Dry Sluice Gap Trail

From the Bradley Fork Trailhead at Smokemont, this is a 16.4-mile out-and-back using Bradley Fork and Cabin Flats to reach the Appalachian Trail on Richland Mountain. The outbound line is about 8.2 miles: roughly 4.1 miles of valley approach, then 4.1 miles on Dry Sluice Gap itself. The often-quoted 4.1-mile figure describes only the named ridge corridor, not the full Smokemont hike. Plan 10 to 11 hours and about 3,300 feet of climbing to the turnaround; this is a hard, full-day backcountry outing.

The Bradley Fork approach follows a shaded valley, and Cabin Flats provides the short connection into Dry Sluice Gap. On Dry Sluice, the route climbs through rocky, rutted tread into red spruce near 5,700 feet. Lower ground can be muddy. Several creeks are crossed by rock hops or logs, and the Bradley Fork crossing can take time; crossings become harder after rain or snowmelt.

A clearing in the upper red-spruce section opens northwest toward Charlie’s Bunion, Masa Knob, and Mount Kephart, with Mount Le Conte farther away. It’s the route’s clearest payoff. From the clearing, keep the spruces in the foreground and the ridge line behind them. The cooler ravine below shelters old-growth forest. Spring flowers such as trout lily and spring beauty have been noted on damp slopes, though blooms vary by year.

There’s no road exit at the Appalachian Trail junction, so turn around and return the way you came unless you have a planned through-hike. The trail is also open to horses; give them room on the narrow, uneven path. Pets aren’t allowed on this backcountry trail. Restrooms are at Smokemont Campground, not along the route.