Cooper Road Trail

Cooper Road Trail is a 10.9-mile point-to-point hike between Abrams Creek Campground and Cades Cove Loop Road. It follows a former road through forested ridges and hollows, with repeated stream crossings. The surface starts as gravel, then turns to dirt with roots, rocks, depressions, and ruts. Allow about seven hours one way. This is not a loop: arrange a shuttle or plan for a 21.8-mile out-and-back. Published totals vary from 10.3 to 10.9 miles; use the longer endpoint-to-endpoint figure for planning.

The route begins as a broad gravel track under tall white pines and crosses a feeder stream. Just under a mile in, Little Bottoms Trail branches off beside Backcountry Campsite #1. Past the campsite, the old wagon road gets rougher, with ruts and muddy puddles as it heads toward Gold Mine Gap.

After Gold Mine Gap and Cane Gap, the trail turns and climbs steadily toward Hatcher Mountain. The track becomes sandy and eroded, with roots and rocks underfoot. At the crest, Cooper Road meets Hatcher Mountain and Beard Cane trails. The route then drops over rough rock to a stream and winds through shaded hollows, crossing Wilson Branch and smaller tributaries before climbing toward Stony Ridge.

From Stony Ridge, the trail descends to Stony Branch, climbs Arbutus Ridge, then drops steeply into the Arbutus Branch drainage. Near Cades Cove, it becomes a wider, smoother track under pines, crosses Arbutus Branch on a concrete causeway, and passes the Wet Bottom Trail junction before ending at the loop road.

This old road was used to travel in and out of Cades Cove by Native Americans, early settlers, and the logging industry. The first mile from Abrams Creek to Backcountry Campsite #1 has been assessed for access and is the section described for GRIT Freedom Chair use; check current equipment arrangements with the park. For a short out-and-back, walk to the campsite and return the same way, about two miles total. Pets are not allowed on the trail.