For Veterans Day weekend, I headed out to the mountains. Sandy had to work and I didn't have Alex, so headed to the Smokies. I left Saturday morning after 4 and drove to the Big Creek section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Arriving just before 9, I set out on Big Creek Trail. As I was leaving the parking area, a large group of wild turkeys crossed the path.
Hiking up Big Creek Trail, I first stopped at a scenic cascade downstream of Midnight Hole.
Another photographer was climbing back up so I headed down for a couple pictures.
Then I stopped for a picture of the Midnight Hole and the very cold-looking swim hole.
It was about another half mile to Mouse Creek Falls. With the rain earlier in the week, it was flowing very nicely.
But I didn't stay too long as I had a lot more hiking to do. A large bridge crosses the creek just after Mouse Creek Falls.
The trail follows Big Creek for almost 3 more miles to another bridge.
Walnut Bottom backcountry campsites were on the other side. After the equestrian campsite, the trail became Camel Gap Trail, and followed Big Creek further for half-mile to Gunter Fork Trail. Almost immediately, I had to wade Big Creek. I was nervous about the crossing as Big Creek was really raging up to this point, but the ford was a little calmer.
One step was knee deep but the rest wasn't too bad. Across the creek, I began to follow Gunter Fork upstream with several crossing points. The first was the hardest and I had to get one foot wet. After this was a tributary crossing and more on Gunter Fork, but I was able to rock hop the rest. Just before the fourth crossing of Gunter Fork, a lower waterfall was visible from the trail. I scrambled down and crossed the creek for some pictures of this scenic waterfall.
It's a smaller waterfall but flows through a narrow little gorge. There was another little cascade on a tributary as well.
Back on the main trail, I continued to the fifth crossing at the base of Gunter Fork Falls.
It's a pretty cool waterfall with an upper drop and long slide over interesting orange rock.
That being said, it's probably not worth the more than 16 mile round trip hike. I had lunch here and then made the long hike back.
I then drove to Maggie Valley and checked into the Ramada. I had fajitas for dinner and went to bed early.
Hiking up Big Creek Trail, I first stopped at a scenic cascade downstream of Midnight Hole.
Another photographer was climbing back up so I headed down for a couple pictures.
Then I stopped for a picture of the Midnight Hole and the very cold-looking swim hole.
It was about another half mile to Mouse Creek Falls. With the rain earlier in the week, it was flowing very nicely.
But I didn't stay too long as I had a lot more hiking to do. A large bridge crosses the creek just after Mouse Creek Falls.
The trail follows Big Creek for almost 3 more miles to another bridge.
Walnut Bottom backcountry campsites were on the other side. After the equestrian campsite, the trail became Camel Gap Trail, and followed Big Creek further for half-mile to Gunter Fork Trail. Almost immediately, I had to wade Big Creek. I was nervous about the crossing as Big Creek was really raging up to this point, but the ford was a little calmer.
One step was knee deep but the rest wasn't too bad. Across the creek, I began to follow Gunter Fork upstream with several crossing points. The first was the hardest and I had to get one foot wet. After this was a tributary crossing and more on Gunter Fork, but I was able to rock hop the rest. Just before the fourth crossing of Gunter Fork, a lower waterfall was visible from the trail. I scrambled down and crossed the creek for some pictures of this scenic waterfall.
It's a smaller waterfall but flows through a narrow little gorge. There was another little cascade on a tributary as well.
Back on the main trail, I continued to the fifth crossing at the base of Gunter Fork Falls.
It's a pretty cool waterfall with an upper drop and long slide over interesting orange rock.
That being said, it's probably not worth the more than 16 mile round trip hike. I had lunch here and then made the long hike back.
I then drove to Maggie Valley and checked into the Ramada. I had fajitas for dinner and went to bed early.
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