American Byways

Husky Branch Falls is a relatively small waterfall, one that dips down from a mountain stream and cascades down a rockface into a pool in the Little River. Located within a dense cluster of rhododendron and southeast of Elkmont, Tennessee, a historic logging town, this 5.4-mile hike encompasses an easy loop that strolls through the abandoned town of Elkmont and along trails that ascertain spring mountain beauty. Elkmont was a pioneer Appalachian community, later becoming a logging town and resort. Today, the community remains only as an active campground, with abandoned residences the only testament to its past.

Elkmont, Tennessee along Jakes Creek Trail

Elkmont is clearly visible upon the approach the trailhead for the loop – at Jakes Creek Trail. Seemingly forgotten buildings are abound – adjacent to the campsite, parking areas and along the roadway. The 5.4-mile loop trail for Husky Branch Falls begins along the former Jakes Creek Road at the southernmost tip of the old logging town of Elkmont in the parking area. The roadway south of the parking area is closed to all but emergency vehicles, and passes by vacation cottages from years past – most having been closed for some odd 30 years. While some are being stabilized for preservation, others are in much worse condition and require substantial repair.

The temptation is there to explore, but all are marked with no trespassing signs. That is not usually a deterrent, but my goal was to reach the waterfall before the rain – in the forecast, but overcast skies lie above with a warm breeze. In the spring, expect to see a diverse collection of flora, some native, others not – especially along Jakes Creek Trail and Cucumber Gap. On this trip in, I counted at least six different wildflower species.

Wildflowers are in bloom in Elkmont.

At .6 miles into the hike at an old parking area, Jakes Creek Trail turns slightly eastward and up a moderate grade. Bear left onto Cucumber Gap Trail, which is a single track trail, and follow this through the hardwood forest as it climbs through the gap and down onto an old logging railroad. The 2.4 mile trail includes an easy grade littered with spring wildflowers that seemingly carpet the forest floor, but after passing the gap, the forest composition is made up of more hemlock stands and rhododendron. Soon after, Cucumber Gap passes through Husky Branch which involves scrambling over some boulders – a tricky feat if the water level is high. Hope you don’t mind getting a bit wet!

At its end, Cucumber Gap intersects the Little River Trail, which includes a nice wooden seating area. Bear left onto what looks like a roadway – the Little River Trail.

The Little River Trail, in contrast to the Cucumber Gap Trail, is flat and wide, and I passed by numerous individuals from Elkmont taking a quiet stroll along the equally wide waterway that paralleled the trail. The path is partially graveled and was an old rail-bed at one point. Passing over Husky Branch, view left and spot Husky Branch Falls, which scrambles down a rockface to a deep pool in the Little River. From there, it is a 20 minute hike – at a good pace, to the Elkmont access road where the trail ends.

Husky Branch Falls

Elkmont is located west of the Sugarlands Visitor Center along Tennessee State Route 73/Little River Road. Check out Great Smoky Mountains National Park for additional photos from the Husky Branch loop, and watch for more updates in the coming days from North Carolina!

Laurel Falls

It was Friday evening and the weather was going to be moderately depressing in Cincinnati, with rain in the forecast and chilly temperatures. Although it would have been great to stay and work on the house for that weekend, catching up on some maintenance and tasks that needed to be done, I hastily grabbed some maps out of the bin and decided to head south to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

This was a departure from prior trips to West Virginia, which was a six hour drive east on mostly four-lane highways. I had rarely gone south into Tennessee, with the exception of the Big South Fork region, namely because of the long drive. Or so I thought. I typed into my phone, directions from Cincinnati to Gatlinburg, and at most, it would take me approximately four-and-a-half hours.

That was all?

But the weather looked to be as every bit of miserable as Cincinnati, although warmer into the fifties. I packed up my rain jacket and some pants into a bag, a cornucopia of lenses and flashes, maps, and piled into my Subaru and aimed my internal compass south. It might be time to start my annual spring waterfall and wildflower pilgrimage.

I arrived in Gatlinburg in the middle of the night, and decided to spend the night in a hotel and get rested up well for the next day. No sunrises here, it was going to be cloudy, with rain anticipated for the afternoon. The next day, I headed out to Little River Road and journeyed 4 miles to Fighting Creek Gap, where I unpacked and headed out along the Laurel Branch Trail. The 1.3-mile hike to the waterfall is one of the more heavily traveled paths in the Great Smoky Mountains, and for that reason, it is paved with a slight incline. Laurel Branch, which feeds the 85-foot waterfall, is named for rhododendron, which blooms out annually in mid-May. It is nestled amongst the cascade.

It had rained yesterday, so the flow was quite heavy.

Laurel Falls

Check out Great Smoky Mountains National Park for additional photos from Laurel Falls, and watch for more updates in the coming days from Tennessee and North Carolina!