Parking
There is no road access or trailhead parking. One documented approach to the Hazel Creek junction is a 6.7-mile hike from backcountry campsite 86 on Fontana Lake; the Welch Ridge end is reached through the backcountry trail network.
Overview
About Cold Spring Gap Trail
Why go
- A direct link between two named backcountry trails.
- Old homesites and a stone wall add a human trace to the creek climb.
Heads up
- Long backcountry approaches make it a poor stand-alone hike.
- The steep, rocky route crosses creeks several times.
Cold Spring Gap Trail is a remote, roughly 4-mile one-way connector between Hazel Creek Trail and Welch Ridge Trail. Going from Hazel Creek up to Welch Ridge means about 2,300 feet of climbing. This is a backcountry link, not a short walk from a parking lot: one documented approach to the Hazel Creek junction is a 6.7-mile hike from campsite 86 on Fontana Lake. Allow about four hours for the connector, then add the miles needed to get in and out. I’d save it for a planned backcountry route. Overnight camping requires a permit and advance reservation, and dogs aren’t allowed on this trail.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Great Smoky Mountains map
Full mapElevation2,523–4,941 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Great Smoky Mountains alerts
- ClosureHurricane Helene backcountry trail closures and hazardsHurricane Helene damage has closed backcountry trails and left hazardous crossings; avoid closed routes and heed trail-specific restrictions.Official details
- CautionBear-related trail, road, shelter, and campsite restrictionsBear activity has closed trails, a shelter, and campsites and restricted pedestrian access on Cherokee Orchard Road; follow the vehicle restrictions and avoid closed areas.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide
Your drive to Cold Spring Gap Trail, narrated.
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Trail guide
Hiking Cold Spring Gap Trail
Crossing Hazel CreekAbout 0.
About 0.3 miles from the Hazel Creek junction, the trail crosses Hazel Creek at a ford roughly ten feet wide; rusted auto parts sit nearby. The sandy bottom offers firmer footing than the slick rocks, but water depth changes with rain. Don’t cross if the water is high.
The climb to Welch RidgeSwitchbacks lead away from the creek past old homesites. Cold Spring Branch appears around 1.
Switchbacks lead away from the creek past old homesites. Cold Spring Branch appears around 1.2 miles in, near a stone wall, and the upper trail crosses the branch several more times. Expect rocky, muddy footing and a steep climb. From the Welch Ridge end, this same stretch is a steep descent into the valley. The separate High Rocks Trail branches at the ridge junction; it isn’t part of the Cold Spring Gap line.
Old homes and spring flowersThe homesites and stone wall are reminders of earlier settlement, though no dates or occupants…
The homesites and stone wall are reminders of earlier settlement, though no dates or occupants are established. Spring wildflowers are a highlight, but the species along this route haven’t been reliably identified.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Great Smoky Mountains
1,566 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
899 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
13 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
142 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
26 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
42 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Great Smoky Mountains. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
