Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN · NC
A remote creekside descent with repeated water crossings.
Overview
Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 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 Great Smoky Mountains audio tourMore stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Pole Road Creek Trail is a 3.2-mile, one-way descent from Upper Sassafras Gap on Noland Divide Trail to a junction with Deep Creek Trail. This section of the Benton MacKaye Trail drops about 1,770 feet. Allow roughly 2.5 hours for this segment alone; that is a planning estimate, not an official time. The customary upper approach adds 3.7 miles on Noland Divide Trail from Kuwohi Road. Both ends are backcountry junctions, so decide how you will get out or return before setting off.
The upper approach comes from Kuwohi Road (formerly Clingmans Dome Road), which is normally open April 1 through November 29 and can close for hazardous weather. The trail starts several miles beyond the road access, not at a parking area. Dogs are not allowed on this park trail.
From Upper Sassafras Gap, the path drops through drier second-growth forest before reaching a cooler, wet cove. It meets Pole Road Creek early and crosses it repeatedly, along with feeder streams. Expect rock hops at many crossings. Small cascades sit close to the trail, and one waterfall is partly screened by trees. Near the two-mile point, the route passes a large stand of tulip trees.
The valley widens and the grade eases toward the end. A foot-log crosses Deep Creek just before the trail joins Deep Creek Trail. This is a remote connector rather than a loop or roadside creek walk. High water after rain can make the crossings difficult, so check conditions before committing to the backcountry approach.
Wildlife
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.
Keep exploring
ModerateMartins Gap Trail3 mi · 3 hr · 2.2 mi awayA backcountry link from Deep Creek to Indian Creek via Bryson Place
ChallengingForney Creek Trail11.2 mi · 8.5 hr · 2.4 mi awayA long creekside traverse through old logging country.
ModerateKuwohi Trail1.2 mi · 1 hr · 2.9 mi awayA steep paved climb to a tower above the spruce-fir canopy.
ModerateForney Ridge Trail to Andrews Bald3.6 mi · 2.5 hr · 2.9 mi awayDescend through spruce-fir forest to Andrews Bald, then climb back.
ChallengingSilers Bald Trail9.2 mi · 6 hr · 2.9 mi awayA rocky ridge walk to a clearing with views over Miry Ridge.
ChallengingMountains-to-Sea Trail: Kuwohi to Waterrock Knob46.8 mi · 23.1 hr · 3.3 mi awayA 46.8-mile backpack from Kuwohi to Waterrock Knob
ChallengingDeeplow Gap Trail6.1 mi · 5 hr · 3.7 mi awayA 95-foot cascade rewards this steep backcountry traverse.
ModerateFork Ridge Trail5 mi · 3.5 hr · 4.1 mi awayA rocky descent from a high ridge into Deep Creek.
Sight · 2.3 mi awayAndrews BaldAn open mountain meadow with a 3.6-mile hike and a steep return.
Visitor center · 2.9 mi awayKuwohi Visitor CenterA stone-built visitor stop and small shop before the Kuwohi climb.
Sight · 3.3 mi awayKuwohi Observation TowerA steep climb to a 360-degree view from the Smokies' roof.
Sight · 4.4 mi awayIndian Creek FallsA creekside walk to two falls, ending at a broad 25-foot cascade.
Sight · 4.7 mi awayJuney Whank FallsCross a footbridge for an unusually close look at both waterfall tiers.
Sight · 4.7 mi awayTom Branch FallsFront-row benches across from tiered falls, after an easy walk.
Scenic pullout · 4.9 mi awayDeep Creek Valley OverlookA roadside viewpoint over Deep Creek Valley
Picnic area · 5 mi awayDeep Creek Picnic AreaCreekside shade, charcoal grills, and waterfall walks in one stop.Parkwolf’s Great Smoky Mountains ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
