Parking
Park at Cumberland Knob Picnic Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway at MP 217.5. Restrooms and picnic facilities are available near the trailhead; begin near the restroom and old concession stand.
Overview
About Gully Creek Trail
Why go
- Cool, shaded cove with Gully Creek, cascades, and streamside scenery
- Historic Cumberland Knob recreation area with picnic facilities and shelter
Heads up
- Multiple creek crossings can become slippery or hazardous after heavy rain
- Strenuous climbing, narrow rocky tread, and no long-range views
Gully Creek Trail is a strenuous loop from the Cumberland Knob Picnic Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway (MP 217.5). It follows a cool, wooded cove beside Gully Creek, with small cascades, rapids, and streamside plants rather than long-range overlooks.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy goMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation2,064–2,785 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
2 active Blue Ridge Parkway alerts
- ClosureNorth Carolina Helene-related closuresAvoid the closed Parkway section from MP 344.2–355.3; recreation of any kind is prohibited there.Official details
- ClosureVirginia Parkway closures and detourFollow the signed detour around the closed James River Bridge and avoid the closed Roanoke Mountain Loop. - James River Bridge (MP 63.5–63.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide
Your drive to Gully Creek Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Ridge Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Blue Ridge Parkway audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Cumberland Knob: The Parkway's Starting PointListen
“The spot you're coming to, Cumberland Knob, is where the whole story of the Parkway began; the very first shovelful of dirt for the road was turned right here in 1935.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Cumberland Knob: The Parkway's Starting Point
- Rocky Knob Picnic Area and Trail Hub
- The Leaf that Named a Town
- Scenic Easements: The Invisible Park that Protects the View
- 277 audio storiesacross Blue Ridge Parkway’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Elk, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 112 trails, 232 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…We knew we wanted to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. The narration was impeccably timed. The facts and info provided were meaningful. Without it, the trip would not have been near as awesome.”
Trail guide
Hiking Gully Creek Trail
The hikeThis 2.5-mile loop begins near the picnic-area restroom and old concession stand.
This 2.5-mile loop begins near the picnic-area restroom and old concession stand. Clockwise, the route descends through the forest to Gully Creek, crosses the creek repeatedly, passes cascades and rocky sections, then climbs away from the water toward Cumberland Knob before returning through the recreation area. The mapped track is about 2.26 miles; the 2.5-mile figure is the official visitor distance and includes the route as hiked.
Access and facilitiesPark at Cumberland Knob Picnic Area at MP 217.
Park at Cumberland Knob Picnic Area at MP 217.5 and begin near the restroom/old concession stand. Restrooms, picnic facilities, and the Cumberland Knob shelter are at the recreation area. The shelter is for refuge, not overnight camping.
Hazards and tipsExpect seven or more water crossings, depending on weather.
Expect seven or more water crossings, depending on weather. Creek crossings can be slippery or hazardous after heavy rain, and narrow rocky sections require careful footing. Waterproof footwear and trekking poles are useful; avoid forcing a crossing when water is high.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway
1,208 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
1,020 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
2,257 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
200 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
1,126 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
255 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
