I did this easy and scenic hike in the Smoky Mountains' Cataloochee Valley area on August 20th, 2022 with my parents and my girlfriend.

The trailhead for this hike can be found at a bridge located just over 12-3/4 miles from the I-40/US-276 interchange. Follow Cove Creek Rd (SR 1395) for 7-1/2 miles before turning left on Ranger Station/Cataloochee Entrance Rd. After another 5-1/4 miles of driving, the parking area will be on your right, just past one of the parks' vault toilets.

The trail follows the nearby Palmer Creek closely for the duration of the hike, of which we did about 2. The trail follows a wide gravel path through a lush and scenic forest

This area, known for its elk sightings, did not disappoint us: we saw three over the course of our hike. Unfortunately, they were all centered around the least attractive part of the trail, a backcountry horse camp.

After hiking for a couple miles, we stopped at a rocky outcropping along the river to have a quick lunch.

We also got to see several historic buildings in the area. Very close to the trailhead of this hike was the Beech School, which was built in 1903.

Later that day, we visited the Rough Fork Trail and a few other historic buildings in the area, including the Caldwell House and the Woody Place.

To see a map of the trail, click here.