Editor’s Note: This post is written by a member of LTV’s sponsored content team, The Leisure Explorers. Do you own a Leisure Travel Van and enjoy writing? Learn more about joining the team.
In part one of this series, we mentioned that we were on our way home to Arizona at the end of our seven-month adventure through the East Coast of the United States and the Maritimes of Eastern Canada on a Leisure Travel Van Tour with seven Leisure Travel Van owners whom we met up with in Quebec and traveled with throughout Eastern Canada.
Our trip lasted from April to October 2019. During the return portion of our trip, we decided to take a detour into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, situated on the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. We entered the Smoky Mountains through the North Carolina side of the park.
The views in the park are spectacular, and the best way to see the Smoky Mountains is up close and personal on the hiking trails. There are 39 hiking trails to choose from inside the park. We decided to take a closer look at the Deep Creek Falls Loop Trail because it was near our campground. In fact, many of the trails are situated near a campground throughout the park.
Some of the other trails to choose from are the Cooper Road Trail, Cove Hardwood Trail, Goldmine Loop via Tunnel Trail, and the Schoolhouse Gap Trail, to name a few.
The Cooper Road Trail was historically used by Native Americans, early settlers, and the logging industry to travel in and out of Cades Cove. Cades Cove is a scenic valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. A popular eleven mile one-way loop road encircling the valley provides access to hiking trails, opportunities for wildlife viewing, and chances to explore the many historic homesites, cemeteries, and churches. The Cooper Road Trail is a moderate to strenuous 10.9-mile-long trail with numerous stream crossings.
The Cove Hardwood Trail is three-quarters of a mile long and winds through heavily forested hardwood forests along the side of a mountain. Expect to climb many stairs and step over roots and rocks. This trail is strenuous.
The Goldmine Trail Loop via Tunnel Trail is a 4-mile hike on Lakeshore and Goldmine Loop, traversing a hardwood forest filled with signs of former homesites and farms. The trail is considered moderate. The Schoolhouse Gap Trail is a 4.4-mile round-trip hike considered easy. The trail follows a wide, mostly gently graded former roadbed. This trail is popular for wildflowers, birding, and horseback riding. It traces part of a proposed 1840s road by Dr. Isaac Anderson, who tried to connect East Tennessee to Hazel Creek. Although he never finished this trail, it offers a glimpse into early Smoky Mountain travel.
We didn’t hike any of these trails, and the information about them can be found in the three visitor centers and in the NPS phone app. We decided on the Deep Creek Waterfalls Trail Loop, a 2.4 round-trip, moderate hiking trail.
Before heading out on the trail, we conducted some preliminary research on the difficulty level and accessibility of the Deep Creek hiking trail. The National Park Service utilizes a High-Efficiency Trail Assessment Process (HETAP) to evaluate the difficulty level of each trail. GRIT Freedom Chairs are also available for free on a first-come, first-served basis for those who face walking challenges. Since the Deep Creek trail was rated as moderate, it seemed like a good choice for us.
The Deep Creek Falls Loop Trail is a wide, gravel path with occasional roots and rocks. The elevation gain on this trail is 160 feet on the return trip. The trail is 1.6 miles round trip or another option is the longer route called the Deep Creek Waterfalls Loop which is 2.4 miles long round trip, we took the longer route. This trail features three waterfalls that contribute to Deep Creek, the stream it follows. These waterfalls are Juney Whank Falls, Thomas Branch Falls, and Indian Creek Falls.
The waterfalls are small but beautiful, and the trail follows Deep Creek, providing a calming soundtrack of water sounds. But don’t take my word for it, go and see for yourself.
The trails throughout the park are well-marked and heavily trafficked. Hiking the trails was enjoyable and allowed us to get some much-needed exercise. Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted on the trails in the national parks, so the traveling pups, Peeta and Luna, had to stay inside our coach while we hiked.
Exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on foot was inspiring, and we highly recommend it for everyone. When you visit the Smoky Mountains, make sure to take the time to go for a hike in this beautiful place. In part three, we will take a look at the Tennessee side of the Smoky Mountains.
Until next time, safe travels, my friends.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://leisurevans.com/blog/the-great-smoky-mountains-national-park-part-two-hiking-trails/