This is one of my new favorite Spring wildflower hikes in the Smokies. The flowers are brilliant along both the Bradley Fork and Cabin Flats Trails. The Smokemont region of the Smokies is one of the most convenient, located just a short few miles northwest of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center off Hwy 441. It is four miles up Bradley Fork to Cabin Flats Trail, then another 1.1 miles to campground 49 at Cabin Flats. All the while the sounds of the stream will be your constant companion. I hiked this section of the national park on Friday, April 6, 2018 beginning at 10:30AM and ending about 4:00PM. My plan was to hike Bradley Fork Trail to Cabin Flats Trail and on to Cabin Flats, then turn around and return.

This hike begins on Bradley Fork Trail at Smokemont Campground. It is an old roadbed that follows alongside the Bradley Fork of Oconoluftee River. You’ll be on this delightful trail for the next four miles. It is shared by horses, but I found it to be in mostly good shape… just occasional mud. As you reach the top of the first rise, you’ll notice the trail from the stables coming in from the right.

In April, be sure to keep your eye on the bank on the right side of the trail for wildflowers. Expect to find a wide assortment including rue anemone, trillium and violets.

As you follow this picturesque creek you’ll notice the occasional bench placed by the Park Service so you can sit and contemplate the natural beauty. Particularly in spring when the wildflowers are in bloom, this is a very enjoyable stroll through the forest. Just past a mile, you’ll cross over a foot bridge, then reach a junction with the Chasteen Creek Trail. There are plenty of other sights to see up there, but to stay on target for the Cabin Flats hike, you want to take the left trail to remain on Bradley Fork.

The road winds through a low area in the forest where you can tell the creek occasionally overflows its banks. The Smokies are known for the wealth of water, and like most trails here, it is apparent there is no shortage in the Smokemont region. There is also no shortage of advantageous viewpoints for creek photography. I found myself stopping frequently trying to capture the look of what I was hearing.

At the 1.7 mile mark you will reach the junction with Smokemont Loop. For this hike though, continue on Bradley Fork.

Not far past this junction, the woods really dominate the trail, in a stately manner. Tulip poplar, sycamore and yellow birch are most common, and rise more than a hundred feet to swallow the pathway. This area is also a wildflower bonanza, featuring wood anemone, may apple, thousands of trillium grandiflorum, violets,phlox, and even some fringed phacelia. Also look for geraniums, hepatica, buttercups, and solomon seal later in April.

Both Bradley Fork and Cabin Flats Trails are lined with thousands of these woodland phlox in a variety of shades.

You will come to a pair of footbridges where Bradley Fork splits to form an island. There was a hen turkey crossing the second bridge when I got within a hundred feet. Upon noticing me, she scurried off into the woods. The stream is now on your right, while the bank on the left is full of the unusual Fraser’s sedge. It looks more like a landscaping plant for your home than a mountain wildflower.

After another stretch of majestic forest, you will once again cross Bradley Fork where Taywa Creek spills into it from the right, creating a nice cascade. Look for a patch of trout lilies along the bank here.

At mile 4 you come to a major hiker traffic loop, with trails in nearly every direction. There is a nicely strategic bench here so you can pull out your trail map and survey the situation. I also used the opportunity to enjoy a snack. Cabin Flats Trail begins here straight ahead, while Bradley Fork makes a sharp right turn and heads uphill to eventually meet Hughes Ridge.

For perhaps two tenths mile Cabin Flats Trail is a continuation of the roadbed alongside Bradley Fork, but then it crosses the waterway on an old-timey trestle bridge that even has a graveled surface. Once on the other side, Cabin Flats Trail changes to a single track hiker’s path, and makes a hairpin turn uphill.

The next half mile is the steepest portion of this hike, but is still not particularly strenuous. What is fascinating about this stretch is the incredible variety of wildflowers to be found beside the trail. I counted four different kinds of violets, phacelia, hepatica, rue, phlox, trillium, trout lilies, spring beauties and bluets. In fact, this stretch of Cabin Flats Trail rivals the hill climb on Chestnut Tops Trail for the garden-like assemblage of flowers. A must see. So if you’re thinking of turning around back at the traffic loop, come ahead at least this far.

This area also escaped lumber company clear cutting, so look for old growth tulip poplar, basswood, buckeye and hemlock. Unfortunately the hemlock have succumbed to the woolly adelgid blight, but the grey ghosts still stand. At the half mile mark you reach the junction with Dry Sluice Gap Trail heading uphill to the left. Continue straight here, another 0.6 mile to Cabin Flats.

The uphill climb on Cabin Flats Trail offers of wealth of wildflowers and old growth forest.

The trail flattens out for a quarter mile before beginning a gradual descent back down to creek level at Cabin Flats. You’re hanging on an edge here above the flats. To your right notice a floodplain caused by a massive logjam on Bradley Fork. The trailside is covered with multi-colored phlox, violets, hepatica, and if you’re lucky, some blooming jack-in-the-pulpits.

At the bottom of the descent, the trail makes a hard right turn and enters Cabin Flats and the area designated as backcountry campsite #49. There are several distinct campsites within the Flats area, so if you’re looking for somewhere to bring the in-laws too, 49 is one to consider. There are a total of five tent sites.

The woodland floor was a forest of may apples when I was there, and beginning to green nicely. I pulled up a log to sit a spell and enjoy lunch. Other than the sound of Bradley Fork and a few songbirds, it was quiet and serene. I had it all to myself. This would be a nice place to camp overnight, or even for a few days.

I stayed for about 20 minutes, taking a few pictures, and just relaxing. Once I felt appropriately rested, I began the reverse trek, returning the same way I came. Nothing really of note to report about the return, other than even more wildflowers were out as the afternoon progressed. I felt so fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy them.

In summary, this hike is relatively easy, climbing only 875 feet over five miles. Really, from a fitness perspective, the only thing to worry about is its length. If you’ve done 10 miles before, then you’ve got this one. I would put this hike right up there with some of the best in the Smokies for early Spring wildflowers. So with the creek, the forest, and the flowers, what’s not to like. Go do this.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The Smokemont region of the Smokies is one of the most convenient, located just a short few miles northwest of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center off Hwy 441. The trailhead for Bradley Fork starts in the back of the Smokemont Campground, surrounded by the Smokies ubiquitous waterways. It’s only a mile and change up Bradley Fork Trail to its meeting with Chasteen Creek Trail, and then just another three-quarters mile to an exciting cascade on Chasteen Creek. The path along the way is easy to navigate and offers many picturesque vantage points for enjoying stream-side relaxation and photo opportunities. I strolled the trails to Chasteen Creek Cascade on Saturday, December 26, 2015 from 8:30AM to 12:00PM. My plan was to take Bradley Fork Trail to Chasteen Creek Trail then on to the cascade. The return is via the same route.

I started the day at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center like I usually do when I come into the national park from Cherokee, NC. The large meadows surrounding the Mountain Farm Museum were teeming with wildlife and the Oconaluftee River was full to the brim from recent rain. Next, it was on to Smokemont, just a few short miles up Hwy 441.

I turned right and crossed Oconaluftee River at Smokemont. Despite 60+° air temperature, this was winter after all, and the leafless trees revealed the whitewashed church on top of the hill, something I hadn’t noticed during a previous trip here during the green season. I thought, well, I’ll just have to go check this out.

Lufty Baptist Church was founded in 1836 in Smokemont near the Ocanaluftee River from which it takes its name. Although the church is still standing, the logging town of Smokemont no longer exists. In its place is Smokemont Campground. From 1836 to 1882 the church met in the home of Dr. John Mingus. In 1882 the first building was constructed, then in 1907, this building was torn down in order to make room for a new one, which still remains. The interior is maintained well enough that it could hold services today.

When I reached the campground, the Park Service had closed all of the back loops, meaning I would be walking an extra quarter mile through the campground to the Bradley Fork trailhead. Not a problem as I got to see some of the appropriately named turkey tail fungus that was growing on a nearby rotting log, a first for me.

When I reached Bradley Fork I could see more of what I’d witnessed crossing the Oconaluftee. Bradley Fork was really roaring. December rainfall has been nearly triple normal amounts, including three days of downpours Christmas week. This fork of the river was nearing flood stage.

Bradley Fork Trail is an old logging roadbed that follows alongside the Bradley Fork of Oconoluftee River. You’ll be on this trail for the first 1.2 miles as you head toward Chasteen Creek. The trail is shared by horses, but I found it to be in good shape even with all the recent rain. There were a few places where culverts under the road were overflowing, creating unintended streams to splash through.

As you reach the top of the first rise, you’ll notice the trail from Tow String stables coming in from the right. I was in absolutely no hurry on this day, taking my time to enjoy views through the forest, and the raging river beside me. As you follow this picturesque waterway you’ll notice the occasional bench placed by the Park Service so you can sit and contemplate the natural beauty.

Particularly in Spring when the flowering trees are in bloom, this is a very pleasant stroll through the forest, easy and comfortable. You can enjoy dogwood, yellow birch, sycamore and tulip poplar. In late June, the rosebay rhododendron put on their pinkish-white finest. No flowers in December though, but what I did notice was the water lapping against the bank of the river, even spilling into pools outside the turbulent torrent.

Just past a mile, you’ll cross over a foot bridge, then reach the junction with the Chasteen Creek Trail. Turn right here to continue to Chasteen Creek Cascade. When I was here before, I continued on Bradley Fork Trail another half mile for its meeting with Smokemont Loop. There are a number of options that take you into the backcountry, including this Chasteen Creek Trail.

Just one tenth of a mile up Chasteen Creek Trail is backcountry campsite #50, the easiest one to reach in the national park. It’s a nice site, hidden from the main trail, with two tent sites, next to the creek for water access, and it even has a pre-installed cable for hanging your bear bag.

Chasteen Creek Trail has a reputation for being quite muddy, in large part due to the equestrian traffic it gets. I found that not to be the case. Sure there was standing water from more than four inches of rain the previous week, but it was definitely not the quagmire that I was led to believe. Perhaps there aren’t that many horses that use this trail in winter.

Not quite as wide as Bradley Fork Trail, this one was also used for logging back in the day, so it’s quite easy to navigate and maintain. There is quite a bit of beech in the forest, casting an orange tint to the woods that will last until Spring when the trees finally drop their leaves.

There is one foot bridge across Chasteen Creek about a half mile up the trail. At the three-quarter mile mark you will reach a split in the trail, with the horse hitch on the left, and the continuation of the trail heading steeply uphill on the right. If your destination is Chasteen Creek Cascade, don’t make the same mistake I did.

I didn’t realize a spur trail went through the horse tie-off, directly to the cascade. I went up the main trail, expecting to find the spur trail up there. While I did get a nice view of the cascade from above, I quickly realized my mistake and began a downhill foray toward the creek. When I started this morning I was expecting to get my hiking boots very muddy. What I didn’t expect happened next. Wet leaves. Slip and slide. You get the picture.

Turns out my boots were about the only thing that didn’t get muddy. Landing on my backside, I slid 8-10 feet in that good, rich Smokies mud turning my formerly seagrass green shirt a nice shade of earth. Darn. Oh well, I had a change in my now dirt brown pack. But hey, Chasteen Creek Cascade is quite exciting.

Approximately 30 feet in length, Chasteen Creek Cascade isn’t a waterfall. It is a quick moving slide over bedrock as its name implies. As you can see, it was really roaring on this day.

I stayed for nearly a half hour, listening to the rush of the cascade. I couldn’t hear anything else. I washed my hands in the whitewater. There are a couple of logs nearby that make great seats enabling me to grab a bite to eat while I experienced the eye and ear treat. I also kinda took inventory of just how dirty I really was and changed clothes accordingly.

Now that I was feeling somewhat comfortable again, the day got even better as the sun came out bringing with it the first blue skies I’d seen for seemingly a week. The sunlight changed the color of the forest. I began to notice just how green it is even in December, even without any leaves. There is the mint color of the spanish moss, the multi-hue lichens, and the evergreen plants like dog hobble and rhodo.

The fresh light made the walk back seem like a whole new trail. I was seeing the sunlight glint and glisten off water droplets clinging to the tips of tiny branches. The previously orangish beech trees now looked a yellow-tan as their leaves fluttered in the breeze. It was almost as if I could see all the plants turn their faces to the sky, in slow motion. The air temperature rose even more, now above 70. Since I passed earlier, a branch had fallen from a tree. Glad it missed me.

And the sun changed Bradley Fork on the way back too. The river water now reflected the light, sparkling as the spray of the whitecaps leapt higher and higher. I couldn’t get over how amazingly green everything looked. It was as if Spring had arrived in the Smokies four months early. While I didn’t see any, I know that some people have actually been finding blooming wildflowers like hepatica during this oddly mild December.

Another thing that was odd to me was that I never saw another person until I got back to Smokemont Campground… especially with the unusually warm weather. I had the entire trail to myself. As it turns out, apparently that’s because everyone was back at Oconaluftee Visitor Center. When I went by there on the way out of the park, the place was absolutely mobbed. Late arrivers. Like they say, the early bird catches the worm, and by arriving early myself, on this day I got to enjoy the splendor of Bradley Fork and Chasteen Creek Cascade without interruption.

In summary, to experience the best show on Chasteen Creek Cascade try to go after recent heavy rain. The cascade will display its full glory of both sight and sound. This hike is friendly for the entire family as it isn’t at all strenuous, and not particularly long. You might want to keep a close eye on toddlers as you wouldn’t want to go fishing them out of Bradley Fork, otherwise it’s a delightful excursion for all ages.

Spring means wildflowers like foamflower, violets, trillium, phacelia, even daffodils, but Summer means sweaty humidity. So I recommend trying these trails during cooler weather. Both the Bradley Fork Trail and the Chasteen Creek Trail go a lot further into the backcountry if you choose to make a longer day of your visit. You can gain access to the Hughes Ridge Trail from either, and even reach the Appalachian Trail at Dry Sluice Gap.

Update November 14, 2016: It was my first time out in the woods since the 2016 presidential election, so it was great to be in my happy place once again. Also, it was an escape from the smoke of the wildfires that have plagued Western North Carolina throughout the month of November. While there was still smoke present, it was not nearly as bad as the national forests of WNC. One more thing… with this short hike to Chasteen Creek Cascade I would surpass 500 miles of hiking in the Smokies.

As you scan the new photos below compare the shots of Bradley Fork with those above. It’s the difference between near flood conditions and extreme drought. The contrast is startling. We need rain!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Water. Forest. Mountains. History. For me, that is what Great Smoky Mountains National Park is all about. On the Smokemont Loop hike you will get all of them. For the first couple miles, stroll along one of those beautiful mountain streams the Smokies are known for, then prepare your legs and lungs for a tough climb 1,350 feet through the forest to the top of the ridge. In seasons when the leaves are down you’ll be able to view Newfound Gap far to the north. As you descend back to the campground you will pass an old homestead and Bradley Cemetery, reminders of what the former settlers gave up so that we could have this beautiful national park. I flew solo for this hike on Tuesday, August 19, 2014 beginning at 9:05AM and ending about 12:25PM. My plan was to take the Bradley Fork Trail from the Smokemont Campground to its meeting with the Smokemont Loop Trail, then finish the loop back to the campground.

Most guides you will find for the Smokemont Loop hike will tell you to park outside the campground and walk through to the trailhead. Well, I wondered is that was still current procedure, so I asked a ranger. Not so fast. There are now ten hiker parking spaces within the campground at the very back of the D-loop, conveniently right next to the Bradley Fork trailhead. So save yourself a half mile of extra walking.

This loop hike begins on Bradley Fork Trail. It is an old roadbed that follows alongside the Bradley Fork of Oconoluftee River. The photo above at the top of this post is the river at the trailhead. You’ll be on this trail for the first 1.7 miles. It is shared by horses, but I found it to be in good shape even with all the recent summer rain. As you reach the top of the first rise, you’ll notice the trail from the stables coming in from the right.

As you follow this picturesque creek you’ll notice the occasional bench placed by the Park Service so you can sit and contemplate the natural beauty. Particularly in spring when the flowering trees are in bloom, this is a very enjoyable stroll through the forest. Just past a mile, you’ll cross over a foot bridge, then reach a junction with the Chasteen Creek Trail. There are plenty of other sights to see up there, but to stay on target for the Smokemont Loop hike, you want to take the left trail to remain on Bradley Fork.

The road winds through a low area in the forest where you can tell the creek occasionally overflows its banks. The Smokies are known for the wealth of water, and like most trails here, it is apparent there is no shortage in the Smokemont region. There is also no shortage of advantageous viewpoints for creek photography. I found myself stopping frequently trying to capture the early morning mist that was rising from the stream.

At the 1.7 mile mark you will reach the junction with Smokemont Loop. If you continue on Bradley Fork, the trail will take you on to Cabin Flats deep within the forest and to some of the backcountry campsites.

However, for this hike you want to drop down over the left side of the berm to the footlog over Bradley Fork. This is one of the longer footlogs in the park, and like most it is covered with moss, so watch your step when it’s wet. A spider had woven its magic along the hand rail on the morning I was there. On the far side of the bridge is the beginning of the Smokemont Loop Trail.

Once safely across, the new trail heads south, paralleling the creek for a hundred yards or so, crossing another short footlog just before turning right and beginning the long, tiring ascent. The trail never does get particularly steep, but you will be going uphill continuously for almost three miles. It’s definitely enough to get your attention.

Another thing I was battling by doing this hike in August was the muggy, humid air. Especially in the lower part, near the river, the air was simply wet. The trail was damp, even the plants alongside were sweating. There were plenty of mushrooms and other fungus around to remind me this is basically a rainforest.

The lower climb is a mixed hardwood forest. I’m told that in spring and early summer this trail is carpeted with disparate wildflowers including iris, indian pipe and wintergreen. The soil is certainly perfect for it. You might also enjoy the leaf peeping season as there are plenty of maple and poplar around to put on quite a show.

After about a mile of climbing the forest changes somewhat to include some evergreens, and lots and lots of laurel. For several long stretches you’re literally walking through a laurel and rhododendron tunnel as the trail hangs on the ridge. The earth also begins to dry, so the footing is less squishy.

What the drier ground also brought was daddy long legs. They were everywhere. Each time I stopped for a breather, I would see another dozen of them crossing the trail. Don’t know what it is that attracts them here, but there sure are a lot.

As you round a turn half a mile later, you’ll pass from the east to the west side of the ridge, and immediately notice the highway noise. Newfound Gap Road is directly below, albeit nearly a thousand feet, but you can definitely hear the roar of the Harleys and the whine of tires on the pavement.

Winter season, or at least late fall, is the best time for long distance viewing here. I couldn’t tell, because the leaves were still on the trees, but the ridge you’re on is surrounded by the primary Smokies crest. If vistas are your thing, consider tackling this hike when the forest is clear. You won’t sweat as much either.

When you reach about a hundred yard flat stretch, know that you are about to begin one last uphill pull. It does get steeper, but still not overly so, and the climbing goes on for another mile. When I finally topped the ridge at a switchback turn, I was extremely grateful for the strategically placed log that was perfect to take a load off. It was time for lunch… and to give the lungs a break.

As I enjoyed my lunch, and wiped the perspiration from my brow… and my arms… and my legs… and my back… and… apparently my aroma attracted some very unwanted visitors. I soon learned why the AT thru hikers always complain so much up in New England about the BLACK FLIES! Those suckers are relentless, and they hurt. They bite, and then they bite again. Then, just for good measure, they will bite you again.

I finished my food in a hurry and mounted back up to get away. Thank goodness the trail was now heading downhill and I was able to move quite a bit faster. Unfortunately, though, to no avail. The flies continued to follow me for at least a half mile, biting all the way. These things are about three times bigger than a common house fly. Did I mention they hurt?

You’re back on the east side of the ridge now. The forest is thicker, and older. There isn’t really much to comment about on the way down. There really aren’t any landmarks. I crossed an occasional seep, but mostly I simply made good time as I found my way around and down for approximately two miles.

About a half mile from the campground the trail reaches the river valley level again and turns back into a road. There is an old homestead site here, but I didn’t see it because of all the overgrowth. Again, this would be more appropriately viewed when it isn’t summer. There is a cemetery here too, a short walk from the river. There are about 40 graves, dating from the late nineteenth century.

Once you cross a bridge over Oconoluftee River, you are back at the campground, at the RV dumping station. You still have to walk a quarter mile through the campground to get back to the parking at the end of D-loop.

In summary, I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of this hike along Bradley Fork. It is quite scenic, and would make an excellent out and back hike for someone only interested in following a Smokies creek for a couple miles. The Smokemont Loop portion of the hike didn’t do much for me though. It’s fair to say that I was probably there during the absolute worst season. I recommend you don’t do this loop during the muggy, buggy summer. I will likely give it another go in spring sometime.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.