Nice moderate trail. Porters Creek Trail is a 7 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Gatlinburg, Tennessee that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. The Porters Creek Trail is a 3.7 mile trail to backcountry campsite 31. Roughly one mile from the trailhead, after crossing over a footbridge, hikers will reach a fork in the road. All along this first section, numerous short side trails take you closer to the beautiful Porter’s Creek. Sad to see such a beautiful area being ignored. The trailhead (200 ft) is ~4.5 miles from Porter and is across the road from Porter Creek Campground. Getting in to parking lot could be challenge to some drivers just like other trails. The first mile of the trail … Members of the club were permitted to use the cabin as an overnight facility until 1981. Follow the signs to the Porters Creek trailhead. The Porters Creek Trail is a 7-mile trail that is moderately hiked and fairly moderate when it comes to difficulty. Porters Creek Trail is the perfect trail for a simple hike through fall foliage. I then hiked the Brushy Mountain trail for a few miles, which I really enjoyed, but it’s uphill. A short hike of roughly 250 yards will take you to the John Messer farm site, which includes a cantilevered barn that was built by John Whaley around 1875. Directions: Take Highway 321 east of Gatlinburg, TN to the Greenbrier entrance to the park. before using any information on this site. The first mile of the Porters Creek Trail is an old gravel road that runs through a forest along the banks of Porters Creek. The trailhead is located at the end of Greenbrier Road on the Tennessee side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The first mile is a gravel road, with the lively creek on one side and the remains of old settlements on the other. Porters creek trail. During high water flows this can be a fairly spectacular waterfall. Located near Greenbrier, Porters Creek Trail is one of the best Smoky Mountain hikes to go on to avoid crowds. Starting in late March more and more photos start popping up on my social media feeds and inevitably I catch the wildflower bug as I do every year. This is a beautiful hike, and not too strenuous for families or beginners. Follow the creek as you enjoy spectacular views of the forest. 3 miles if you count the extra mile you have to hike where the road at the entrance to the trailhead is out. There's also a cabin on this site that was built by the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club in the mid-1930s. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, horses, and backpacking and is accessible year-round. DA BREEEDGE IS OUUUTTT (said in Arnold voice). Large portion of road damaged. Porter's Creek Trail (4-1-17) As the month of April dawns, spring once again slowly begins to spread its green blanket over the Southern Appalachians. Porters Creek. When the trail reaches Campsite #31, you'll be faced with either a quick hop over the water, or a mildly frustrating crossing, depending on recent rains. The Porters Creek Trail offers a little bit of everything. The trail is in a heavily wooded area, with Porters Creek on your left. Setup a car shuttle and hike this mile one-way route from east to west. A few downed trees but nothing too serious. The roundtrip length is 5 miles, and the hiking trail in the Smoky Mountains is considered moderate. Great trail - a perfect mix of historical sights, tumultuous & clear mountain creeks, and a unique waterfall. Bridge is out as of 5/31/2020 at 2 miles. A photographer's paradise today. BEAUTIFUL FOREST WALK. This is a nice wooded hike along Porters Creek with an old cemetery, historic farm site, and a waterfall. Te Araroa is NZ's walk of a lifetime. I can verify the bridge is out. You’ll cross footbridges farther down the trail, and near the end, there’s a 60-foot-tall waterfall called Fern Branch Falls. Maybe someday.... Baskins Creek Falls Trail to Greenbrier Cove, Mount LeConte via Trillium Gap Loop Trail, Mount LeConte and Rainbow Falls via The Bullhead Trail, Trillium Gap, Grotto Falls, Brushy Mountain, Bull Head Trail Loop, Grapeyard Ridge Trail to Campsite 32 Via Roaring Fork. Round Trip Length: 4 miles; Location: Greenbrier area (near Gatlinburg, TN) Located right outside of Gatlinburg, the Greenbrier area of the Great Smoky Mountains is a beautiful area to explore! Loved it!! The length of the trail is 3.7 miles (5.9 km) or 8,148 steps. The Porters Creek trailhead is located in Greenbrier Cove. Several blowdowns obstructed the paht, but those will likely be cleared by the end of April 2020 when the NPS performs annual trail maintenance. Almost always within sight and sound of the singing Porters Creek, the trail gently ascends toward the Smokies divide until it terminates at Campsite #31. Porters Creek Trail is a 4 mile round trip hike out to Fern Branch Falls and back. We’ve hiked it during the peak of spring wildflowers, as well as in the snow, and both of those hikes have been our favorites in the Smokies. I chose to hike Porters Creek after an intense wind and rainstorm, so what I got was part trail, part stream! But on the day I hiked, it was a roaring faucet that spilled down the gully over the trail. Be warned, the road to the trailhead is poorly maintained and may give your small cars some trouble. All rights reserved. Porters Creek Trail. The 3000km route stretches from Cape Reinga in the north of New Zealand to Bluff in the south. The Ramsey Cascades is a difficult, 8-mile hike that can be popular with fly fishers, but the length and difficulty of the hike make it a good spot for some isolated hiking. Trail Location: Sugarlands Visitor Center Roundtrip Length: 3.9 Miles Trail Difficulty Rating: 4.37 (easy) GPS Coordinates for Trailhead: 35.68579 -83.53677 . Porters Creek. Porters Creek. I hiked it in February, so there were no wildflowers, just mossy rocks and rhododendrons, but everyone says it's a beautiful hike for flowers. Andrews Bald The entire length of the trail follows Porters Creek, a tributary of the Little Pigeon River. The Porter’s Creek trail stays close to the named creek the entire hike, only leaving it briefly and never out of earshot of the roaring water. A small side trail leads up to the falls, where a large fallen tree makes a good place to sit, relax, and possibly have some lunch. Porters Creek Trail to Fern Branch Falls . Apparently they had crossed the creek before a rain storm and returned to find a raging river. During busy season, this less traveled section of the park offers a serene escape located a mere six miles away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Gatlinburg. You can also do out-and-back hikes of any length. Fringed phacelia was in full bloom and looked like a fairy land. It reaches a stretch of the Appalachian Trail and leads to a tower with major views. Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The gravel path ends here. From Gatlinburg: At traffic light #3, take East Parkway (US 321-N) 6-miles to Greenbrier Road, just before the Little Pigeon River Bridge. The Porters Creek Trail features beautiful scenery, so be sure to bring your camera along and capture some of the most spectacular photos of your vacation! Review of Greenbrier Picnic Area. Hikers will then walk another hundred feet or so to arrive at the Brushy Mountain Trail junction. Follow Porters Creek Road (gravel) to the trailhead. Porters Creek Trail. Lovely trail and we had a great time. one of the best hiking trails in the park. Drive 6 miles and turn right into Greenbrier (look for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance sign on the right). We passed quite a few people who only hiked the 1 mile round trip Brushy Mountain Trail, but I’d recommend carrying on to complete Porters Creek Trail. Continue straight ahead at this junction to reach the Porters Creek Trailhead. If you cross, be prepared to wait out the weather for possibly days. To continue on to the waterfall, take the left trail along Porters Creek. To continue towards Fern Branch Falls you should veer left at this junction. Length: 4.5 mile, round trip Time: 3 hours, including time to see the many historical points of interest Difficulty: Easy with a few moderate hills to climb. There are also a few historical buildings located along the trail. Porters Creek Trail ist ein 7 Meilen langer, stark besuchter Hin- und Rückweg in der Nähe von Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Once at the trailhead you will begin up a gradual incline along a wide gravel path. @ document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); HikingintheSmokys.com. Porters Creek Trail. Porters Creek Trail is a 7 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Gatlinburg, Tennessee that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. Roundtrip, the hike to Laurel Falls and back is 2.3 miles in total length. Thus, I back tracked about a half mile and visited an old settlers barn and home, which was great. Porters Creek Trail is a 3.7-mile out-and-back trail that ends at Backcountry Campsite 31 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. on the trail. It's usually not very crowded from the length of the trail. At roughly 2 miles hikers will arrive at the 60-foot Fern Branch Falls, which drops off the ridge on the left side of the trail. From Route 321 drive 3.1 miles to a fork in the road. The path meanders through a lush forest of moss covered trees and rocks as it follows along the banks of Porters Creek. Porters Creek Trail. It’s quite rocky but smaller rocks and pretty easy for my three year old to travel. 4. You'll also begin to notice some much larger old-growth trees as you proceed further upstream. Please read this Disclaimer / Privacy Policy Porters Creek Trail On our second day, the forecast was for light rain all day, so rather than seek out some mountain views, we elected to do a family-friendly hike in the forest. Porters Creek is a great trail for all ages and offers spectacular views of the park. Located just beyond the footbridgrabout 1.5 miles and before Fern Falls. It goes thru so many different areas of forest and is about a 4-1/2 mile hike one way. The hike along the Porters Creek Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains begins from the Porters Creek Trailhead in Greenbrier. It was past this bridge that we began seeing a profusion of wildflowers. Beyond, the trail climbs alongside the creek through an Eden of old-growth forest. The problem is that the bridge that goes over the treacherous river before getting to the falls is destroyed. At 1.6 miles hikers will cross a second footbridge. For the first mile, you’ll walk along a gravel trail where yellow trillium line the sides. 4. While the wildflowers are only in full bloom seasonally, we strongly recommend this hike anytime during the year, so enjoy! The trail conditions are excellent and you will traverse through a variety of Northwest scenery. The Greenbrier section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hidden gem that is frequented by locals and experienced area tourists alike. These are remnants from the Elbert Cantrell farmstead, who settled in porters creek trail length spring enjoy... The trailhead you will want to see and enjoy a lunch at begins from Elbert... Some drivers just like other trails an extra mile you have to hike the Porters Creek trail a... 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