129 Parking
0.7 - Ike Branch Trail (Begin Loop)
2.3 - Yellow Hammer Gap 
4.1 - Nichols Cove Cemetery 
5.85 - Slickrock Creek
6.9 - Wildcat Falls 
10.9 - Lower Falls
13.5 - End Loop 
​14.2 - US 129 Parking

There's the touristy side of the Horsepasture River. There's the monster Rainbow Falls and its sidekicks, Stairway Falls, Turtleback Falls, and Drift Falls, all some of Gorges State Park's most popular and highly-regarded destinations. And then there's Windy Falls... the Horsepasture's truly wild side, tackled only by the most hardcore waterfallers and rock climbers. The Horsepasture's other waterfalls pale in comparison in the mighty shadow of Windy Falls, which crashes over 200 vertical feet through a conglomerate of boulders the sizes of two-story houses and slanted cliffs the sizes of small football fields. Those who reach this monster waterfall's base will be rewarded with a first-rate view of raw, breathtaking power, dwarfed by the even more majestic rocky surroundings. Yet reaching the base is an adventure not to be taken lightly, involving two rock scrambles with ropes and a squeeze through a keyhole perfect for getting stuck if you're larger than the average person. Gorges State Park neither sanctions nor recommends the trip to Windy Falls, and neither do I. Only people with substantial experience in cross-country rock scrambling with ropes must attempt to reach the base; those who don't could get injured or even fall to their deaths. Proceed at your own risk. This hike occurred on Saturday, September 8th, 2018. My plan was to hike out and back to the base of Windy Falls using a steep, unofficial trail from Chestnut Mountain Road concluding in a series of technical and potentially dangerous rock scrambles. 

R/T Length of Trail: 3.6 Miles
Duration of Hike: 6:30, but the majority of this was scrambling, route-finding, rope-rigging, and photography around Windy Falls
Type of Hike: Out and Back 
Total Elevation Gain: 1320 Feet
Pros: Extraordinary waterfalls
Cons: Very technical, dangerous climb to the base; not sanctioned by Gorges State Park 
Points of Interest: Windy Falls - 10+ stars
Trail Blaze Colors: None, not an official trail 
Best Seasons to Hike: Summer; Fall 
Fees: None 
Beginning Point: Grassy Ridge Parking Area (Rainbow Falls Trailhead) 
Directions from Rosman, NC: From the intersection of US 64 and US 178 near Rosman, follow US 64 West for 9.8 miles. Then, turn left onto NC 281. Continue another 0.9 miles to Gorges State Park's main entrance on the left. Enter the park through this entrance and follow Grassy Ridge road straight for 1.7 miles to the parking area. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike.

Prior to this trip, I had only been to Gorges State Park once, visiting the popular upper waterfalls of the Horsepasture River in over a foot of snow in January 2016. Yet the reality is that Gorges is home to nearly two dozen waterfalls - most of which are well off the beaten path. Perhaps the mightiest and toughest of all is Windy Falls, a monster waterfall in whose shadow the popular Rainbow Falls pales in comparison. My sincere thanks go out to Windy Falls veteran Jack Buchanan for telling me precise instructions on tackling the base of Windy Falls. Without Jack's help, I simply wouldn't be writing this report for y'all today. Before commencing the hike description for Windy Falls, I must reiterate however that this waterfall is not to be attempted under any circumstances by all but the most seasoned explorers capable of difficult rock scrambling. 

Ironically, the Windy Falls hike begins along the popular Rainbow Falls Trail at the Grassy Ridge parking area. Follow the trail past the kiosks on a gentle downhill for 0.3 miles to a T-junction. Here, the Rainbow Falls Trail turns right - a turn the vast majority of folks make. But you, seasoned explorer, belong to the minority who are headed to Windy Falls, and thus, must turn left onto the Raymond Fisher Trail. This little-used trail leads a half-mile to a set of campsites by Raymond Fisher Pond. In 0.2 miles (a half-mile from the hike start), however, the trail crosses a dirt road called Chestnut Mountain Road. To access Windy Falls, turn right onto the road and follow it one-tenth of a mile downhill to a broad spot with a gravel pile. At the start of a gravel pile, at 0.6 miles, look for the beginning of an obscure path on the right, the unofficial Windy Falls Trail. The trail dives into a rhododendron tunnel - a few dozen feet ahead is a sizable boulder smack middle in the path that confirms you're on the right track. 

The Windy Falls Trail begins an 800-foot descent to the Horsepasture River. The descent is generally easy to moderate, but quite steep toward its end. At 0.8 miles, merge with another trail approaching acutely from the left. This fork could be a bit disorienting on the return trip - remember to stay left when you come back. At the time of my hike, an arrow of branches on the ground indicated the right way. A few feet farther, the trail passes through a gap with an access to Sidepocket Falls, a small waterfall on the Horsepasture River roughly halfway between Windy Falls and Stairway Falls. Although there is supposedly a phantom path to Sidepocket Falls, I did not see any signs of one. Meanwhile, the descent on the main trail steadily steepens, becoming quite precipitous and eroded as the roar of the Horsepasture nears. Finally, at 1.5 miles, the trail dumps into a flat campsite alongside the river. Straight ahead is a 15-foot cascade informally referred to as Campsite Falls. The coordinates for this spot are N35.07571° W82.95919°. A path on the right follows bluffs near the river for a bit before dead-ending at a nice swimming hole. The main trail turns left; Windy Falls is downstream, right around the corner.

200 feet below the campsite flat, reach a junction. This is important - the main trail to Windy Falls turns left, uphill! You may continue 100 feet on the path straight ahead, which shortly dead-ends on a broad rock slab at the very top of the collective run of drops that comprise Windy Falls. A small wooden sign reads "Slick Rock". Don't even think of scrambling downriver, as this is extremely dangerous terrain and is absolutely not the way to go. Instead, take the uphill path. In about 70 feet, the path reaches the base of a forested cliff. Turn right and follow the bluff line. The path is rugged and slim, but since you're headed to Windy Falls, this should be a piece of cake for you. The trail soon passes a slanted boulder hiding a yellow jacket nest at the time of my visit, and then begins dropping steeply. Despite being surrounded by immensely rugged cliffs, the path remains quite easy to follow. About 0.1 mile from the last junction, at 1.75 miles, the trail pops out onto a vast, sloping rock face alongside the crashing upper section of Windy Falls, coordinates N35.07445° W82.95819°. This section of Windy Falls is also known as Bear Rock Falls, honoring the humongous boulder on the far side of the waterfall. While I stopped to admire the scene, I spotted a squirrel that had just scrambled up to the top of the "Bear Rock". It appeared like a tiny speck in relation to the boulder's size! This slanted rock face by Bear Rock Falls is very enticing to explore, since it keeps sloping down to the top of Windy Falls proper. Do not under any circumstances try to scramble down this life-threatening rock. It is steeper than it looks, and you won't realize you're in peril until it's too late and there's no way back. Please bear in mind that this is the last point to turn around before the hazardous, technical rock scrambles to the base of Windy Falls. You will have already seen breathtaking views of impressive cataracts up to this point - you must not proceed any further without the necessary experience! 

Once you have gathered up your experience, ropes, and guts, look for a narrow but well-worn path dropping into a steep cleft to the left of the slanted rock face, by its start. This is the path to the base of Windy Falls. It soon makes a short, vertical drop to get beneath the rock face, and then turns left. Next comes an eroded switchback with another tricky vertical drop. Then, 100 feet past the Bear Rock Falls view, you will arrive at the precipice of a spot known as the "Thin Ledge". This is the first of two rock climbs on this adventure that I strongly recommend ropes for. The Thin Ledge is a double-tier sheer rock about 30 feet high, and our path drops straight down the ledge. The first couple feet are along a ledge hardly a foot wide, hence the nickname "Thin Ledge". The lower ledge is also perpetually slick due to running water from a seep, so use of a rope becomes even more important here. And, before you ask, nope - there is no way to get around this spot. This is the only reasonable pass through the towering cliffs that guard Windy Falls. 

Past the base of the Thin Ledge, the trail bears right and drops through a rock garden. In 100 feet, the path reaches a group of enormous boulders. Straight ahead is a large, flat, and most importantly, relatively safe rock outcrop known as The Balcony, coordinates N35.07382° W82.95827°. The Balcony features a stunning view that is one of the hike's biggest highlights apart from the waterfall itself. The Balcony is actually the top of a two-story-house-sized boulder, providing a sweeping panoramic view of Windy Falls on the right, the base pool right below, the brink of Terrifying Falls straight ahead, and a majestic, jagged peak on Narrow Rock Ridge in the distance. In between is the remarkably lush green Horsepasture River gorge. Now, the million-dollar question is: how do you get to the pool right in front of you? It's so close that you can nearly reach it in an arm's throw - yet inhospitable cliffs encircle this natural amphitheater. There is only one way to reach the base without rappelling. Known as the Keyhole scramble, it is definitely the most difficult and technical part of the scramble. 

.The Keyhole is a tiny cave-like opening between two boulders. It is located at the entrance to the Balcony, on its right-hand side. The opening appears just large enough for the average person to fit through. In reality, getting stuck here is a possibility not to be dismissed. Do not venture into the keyhole alone; if you get stuck, help won't come for a long time. Fortunately, the passage is quite short - only a few feet long. But wait, there's more! On the other side of the keyhole, the only route is down a vertical, boulder-filled cleft. If you've gotten this far, you shouldn't have any trouble, but I strongly recommend a rope. You will need to rig 50 to 75 feet of rope above the keyhole and pass it through. Most of the descent through the cleft has decent handholds, but at the end is a sheer 12-foot drop. People have wedged a couple wooden boards into the rocks to help with the final drop, but who knows how long they will be there. Once you reach the end of the cleft, you're almost at the waterfall's base - walk down the gently sloping rock to the edge of the turbulent pool of Windy Falls. From a first glance, you might think jumping into the pool is the only route, but that's false. Instead, look for a cave to the left, directly underneath the Balcony boulder. The route to Windy Falls passes through this interesting cave, full of wood debris and rocks. I have no doubt that when the Horsepasture floods, this cave is swept clean! The passage is about 75 feet long. You're almost there! On the other side, wade knee-deep through a corner of the pool (this is easy), and finally, scramble atop the rocks directly in front of Windy Falls. You've traveled 1.8 miles. The coordinates for the base of Windy Falls are N35.07355° W82.95828°.

What an indescribable sight of water's wicked power this is! Only the lower section of Windy Falls is visible here, but it is still close to 100 feet high, crashing with mighty force. During normal to above average flow, all of these rocks in front of the falls will be soaked by spray. Surrounding the waterfall are rows of incredible cliffs - it is a wonder that it is possible to get through these cliffs without full-fledged rock climbing. The amazing rock amphitheater around Windy Falls makes the waterfall twice more awesome. I will firmly state that I have not seen this kind of combination of waterfall power and majestic rocks at any other location in North Carolina. If the water level at its normal late summer levels, you may try to cross to the river's far side for even better views of the falls. The crossing is waist-deep and the current is swift, but anyone who has made it this far down will handle the crossing easily. A conglomerate of boulders on the far side provides stunning views of the rock amphitheater in which Windy Falls sits. To me, it is nothing short of amazing that such a place exists in the well-forested Southern Appalachians. 

Just downstream from the base of Windy Falls is the brink of Terrifying Falls, a nice cascading waterfall. About 0.2 miles downstream is an impressive 40-foot waterfall known as Rooster Tail Falls at the coordinates N35.07064° W82.95852°. To get there, you would need to scramble down the west side (River Right) of the Horsepasture River. It is supposed to be pretty tough rock scrambling and wading the whole way, but I think that anyone who has managed to reach the base of Windy Falls will have no problem further down. I did not have time to go all the way down there, but I plan to return, so stay tuned! Those who have four-wheel drive may access Rooster Tail Falls (and even Windy Falls) from the Chestnut Mountain Road bridge a mile further downstream. However, it will be a pretty tough, long river-walk the whole way. 

​Once you've finished soaking in the powerful beauty of Windy Falls, and perhaps taken a swim if the water isn't too high, simply retrace your steps the same way to the parking area. I found all of the rock scrambles harder on the way back, especially the twist through the keyhole. I'll repeat it again, it's pretty easy to get stuck here! Once you're back on official trails, you have the option of adding on the Horsepasture tourist waterfalls to this hike: Stairway Falls, Rainbow Falls, Turtleback Falls, and Drift Falls, 4.8 miles roundtrip, if you've never seen them before. Otherwise, you'll conclude the hike at 3.6 miles. 

Hike to Rainbow Falls the same day as Windy Falls - 8.4 Miles

Please see Dan Weemhoff's exceptionally detailed photo album for more photos and documentation of our hike!

Nestled between the Little Tennessee River and the Cherohala Skyway, the 16,226-acre Citico Creek Wilderness features some of East Tennessee's most remote hiking trails. The primary focus points of the wilderness are its two major waterways: the North and South Forks of Citico Creek. Seldom-traveled trails follow both streams, crisscrossing them many times along the way, and providing numerous views of the creeks' many scenic cascades and pristine banks. Even better, a short scramble off the North Fork Trail is the spectacular Old Goat Falls, crashing 40 feet through a cleft amidst ferny cliffs. This hike, an ambitious loop along both forks of Citico Creek all the way to their headwaters, is among the best creek hikes in Cherokee National Forest. This hike occurred on Saturday, September 1st, 2018. My plan was to initially follow the South Fork Trail from Citico Creek Road to the North Fork Trail junction. There, I would pick up the North Fork Trail and climb it to Cherry Log Gap, scrambling down to Old Goat Falls along the way. I would then follow the Benton MacKaye Trail from Cherry Log Gap to Cold Spring Gap, from where I would take the South Fork Trail back to Citico Creek Road. 

R/T Length of Trail: 17.6 Miles
Duration of Hike: 8:30 plus 2 hours of stopping and photography
Type of Hike: Lasso 
Total Elevation Gain: 3966 Feet
Pros: Miles of beautiful streamside scenery
Cons: Portions of the South Fork Trail stay well above the creek without much views
Points of Interest: Old Goat Falls - 8 stars; Upper Falls on North Fork Citico Creek - 3 stars; Small Waterfall on South Fork Citico Creek - 3 stars; Numerous scenic creek views, especially in the North Fork Citico Creek headwaters area
Trail Blaze Colors: None - trails in the Citico Creek Wilderness are not blazed. You may see axe marks designated to point out the trail in places though. 
Best Seasons to Hike: Spring; Summer
Fees: None
Beginning Point: Citico Creek Road
Directions from Tellico Plains, TN: From the intersection of TN 68 and TN 165 (Cherohala Skyway), follow TN 165 East (Cherohala Skyway East) for 14.9 miles. Then, turn left onto Indian Boundary Road. After following Indian Boundary Road for 1.2 miles, stay right on Citico Creek Road (FS 35-1). If you reach Indian Boundary Campground, you've gone too far. The turn is marked by a sign for Citico Creek. From the turn, follow the road for 2.3 miles until you see a pullout on the right at a gated old road. This is the trailhead. You can see the Citico Creek bridge just down the road - if you have crossed the bridge, you have driven too far. FS 35-1 is unpaved but suitable for all passenger vehicles - it used to be extremely muddy but has since been improved. The parking pullout is very small and only has space for around three vehicles. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike.

My first visit to the Citico Creek Wilderness was in March 2015, when I hiked the North Fork Trail out and back to the Coldspring Branch Trail junction. I was amazed by the pristine beauty of the North Fork Citico Creek headwaters region - one of the most beautiful Southern Appalachian creek valleys I had ever seen. However, at the time, I did not have a ton of experience in remote wilderness hiking, so I felt that the trails were hard to navigate, and in fact, I failed to complete the planned loop that day. Furthermore, I later learned that I missed Old Goat Falls, one of the region's most breathtaking waterfalls! Now, four years later, I was excited to return, see Old Goat Falls, and complete the North/South Fork Loop. To my pleasant surprise, I found the trails quite easy to follow this time - likely due to the navigational skills I had inherited from lots of off-trail hiking in this 3.5-year span. Without further ado, let's move on to the details of this outstanding wilderness hike. 

The hike begins along the South Fork Citico Creek Trail (#105) just above the Citico Creek Road upper bridge. The trail starts out as an inconspicuous, overgrown path between two small boulders - who could imagine that this modest path is the gateway to such beauty? Initially, Citico Creek is out of sight. The trail gently descends to a small creek crossing at 0.25 miles, after which the trail suddenly pops out on a precipitous bluff about 40 feet above Citico Creek. Join an old logging road and enter the Citico Creek Wilderness, which may or may not be signed, at 0.6 miles. To the left, the noisy run of Citico Creek is quite broad below the confluence of the North and South Forks. At 0.8 miles, the trail tops a small rise a little away from the creek. Look closely and you'll spot the ruins of a concrete blockhouse on the right. Just ahead is one of the hike's most important trail junctions: the Y-split of the North Fork (#98) and South Fork Trails. On my first visit, the split was marked by a "<--- #98" sign, but the sign was absent on my latest visit. Still, if you're paying attention (particularly if you just noticed the blockhouse), you won't miss this. To hike the loop clockwise like I did, stay left on the North Fork Citico Creek Trail. At 0.9 miles, the North Fork Trail reaches a magnificent wooden bridge over South Fork Citico Creek - the only bridged creek crossing in this wilderness area. The bridge is located immediately above the confluence of the two forks and provides fine views. 

Right away, the North Fork Trail begins following North Fork Citico Creek very closely, with excellent views around every corner. Pass the remains of a small dam at 0.95 miles. At 1.3 miles, the trail arrives at the first of 18 wet crossings of North Fork Citico Creek. I like to split this trail into two distinct parts: below and above Old Goat Falls. The section below Old Goat Falls has seven large fords that are always guaranteed wet, usually knee-deep, but possibly up to waist-deep in places. All but one of these fords can be bypassed by goat paths and easy bushwhacks, useful on a cold winter day. The section above Old Goat Falls has eleven smaller fords in quick succession. While there is definitely no sensible way to bypass any of these, they are only ankle-deep at best. During drier periods, you could quite possibly rock hop many of them, but at that point, you will probably be pretty wet anyway. 

After a beautiful creekside campsite, the trail makes its second ford of North Fork at 1.4 miles. This is usually the broadest and deepest crossing. As the trail continues to parallel the boulder-strewn course of the strikingly clear creek, you might note that you are actually following the route of an old logging road at times. Ford #3 is at 2.3 miles. A well-defined goat path continues ahead and bypasses Fords #3 and #4 - it is somewhat more rugged than the official trail on the other side though. Ford #4 is at 2.5 miles. After crossing a sizeable tributary, arrive at Fords #5 & #6 at 2.7 miles. These fords are part of the trail despite being less than 20 feet apart, because an overgrown bluff on the south side of the creek blocks passage. It's possible to bushwhack over the bluff but the double ford will take much less time. The trail enters a long level stretch with occasional blowdowns. Pass a decent campsite on the right at 3.3 miles and reach Ford #7 at 3.5 miles, the final major crossing. The North Fork Trail stays nearly level as it travels along the very edge of the creek until 4.0 miles, where it abruptly turns left and shoots up a steep slope, away from the creek. This spot signals the start of a more consistent moderate ascent into the upper reaches of the North Fork Citico Creek valley. 

As the trail makes a pair of switchbacks, it once again becomes evident that it's following a long-abandoned, barely-discernible logging road. Even though the trail is now higher above the creek, there are still good views of the creek below. At 4.7 miles, the trail reaches a large tributary flowing down from Rockstack Mountain. This is one of my favorite spots on the hike. The creek cascades between two giant boulders and joins North Fork Citico Creek at a miniature island splitting the creek into several intricate, cascading channels. After crossing the tributary, which might be a wet crossing in itself, the ascent steepens. At 5.15 miles, the trail passes between a bluff and a large boulder. 150 feet ahead, the very faint scramble path to Old Goat Falls leaves right. You should be able to hear the waterfall, and if the leaves are down, you might see part of it too. The off-trail diversion to Old Goat Falls requires some scrambling skills but is well worth it. The faint path quickly morphs into a steep bushwhack through rhododendron, but fortunately, it is short, as you reach the creek in just 200 feet. You can glimpse the falls, but getting there first involves scrambling up a series of rock outcrops alongside the creek. 

Arrive at the base of Old Goat Falls at 5.2 miles. What a stunning waterfall this is! North Fork Citico Creek rushes through a cleft in a jagged, mossy cliff and then flows over a second sheer tier. The total height of the falls is about 40 feet. Most of the surrounding rocks are covered in lush green moss and ferns, and a dense screen of rhododendron lines both banks. Standing in this remote wilderness setting, it is hard to imagine that an official trail passes mere feet away from the waterfall's brink! 

Back on the main trail, you'll make a steep climb past Old Goat Falls. At the top, reach a confusing split in paths. The correct trail is the path that takes a hard right, dropping down to the creek and fording it just above the waterfall. This is Ford #8 and the first of eleven fords in the next 0.7 miles. As mentioned earlier, these are alleasy crossings, generally not deeper than ankle-deep. At 5.9 miles, a little after Ford #16, a short side path leads left to the creek. Just upstream is the 20-foot upper falls on North Fork Citico Creek. The waterfall, a sheer drop with three separate ribbons of water, can be pretty nice with good flow. The main trail makes Ford #17 right at the brink of this waterfall. Finally, at 6.1 miles, shortly after Ford #18 (the final ford), you will arrive at the Cold Spring Gap Trail junction. The Cold Spring Gap Trail (#149) is a decent shortcut that eliminates nearly 600 feet of elevation gain. If you're short on time, you could easily take this shortcut. I like the Benton MacKaye Trail better though, because it is a tight single-track trail, while the Cold Spring Gap Trail follows a broad old road. 

Assuming you choose to stay straight on the North Fork Trail, you'll find that the trail begins a very steep ascent to Cherry Log Gap. There is one more crossing of North Fork Citico Creek, but at this point, the creek is so tiny that it's a guaranteed rock hop. The trail then climbs 400 feet up a hollow in just 0.4 miles. At 6.7 miles, reach the terminus of the North Fork Trail as it finally reaches the Benton MacKaye Trail (#2) in conjunction with the Fodderstack Trail (#95) at Cherry Log Gap, christened such after a grove of cherry trees planted here decades ago. This hike turns right onto the Benton MacKaye Trail to loop to the South Fork of Citico Creek. The ridge you are now walking along is the state line between Tennessee and North Carolina. After climbing a little through a rhododendron tunnel, the trail levels out at a seasonal view of Bob Stratton Bald just to the southeast. Just ahead, at 7.0 miles, the Fodderstack Trail and Benton MacKaye Trail leave each other at a Y-split. The Fodderstack Trail bears left toward Bob Stratton Bald. Stay right on the Benton MacKaye Trail toward Cold Spring Gap. For the next 1.25 miles, the narrow trail meanders along slopes on the south side of the North Fork drainage, generally level or descending. When I did this hike in September, the trail was abnormally overgrown with summer vegetation in places. Reach a junction with the Cold Spring Gap Trail at 8.25 miles. Just to the right is the start of the Brush Mountain, a poorly-maintained trail that leads several miles to the South Fork Trail. The Brush Mountain can make for a great shortcut, but be advised that the trail has heavy deadfall and is nearly non-existent in places. 

To continue the primary loop, turn left on the Cold Spring Gap Trail, which the Benton MacKaye Trail follows in conjunction along the wide forest road. Wide in winter, that is - it's an overgrown mess outside of the slim pathway in summer. After a slow ascent back to the ridge, reach a major trail junction in Cold Spring Gap, a broad grassy opening, at 9.5 miles. The Bob Bald Trail (#54A) leaves acutely left, accessing Bob Stratton Bald like the Fodderstack Trail. Straight ahead is Forest Road 217H, a popular access into the wilderness from Beech Gap on the Cherohala Skyway, 1.9 miles away. And on the right is the trail we need to get back to Citico Creek Road, the South Fork Citico Creek Trail (#105). 

The South Fork Trail begins with an extremely steep, knee-burning descent for 0.6 miles, the trail losing 700 feet in elevation in the meantime. Level out alongside South Fork Citico Creek at 10.1 miles; the trail becomes much tamer from here on as it starts following an old logging road downstream through rhododendron tunnels. At 11.0 miles, reach the first of just two fords on the South Fork Trail - this one is still in the creek's upper reaches, only around ankle-deep. A very gradual descent continues with occasional views of the creek's tranquil cascades. Reach a junction with the Jeffrey Hell Trail (#196) at 11.75 miles. The Jeffrey Hell Trail leaves acutely left, fords South Fork Citico Creek, and climbs 2.0 miles to the Fall Branch Falls Trail and West Rattlesnake Rock Trailhead on the Cherohala Skyway. Stay right on the South Fork Trail. At 12.0 miles, the trail passes a small, scenic, triple-flow waterfall, about 8 feet high. At 12.6 miles, South Fork Citico Creek suddenly starts dropping into a deep gorge. There are several powerful cascades and small waterfalls here, but they're tough to see from the trail and obscured by vegetation. Meanwhile, the trail sticks to the level logging grade, which rises high above creek level. Between 13.1 and 13.8 miles, the trail passes through patches severely overgrown with blackberry and even kudzu, possibly the location of a former fire. An opening in the midst of the kudzu provides a view into the serene depths of the South Fork Citico Creek Gorge. My only wish is to be down in that gorge, for I can only imagine how wild and scenic it is - possibly rivaling parts of the North Fork valley. I presume that the terrain was too rugged to lead the trail that way - it was much easier to route the trail along the route of least resistance, the old logging road. 

Begin descending very steeply, without any switchbacks, back into the South Fork Citico Creek Gorge at 14.0 miles. When the trail dumps you out in a flat beside the creek at 14.35 miles, you'll discover that South Fork Citico Creek is a whole different animal here - a swift, powerful creek rushing between large boulders at the floor of a narrow gorge, and a complete turnaround from the meek stream it was by the Jeffrey Hell Trail junction. The trail follows South Fork pretty closely along an old logging road for the rest of the loop. Pass a particularly scenic, rocky bend at 14.6 miles. At 15.1 miles, the Grassy Branch Trail leaves left, climbing 3.3 miles along Eagle Branch and Grassy Branch to the Cherohala Skyway. 200 feet ahead on the South Fork Trail is the trail's only other ford of South Fork Citico Creek. This is one of the hike's larger fords, rocky and up to knee-deep. Between 15.4 and 15.7 miles, the trail briefly leaves the roadbed and makes a short, steep scramble above the creek. 

As the trail rejoins the old logging road, it resumes paralleling South Fork closely with many superb views of the broad waterway's noisy cascades. At 16.4 miles, the Brush Mountain Trail enters from the right. It's the type of spot you won't even notice with a blink of an eye, but the location is only useful to know if you plan to hike a loop with the Brush Mountain Trail at a future date. The lower half of the Brush Mountain Trail follows Ike Camp Branch; not far from its confluence with South Fork is a scenic 12-foot cleft waterfall. Meanwhile, the South Fork Trail continues its gentle descent right to the end of the loop at the North Fork Trail junction at 16.8 miles. It's a simple matter of retracing your earlier steps from here, although you'll discover that the last part is an unpleasant climb out of the gorge back to the trailhead. Arrive at the parking area at 17.6 miles, concluding the hike. 

The Citico Creek Wilderness features some of the finest quintessential, unspoiled Southern Appalachian streamside scenery in all of Cherokee National Forest. Both the North Fork Trail and South Fork Trail take you along miles and miles of pristine wilderness creeks. The headwaters area of North Fork Citico Creek is especially beautiful, where dozens of cascading streams, large and small, all come together in the trail's midst. The breathtaking Old Goat Falls crashing through a cleft in a mossy cliff, surrounded by nothing but the lushest green, is the icing on top of the cake. I have decided to rate this a "Best Hike", as I believe you'll be hard-pressed to find a more spectacular wilderness creek hike in this corner of East Tennessee. 

​0.0 - Citico Creek Trailhead
0.8 - North Fork Trail/South Fork Trail Split (Begin Loop)
5.2 - Old Goat Falls
5.9 - Upper Falls on North Fork Citico Creek
6.1 - Cold Spring Gap Trail Junction (Lower)
6.7 - Cherry Log Gap (Benton MacKaye Trail Junction)
7.0 - Fodderstack Trail Split
8.25 - Cold Spring Gap Trail Junction (Upper)
9.5 - Cold Spring Gap (South Fork Trail Junction)
11.75 - Jeffrey Hell Trail Junction
12.0 - Small Waterfall on South Fork Citico Creek 
15.1 - Grassy Branch Trail Junction
16.4 - Brush Mountain Trail Junction
16.8 - North Fork Trail/South Fork Trail Split (End Loop)
17.6 - Citico Creek Trailhead

Hike out and back along the South Fork Trail to the first steep scramble - 3.8 Miles
Hike out and back along the North Fork Trail to Old Goat Falls - 10.4 Miles
Hike the North Fork/Cold Spring Gap/Brush Mountain Loop - 13.4 Miles

There's another significant waterfall in the same area,Falls Branch Falls, accessed by a moderate 2.7-mile hike from the Cherohala Skyway. It would make for a great end to a day or weekend in the Citico Creek Wilderness. 

Silver Glen Springs is an oasis in the middle of Ocala National Forest, Florida's "big scrub". One of the forest's most scenic springs, Silver Glen Springs features strikingly transparent aquamarine waters that form a vivid contrast with the lush, tropical vegetation found along the shoreline. Not only is the spring a wonderful place to cool off on a scorching summer day, but it's also a natural aquarium, often housing hundreds of fish and even other species like the Atlantic stingray. A couple of nature trails branch out from the Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area. The Springs Boil Trail leads to a secondary spring called Jody's Spring, known for its many unique sand boils, nestled in the deep shade of a tropical hammock. The Lake George Trail meanders through uplands near Silver Glen Springs Run for a mile before reaching the shoreline of Lake George, Florida's second largest freshwater lake, so massive that it almost seems to be a sea. This hike occurred on Tuesday, August 28th, 2018. My plan was to hike both the Springs Boil Trail and Lake George Trail after exploring Silver Glen Springs. 

R/T Length of Trail: 3.5 Miles
Duration of Hike: ​​1:30 plus one and a half hours of stopping and photography
Type of Hike: Double Out and Back
Difficulty Rating: 2 out of 10
Pros: Very beautiful springs; impressive views of large freshwater lake 
Cons: The main spring area can get very busy on warm weekends
Points of Interest: Silver Glen Springs; Jody's Spring; Lake George
Trail Blaze Colors: None
Best Seasons to Hike: Year-round (summer is hot but the spring is refreshing)
Fees: There is a day use fee of $6 per person at Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area. This applies for everyone, not just swimmers, and includes hikers. 
Beginning Point: Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area
​Directions: From the junction of FL 40 and US 301 in downtown Ocala, follow FL 40 East for 32.0 miles. Then, turn left onto FL 19 North, and continue for 5.9 miles to the Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area entrance on the right. Drive 0.4 miles down the entrance road to the parking area. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike.

The Ocala National Forest is home to some of the most pristine springs in Florida due to their wild surroundings and distance from population centers, and Silver Glen Springs is among the finest examples. Spending an extended amount of time in North Florida for the first time, I was excited to grasp the opportunity to explore this gorgeous spring and also hike its nature trails.

To access the springs, walks behind the shop and follow the obvious track about 150 yards to the edge of Silver Glen Springs. The area is likely going to be jam-packed in summer, especially on weekends; solitude is unlikely even in winter. A path stays just outside a fence encircling the springs. There are several fine vantage points where you can gaze out and marvel upon the striking blue waters sparkling beneath the sun. The see-through surface of the springs allows you to observe fish and turtles swimming just above the sandy floor, as if this were a sort of natural aquarium. On my visit, water levels were higher than normal, so a palm tree that normally stands on the bank appeared to be growing straight out of a spring, adding to the "tropical paradise" feel. A large portion of the spring is only 4 to 5 feet deep, so it is easy to wade and relax, even if you don't want to swim. My only complaint is about the bright red buoys placed to keep people off the fragile banks and vegetation, but they do not detract substantially from the scene. 

The Springs Boil Trail, the shorter of the two nature trails here, begins at the far right-hand (west) of the spring. A quarter-mile one way, this well-traveled pathway dives into a tropical hammock and soon becomes a boardwalk leading up to a small sidekick spring called Jody's Spring. While this spring is not as grand or picturesque as Silver Glen Springs, it is just as beautiful and unique. From the double observation deck, one may observe a number of "sand boils" within the spring, characterized as small bubbling pockets of sand where water surfaces. The dense palmetto, palms, and oaks surrounding the spring help to form a jungle-like setting. And even though Jody's Spring is no secret, you might have this spot to yourself with some luck, as most casual visitors prefer to hang out at Silver Glen Springs.

Return to Silver Glen Springs, having hiked about 0.7 miles. It is time to do the longer nature trail now out to the shoreline of Lake George. To access the Lake George Trail, follow the path downstream along Silver Glen Springs Run, shortly turning away into the forest. Two-tenths of a mile farther, at 0.9 miles, the usually-signed Lake George Trail begins on the right. The narrow pathway tracks through a palmetto corridor under a delightful of mossy live oaks. Even during the peak of the wet season, the trail will stay dry, as it lies entirely in uplands. At 1.6 miles, reach an unmarked side trail on the right leading to the first of three primary Lake George views. The view is definitely worth the 250-foot side trip, as it's the best view of the three, in my opinion. Standing at Lake George's edge, you will find that the giant lake almost resembles an ocean. Liked by dozens of ancient live oaks and cabbage palms, the shoreline sports a pristine, prehistoric feel. At 6miles wide and over 10 miles long, Lake George is the second largest lake in Florida, overshadowed by only Lake Okeechobee. For what it's worth, I treat Lake George as the largest pristine lake in Florida, for Lake Okeechobee is nothing but pristine thanks to its system of dikes. Surprisingly for a lake of its size, Lake George's average depth is just 10 feet (ranging from 3 to 12 feet). 

Return to the main trail. The path hops across a perennial stream and soon reaches the Lake George shoreline once again at 1.9 miles. A couple of benches allow you to rest and contemplate the long-range view. The view here is not as open, but it is framed very nicely by the cypresses and live oaks overhanging the water's edge, draped in Spanish moss. As I explored the shoreline, looking for more vantage points, I spotted a tall, lone palm tree standing far out in the lake. What a treat! I imagine the palm has to be standing on dry ground during winter. The main trail continues parallel to the lake now, often in sight of water. However, it's obvious that the trail gets much less use up to the third view, for there were multiple blowdowns and overgrown passages through dense vegetation. At 2.1 miles, the trail reaches a sudden terminus at a small fenced clearing with a few more benches and limited lake views. You can barely see the lake through the screen of vegetation along the shore. 

Retrace your steps back to Silver Glen Springs from here, reaching the springs once again at 3.4 miles. Be sure to enjoy the views once more before leaving and concluding your hike at 3.5 miles. 

0.0 - SIlver Glen Springs Recreation Area
0.1 - Silver Glen Springs
0.4 - Jody's Spring
0.7 - Silver Glen Springs
0.9 - Lake George Trail
1.65 - View #1 of Lake George
1.9 - View #2 of Lake George
2.1 - View #3 of Lake George (Lake George Trail terminus)
3.4 - Silver Glen Springs
3.5 - Silver Glen Springs Recreation Area

Hike out and back just to Jody's Spring - 0.8 Miles
Hike out and back just the Lake George Trail - 2.9 Miles

One of Florida's most attractive rivers valleys, the Suwannee River Valley has got it all: majestic bluffs, sandy beaches, tight and intricate tributaries, colorful springs, a surprising variety in elevation, and best of all, a 75-mile segment of the Florida Trail. The FT section between Camp Branch and Swift Creek - two special Suwannee feeder streams - is a true North Florida classic, showcasing most of the sights that make hiking along the Suwannee so wonderful. Even before you reach the Suwannee, you'll submerge into an unusual landscape, where the clear-bottomed Camp Branch (also known as Disappearing Creek) twists through a limestone chasm before vanishing into a dark sink, only to pop out at the Suwannee itself. From there, you'll pick up the Florida Trail, passing one gorgeous vista after another of the Suwannee River, crossing numerous scenic side streams like Jerry Branch, and scrambling through surprisingly deep ravines and up pointed hills. After close to 9 miles of hiking, you'll finally reach the hike's destination: Swift Creek, a lovely, cascading stream that dashes through Florida's version of the Grand Canyon before emptying into the Suwannee by an imposing limestone bluff. This hike occurred on Saturday, August 25th, 2018. My plan was to hike the blue-blazed FT access trail from the Camp Branch Trailhead to the Suwannee River (tracing the short Camp Branch Loop along the way), where I'd pick up the Florida Trail and follow it all the way to Swift Creek. 

R/T Length of Trail: 15.8 Miles or 17.2 Miles
Duration of Hike (One Way to Swift Creek): 4:00 plus 2 hours and 20 minutes of stopping and photography 
Type of Hike: Out and Back 
Difficulty Rating: 9 out of 10 
Pros: Continuous wonderful views of the Suwannee River; lots of unique Florida scenery; dry feet year round
Cons: Surprising amount of elevation gain for a Florida trail; potential for humongous numbers of ticks in summer; Swift Creek's rapids will vanish underwater if the water is very high 
Points of Interest: Camp Branch; Suwannee River (five spectacular views); No Name Creek; Jerry Branch; Swift Creek
Trail Blaze Colors: Camp Branch Trail - Blue; Florida Trail - Orange
Best Seasons to Hike: Winter; Spring 
Fees: None 
Beginning Point: Camp Branch Conservation Area Trailhead
Directions from White Springs, FL: Follow Camp Street West from Highway 41 (Roberts Street) in downtown White Springs for 0.3 miles. Then, turn left on Osceola Street. Continue on Osceola Street, which turns into County Road 25A, for 7.6 miles. Then, turn left onto the overgrown dirt road that serves as the entrance road to Camp Branch Conservation Area. The road isn't marked from this end, but a brown "Camp Branch" sign designates the turn coming from the other direction along CR 25A. Follow the rough dirt track for 0.6 miles to the dead-end parking area. Although all regular passenger vehicles should be able to drive down this road, you'll want to drive slow and with care in a lower clearance vehicle. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike.

When the opportunity for a full day hike along the Suwannee River turned up, I could hardly contain my excitement. The Suwannee River valley is possibly my favorite hiking area in Florida, and yet, I'd barely scratched the surface with short stops on the way to somewhere else. This time, I'd have a real Suwannee River hiking experience. As expected, the scenery was splendid. I didn't really regret doing this hike during summer either; all the vegetation was very lush and the trail was still dry, unlike many other Florida Trails during what was becoming one of the wettest summers on record in the state.

I arrived at Swift Creek, my turnaround point, around 5 hours after the hike's start. I innocently set up for a short break before heading back, and that's when I discovered these tiny specks on my legs. Most appeared like dirt, but I noticed that a few of the specks were moving. Yep. My first experience with seed ticks. I hadn't seen so many ticks on all my hikes this year combined! I don't have much doubt that I flicked over a hundred seed ticks off my ankles and lower legs. Sitting on such a high footbridge did afford a great place to dispose of the ticks and guaranteed that they wouldn't return - well, at least these ones wouldn't. The ticks were honestly such an appalling sight that I decided to bail on my plan and instead walk out to CR 25A and roadwalk back to my vehicle. No way would I go back through all those ticks - or even more of them - again! Oh, almost forgot - the next day I discovered I'd been eaten up by chiggers as well. At least the chiggers weren't a huge surprise. I'd gotten chiggers on five of my seven hikes this summer in Florida (in case you're interested, more chigger cases in one month than I had combined since I started hiking). So I'm sure this glowing introduction has you chomping at the bit to hike this trail. The truth is that none of this will be an issue in the cool season. I've read that the Suwannee River valley has "more than its fair share of ticks", and apparently that's not an exaggeration, but at least the ticks die off as it cools down! With that in mind, let's move on to the hike description. 

​The Florida Trail connector begins along a gated forest road by the kiosk at the parking. The trail starts out with a surprisingly steep dip into a ravine, where a clear, seasonal rivulet drains the Camp Branch valley. The trail shortly rises back out and winds along the plateau for the time-being. At 0.65 miles, the first blue blazes appear. The main trail turns right, but a more overgrown forest road continues straight. The trail straight is a shortcut to the Florida Trail that you'll pass later. The primary drawback is it cuts out the extremely interesting Camp Branch area. The shortcut is a good option for your return route though, as it changes the roundtrip hike length from 17.2 miles to 15.8 miles. Meanwhile, the main trail begins a gradual descent along a sandy road through pleasant woods into the Suwannee River valley. Don't miss the junction at 1.25 miles, where the tight blue-blazed side trail to Camp Branch leaves right from the main road. You'll return to the road a bit further down. The side trail goes over a few bumps and pops out above the Camp Branch sink at 1.3 miles. Observe how Camp Branch rushes through a surprising limestone chasm before "disappearing" into the bowels of the Earth through a foamy sink, hence the nickname "Disappearing Creek". The creek never resurfaces again until it feeds into the Suwannee River at an undisclosed, off-trail location. 

The area around the Camp Branch sink is confusing to say the least. The main trail actually turns left and shortly reaches the Florida Trail, but hold on! A slim path starting on the right follows the east side of Camp Branch, crosses it via a rickety footbridge less than a quarter-mile upstream, and then affords more views of this scenic waterway before looping back to the sink. It doesn't help that both the main trail and the loop are blazed blue. If you've got a bit of extra time, I highly recommend the short Camp Branch loop, as it provides an intimate experience with a truly gorgeous Florida creek. Hiking the little loop counter-clockwise, you'll first follow Camp Branch upstream past noisy cascades gushing through a unique limestone canyon. The creek turns mellower further up, snaking among stately cypress trees and abrupt sandy bends. At 1.45 miles, the little loop reaches its far end at a rickety footbridge crossing Camp Branch. Follow the blue blazes to the other side, where the trail now follows the swift stream downstream, affording lots of scenic views. Finally, the mini-loop ends back at the Camp Branch sink around 1.6 miles. The trail soon passes along the edge of another mysterious sink before reaching the Florida Trail at 1.7 miles. 

If you're headed south on the Florida Trail toward Jerry Branch and Swift Creek, which is the direction of this hike, turn left onto the orange-blazed pathway (in the other direction, the trail reaches Suwannee Springs and Highway 129 after several miles). At 1.8 miles, a side path leads right to the first of five particularly noteworthy Suwannee River accesses on this hike. Walk down the track for the day's first unobstructed view of the grand river. A gorgeous cypress tree stands straight ahead where the bright sandy shore meets the contrasting dark water. Back on the Florida Trail, you'll find it to be a lovely path twisting through rows of palmetto beneath a pleasant live oak canopy, and at times, meandering atop the sandy bluffs near the water's edge. There aren't many parts of this hike that aren't a pleasure to walk - it's a wonderful trail from beginning to end. The trail starts clambering up a surprisingly steep hill at 2.3 miles. At 2.6 miles, meet the other end of the blue-blazed shortcut you saw along the Camp Branch access. Remember this spot, as the shortcut could be useful on your return trip. 

​The trail drops steeply down to the river, but it doesn't stay there for long. The riverside shortly turns into a near-vertical slope that rises over a hundred feet high near the No Name Creek confluence, and the Florida Trail must climb the hike's highest hill. Near 3.15 miles, the trail turns right and traverses the (slightly soggy) edge of an overgrown meadow. A tenth of a mile later, the trail makes an abrupt right turn and drops down a very steep slope into the No Name Creek valley. This slope is so steep that it's home to a lengthy series of wooden steps! Yes, you're still in Florida. Reach No Name Creek - a clear, sandy waterway - at 3.3 miles. Rumor has it that the creek had been unnamed on maps when the Florida Trail Association came across it while building the FT through the Suwannee River Valley. The FTA felt that the creek was too large and noteworthy to stay unnoticed, so it adopted the moniker "No Name Creek". 

The trail climbs out of the No Name Creek ravine and then contours along the slope high above the river. This section can be a bit confusing and overgrown - watch for the orange blazes. At 3.75 miles, the Florida Trail reaches Jerry Branch, a very scenic Suwannee tributary. The swift creek rushes through a constricted channel surrounded by steep, palmetto-covered slopes. The trail crosses the creek via a rickety wooden footbridge and instantly climbs out of the valley. Before you leave Jerry Branch though, note the gorgeous mossy channel (pictured above) just below the crossing. Meanwhile, the main trail curves around the Jerry Branch ravine and abruptly returns to the Suwannee River at 3.9 miles. At 4.1 miles, the trail reaches a steep side path that leads to my favorite view of the river on the hike. Stately cypresses stand sentinel above a sparkling white riverside beach. Continuous river views abound for the next half-mile. At 4.6 miles, there is a confusing spot, where the orange blazes appear to take the trail straight down a sandy bluff into the river. It appears that a piece of the trail had simply eroded away with the bluff. Although I expect that a reroute will be blazed here soon, just keep in mind you may need to bushwhack through palmetto for about a hundred feet. 

At 4.7 miles, another path leads to more panoramic river views. The trail temporarily leaves the river here, passing through a gorgeous palmetto-lined corridor beneath live oaks at the edge of a small depression. Make a surprisingly tricky scramble across a limestone-lined mini-canyon at 4.8 miles. The trail now aims for uplands a little above and just out sight from the river corridor, meandering through gorgeous palmetto corridors beneath stately live oaks. Keep an eye on the orange blazes as the trail hops right onto an old logging road at 5.1 miles and leaves left shortly thereafter at 5.5 miles. The trail continues to snake through a dry but pretty forest until about 7.5 miles, where you reach a campsite with your first view of the river in a while at a picturesque palmetto-framed bend. A few yards farther, a side trail drops right to the sandy shore. Meanwhile, the hum of Interstate 75 steadily grows in intensity. Suddenly, at 8.15 miles, the trail reaches the I-75 Suwannee River bridge. Climb through a stile and follow the path below the trembling double bridge. On the other side, the trail climbs another stile before re-entering deep woods. 

At 8.3 miles, the trail descends moderately into the Poucher Branch hollow, which was surprisingly near-dry on this summer hike. The other side presents an extremely steep scramble out of the ravine. Why, yes, there's even a climbing rope to assist you - didn't think you'd see one of these in Florida, huh? Past Poucher Branch, the Florida Trail closely parallels the Suwannee River along a surprisingly steep slope. Finally, at 8.7 miles, the Florida Trail reaches Swift Creek, this hike's turnaround point. 

Swift Creek is one of the Suwannee's most spectacular and unique tributaries. The creek is truly swift, tumbling through a tight limestone canyon over noisy rapids, before dumping into the Suwannee. In the dry season, that is. To my chagrin, the wet season scene was drastically different: the high water of the Suwannee had backed far up into the Swift Creek canyon, obscuring any trace of the rapids. It's still a beautiful spot, but I recommend visiting in the dry season to get the full taste. A blue-blazed trail continues straight into the uplands for 0.6 miles to an access point at Rooster's Outfitters off SE 141st Blvd near CR 25A. Ignore it and cross the footbridge high above Swift Creek, admiring the canyon that the creek has cut through. There aren't too many creeks like this in Florida. Just past the bridge, a well-used side trail leads right and drops down to a rock outcrop at the confluence of Swift Creek and Suwannee River. This is one of the best river views on the hike. 

Unless you have a second vehicle a couple miles ahead at CR 25A, or unless you've been attacked by seed ticks, turn around and begin retracing your steps back to the Camp Branch Trailhead. Remember that you can take the blue-blazed shortcut and conclude the hike at 15.8 miles. If you choose to follow the entire route back, then your hike will total 17.2 miles. To summarize, this is a classic Suwannee hike that comes with a sampling of all that the Suwannee River valley has to offer. You will find lots of great river views, intricate creeks to view, and pleasant woods to ramble through. 

0.0 - Camp Branch Trailhead
1.3 - Camp Branch Sink
1.7 - Florida Trail
1.8 - Suwannee River Access 1 
2.6 - Shortcut
3.3 - No Name Creek
3.75 - Jerry Branch
4.1 - Suwannee River Access 2
4.7 - Suwannee River Access 3
7.5 - Suwannee River Access 4
8.15 - Interstate 75
8.3 - Poucher Branch 
8.7 - Swift Creek
15.8 or 17.2 - Camp Branch Trailhead

Hike just the Camp Branch Loop - 2.9 Miles

One of the more interesting historic sites along the Suwannee River, Suwannee Springs, is located not far to the west off US 129. It could be worth a peek after the main hike. 

The Florida Trail section in the Rice Creek Conservation Area a few miles outside Palatka is short but truly unique and special. This hike dives right into the Rice Creek Swamp, the headwaters of Rice Creek - a major tributary of the St. Johns River. Back in the 19th century, the Rice Creek headwaters were actually a rice and indigo plantation. But today, the area is heavily wooded, and the only remaining traces of the past are the numerous levees crisscrossing the swamp. The Florida Trail loop utilizes several of these levees to provide a first-hand swamp experience. At the same time, the levees and an extraordinary system of boardwalks and footlogs allows you to keep your feet dry onto your journey into the swamp. You might even see a few gators or otters if you're lucky. A particularly remarkable point of interest along the Rice Creek section of the Florida Trail is Hoffman's Crossing - a slim boardwalk, 1,886 feet long, that crosses a branch of the swamp. This hike occurred on Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018. My plan was to hike the Rice Creek Loop from the Highway 100 Trailhead. Along the way, I'd extend my hike along the Florida Trail to see Hoffman's Crossing. 

R/T Length of Trail: 8.8 Miles
Duration of Hike: 4:00 plus 20 minutes of stopping
Type of Hike: Lasso with Side Trip 
Difficulty Rating: 5 out of 10 
Pros: Wonderful swamp views; neat boardwalks 
Cons: A couple sections of the trail could be muddy, even a bit wet, during the wet season 
Points of Interest: Numerous views of the Rice Creek Swamp; giant cypress tree; 0.4-mile rustic boardwalk at Hoffman's Crossing
Trail Blaze Colors: Florida Trail - Orange; Cedar Swamp Trail - Yellow; Oak Hammock Trail - White
Best Seasons to Hike: Spring
Fees: None
Beginning Point: Rice Creek Conservation Area Trailhead near Highway 100 
Directions from Palatka, FL: From the intersection of FL 100 and FL 19 on the northwest side of Palatka, follow FL 100 West for 4.1 miles. Then, turn left onto the unpaved entrance road into Rice Creek Conservation Area (there is an entrance sign). Follow this unnamed road to a designated parking area at the dead-end in 0.2 miles. 

Click the link below to download a .GPX file with a track of this hike. 

I'm a huge fan of boardwalks. Those rustic, narrow puncheons and footlogs in particular. I hiked the Cimarron Trail in the Florida Panhandle in December 2016, which I absolutely loved for the delightful series of tricky boardwalks near its end. So when I learned about another such hike in the area of Florida I was visiting, I instantly placed it on my wishlist. The Rice Creek section of the Florida Trail, along with the side trails that form the loop, has a whopping 48 footbridges and boardwalks. And they're all the same style - not those broad nature preserve boardwalks, but rickety, single-track, wooden passages. What's even more impressive is that the longest continuous boardwalk is nearly 0.4 miles long! 

The hike starts at a surprisingly nondescript location along a broad, elevated forest road in the middle of pine flatwoods. Walk behind the gate and follow the road for a quarter-mile road. Then, a lower, grassier road leaves right, marked by a blue arrow. Turn onto this road, which aims for the tree line ahead as it crosses a field. The field has a couple low spots that could be soggy in the wet season. The road reaches the tree line at 0.7 miles - this is where the hike starts to get a lot more interesting. The road makes a sharp left turn. A few feet later, the hiking trail turns right at a sign, while the horse trail continues straight along the edge of the field. Turn onto the hiking trail and instantly reach a T-junction with the Florida Trail. A trail map is posted at the intersection. To the right, the Florida Trail leads a quarter-mile to Highway 100 (no parking). Turn left on the FT to head toward the Rice Creek Swamp. 

The Florida Trail quickly immerses you in a dense, jungle-like hammock full of gnarly live oaks and palms. Your surroundings steadily grow damper as well. Between 0.9 miles and 1.3 miles, the Florida Trail passes through a seasonally wet area. I got my feet a little wet and very muddy in this area on this day. You should be fine in the dry season though. Around 1.3 miles, the Florida Trail crosses a lengthy two-plank boardwalk without railings across a swampy stream and its floodplain. At 1.6 miles, cross a short footbridge, rise up onto the levee, and reach the start of the Rice Creek Swamp Loop. I hiked the loop counter-clockwise, heading into the heart of the swamp first. Thus, if you hike the loop the same direction that I did, continue straight. Much of the loop follows old levees that were built when this area was still a rice and indigo plantation. The levees will keep your feet dry in this section; every single gap in the levees is bridged. 

Around 1.7 miles, cross several boardwalks across areas of swamp and an elaborate wooden bridge over a slough. This is one of the most scenic spots on the hike  you're engulfed well into the swamp, and aside from the elevated levee, there is very little dry ground in sight. Stately cypresses rise out of the mysterious, dark waters, and palms line their fringes. The trail turns abruptly west at 1.8 miles, entering a slightly drier section of the swamp. Still, there's always water within sight of the pathway. At 2.1 miles, the yellow-blazed Cedar Swamp Trail - a shortcut - leaves left. Continue straight, heading deeper into the old-growth section of the Rice Creek Swamp. The tight, single-track path twists between palm trunks and over roots as it navigates the narrow levee. You'll cross boardwalks after boardwalks of all shapes and sizes. Some are small bridges across seasonal streams draining the swamp, while others are lengthy two-plank walkways through the floodplain. 

At 2.6 miles, a 150-foot side trail leaves right along a slim boardwalk with a beautiful V-shaped railing. Marked by a sign with a tree illustration, the side trail leads to an observation deck overlooking the seventh largest cypress tree in Florida. You can spot the tree in the distance if you look straight ahead from the deck, but only the lower part of the tree is visible. During the dry season, you might be able to walk closer to the tree. On this August day, however, the surroundings were solely swamp. The bench here is a great spot to take a short break and watch for gators, if you haven't seen any yet - that is, if the mosquitoes aren't too bothersome. The day I did this hike was sunny and even a bit breezy at times, so I didn't really have any trouble with mosquitoes. However, I have little doubt that there are times when the mosquitoes here are extreme; they got much worse as I was finishing out my hike about an hour before sunset under cloudy skies. 

Back on the main trail, the boardwalks continue. Shortly past the big cypress side trail, there's a scenic swamp on the right, peppered with cypress knees. Reach the far end of the Rice Creek Swamp Loop at 3.0 miles. The Florida Trail turns right toward Hoffman's Crossing and Highway 20, while the white-blazed Oak Hammock Trail continues straight in a northeasterly direction to close the loop. If you just continue following the loop, you'll end with a reasonable, scenic half-day hike. But if you're up to a longer hike, I highly recommend the side trip to Hoffman's Crossing. The swamp views there are among the best of the hike, and the boardwalk is an extremely impressive structural feat. 

Following the Florida Trail southward from the loop junction, you'll reach a broad forest road in a few feet. Turn left on the elevated road, follow it about 200 feet, and then turn right, resuming your hike along a lovely, winding pathway. The woods here are dry and have more of an upland feel. At 3.2 miles, the trail passes through a muddy section, where an enormous collection of logs and stumps elevates the trail. That's one unique way to keep a trail dry! After this, the trail passes through a couple clearings that could be very overgrown if the trail hasn't been maintained recently. Crossing a tiny bridge signed as "Boyle's Bridge South", the Florida Trail reaches a four-way intersection with forest roads at 3.45 miles. Continue onto the grassy track straight ahead - the trail follows this shadeless road for the next half-mile. The road dead-ends around 4.0 miles; a single-track pathway resumes and dives back into the floodplain forest. The following trail section is the other place on this hike where you could very well get your feet wet during the rainy season. On my summertime hike, this area was extremely muddy and slightly wet in places. However, the woods, full of palms, are some of the most scenic on the hike. 

After winding along the edge of the swamp for surprisingly long, the trail makes an abrupt right turn and reaches the start of Hoffman's Crossing at 4.3 miles. This double-plank and single-rail boardwalk is 1,886 feet long (nearly 0.4 miles) and provides fantastic views of this remote, lush corner of the Rice Creek Swamp. The boardwalk honors Jake Hoffman, a Florida Trail Association volunteer, who identified the best route for the Florida Trail through the swamp and directed the project to build this incredible piece of boardwalk. As you walk the boardwalk, take a moment to think about all the effort that must've been put into its construction. As far as I know, there's no other boardwalk currently in existence in Florida that is so long and has such a rustic feel to it (if you know of one, please clue me in - I'd love to see it!). As you start down the boardwalk, the forest gradually transitions from a dry hammock to a moist floodplain forest. The boardwalk rises higher as the swamp's dark waters encapsulate it. A layer of duckweed at the swamp's surface lets the water appear green as you progress deeper into the swamp. At the boardwalk's halfway point, a single bench lets you rest and contemplate the pristine surroundings. This is the Real Florida for sure. The second half of the crossing is slightly less scenic, as there's lots of downfall from Hurricane Irma, but it's still a beautiful area. Finally, the boardwalk returns to the ground and penetrates into a wonderfully lush ferns and grass before coming to its end at about 4.65 miles. 

The end of Hoffman's Crossing is a good turnaround point for most day hikers. The Florida Trail continues for another two miles to Highway 20, but much of it follows forest roads and isn't very interesting. Retracing your steps along the boardwalk, you'll have a chance to get another good look at this wild (yet accessible) swamp. You'll return to the loop section and the Oak Hammock Trail at 6.3 miles. Turn right onto the Oak Hammock Trail to continue the loop. This trail is much drier than the rest of the hike, passing through primarily uplands. Initially, the trail follows a palmetto-lined levee alongside an old ditch. But at 6.7 miles, the trail makes a signed right turn, crosses the ditch, and enters the gorgeous live oak hammock that the trail is named for. At 6.75 miles, a short side trail leaves right to a two-story Florida Trail shelter christened the "Rice Creek Hilton". The shelter and adjacent campsite are in a very nice spot in the midst of the hammock, complete with a water pump. The shelter is protected by two sets of netting to keep out bears and biting insects. A ladder leads to a trapdoor entrance to the second floor, which is the sleeping area. The first floor has a picnic table.

The Florida Trail meanders through the oak hammock for a little while before emerging into a patch of pine flatwoods at 7.05 miles, where it briefly meets the horse trail. Turn left and join the forest road for a few feet - the trail shortly turns left again. Re-cross the earlier ditch and reach a T-junction with the other end of the Cedar Swamp Cross-Trail. Turn right to stay on the Oak Hammock Trail. The trail returns to the Florida Trail at 7.2 miles, closing the loop. It's a matter of retracing your earlier steps from here. Stay right on the Florida Trail back toward Highway 100, now on familiar ground. Be sure to turn right at the junction with the blue-blazed access trail three-quarters of a mile from the parking area. You'll return to the trailhead at 8.8 miles, concluding the hike. 

To summarize, the Rice Creek Swamp hike is an old Florida classic that I'd highly recommend to everyone. This is some of the best swamp scenery you'll get anywhere in the state without immersing yourself into a full-blown swamp slog. Plus, the numerous are boardwalks are fun to hike, and wildlife sightings are a good possibility. This is a hike that all Florida nature lovers will enjoy. And photographers too, assuming you don't come in the middle of a harsh, sunny day like I did. 

0.0 - Rice Creek Conservation Area Trailhead off Highway 100 
0.75 - Florida Trail 
1.6 - Begin Rice Creek Swamp Loop 
2.6 - Big Cypress
3.0 - Junction Oak Hammock Trail
4.3 - Begin Hoffman's Crossing
4.65 - End Hoffman's Crossing
6.3 - Return to Oak Hammock Trail Junction
6.75 - "Rice Creek Hilton" Florida Trail Shelter
7.2 - End Rice Creek Swamp Loop 
8.8 - Rice Creek Conservation Area Trailhead off Highway 100

Exclude Hoffman's Crossing from the hike - 5.5 Miles

A few miles to the southeast inside the Palatka city limits is Ravine Gardens State Park. It has several miles of surprisingly interesting trails through a fine sample of one of Florida's rarer natural ecosystems: the steephead ravine.