Flat Creek Trail - a real Smokies gem.
Elevation profile for the out-and-back on Flat Creek Trail
Flat Creek Trail - The boys getting ready for a day's adventure.
Flat Creek Trail - The first 0.1 of this trail is next to the picturesque Heintooga picnic area.
Flat Creek Trail - Up to the Heintooga picnic area
Flat Creek Trail - The trail drops off to the right. Up to the left you see the old picnic area bathrooms, no longer in use.
Flat Creek Trail - Taking the first steps on the real part of the trail
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas enjoyed having the navigator responsibilities.
Flat Creek Trail - Lillies along the trail
Flat Creek Trail - Thetop part of the fern-rich trail
Flat Creek Trail - Nick checks out the mini-mushrooms growing on this tree.
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas cruising along the trail.
Flat Creek Trail - A trailside mushroom
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas checks out the lillies.
Flat Creek Trail - Views of the Balsam Mountain ridge
Flat Creek Trail - The high elevation spruce-fir forest
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas is now an expert on the non-native balsam wooley adelgid, killer of most of the GSMNP's fraser fir trees.
Flat Creek Trail - A large dead fraser
Flat Creek Trail - The boys really enjoyed the creek crossings. Here Nick spotted a salamander.
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas takes his turn crossing.
Flat Creek Trail - A patch of dead fraser firs.
Flat Creek Trail - Flowers of the Rosebay Rhododendren which were abundant along the creeksides.
Flat Creek Trail - The boys enjoying checking out the forest
Flat Creek Trail - Nick next to Flat Creek
Flat Creek Trail - Flat Creek
Flat Creek Trail - Nick crossing Flat Creek
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas about to cross Flat Creek
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas crossing Flat Creek on a rickety old log crossing.
Flat Creek Trail - A tiny trailside mushroom.
Flat Creek Trail - Nick checks out Flat Creek
Flat Creek Trail - Another Flat Creek crossing
Flat Creek Trail - Nick checks out a snail beside the trail
Flat Creek Trail - A tiny salamander hiding in the log. My guess is this is a Blue Ridge two-lined salamander (Eurycea wilderae Dunn), but don't quote me on that. See the catalog of all Park species at www.dlia.org
Flat Creek Trail - A picturesque grassy area beside Flat Creek
Flat Creek Trail - The sign next to the side trail to Flat Creek Falls
Flat Creek Trail - A windfall that had ripped up the forest
Flat Creek Trail - Near the end of the trail, views of the Balsam Mountain ridge appear
Flat Creek Trail - Views
Flat Creek Trail - Views to the east
Flat Creek Trail - More views
Flat Creek Trail - Downhill towards the end of the trail
Flat Creek Trail - Unidentified trailside mushroom
Flat Creek Trail - Nick about to climb over a trail obstructing tree. Thomas climbed under.
Flat Creek Trail - Beautiful Rhododendren in bloom beside Bunches Creek.
Flat Creek Trail - Nick crosses Bunches Creek
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas crosses Bunches Creek
Flat Creek Trail - The boys rest at the last Bunches Creek crossing. After this it's a short uphill to the trails end on Heintooga Ridge Road.
Flat Creek Trail - Crimson Bee Balm in bloom beside Bunches Creek
Flat Creek Trail - Crimson Bee Balm
Flat Creek Trail - The boys reaching trails end at the roadside
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas proud to have completed the trail
Flat Creek Trail - Taking a rest before the return trip. The return is mostly uphill.
Flat Creek Trail - Starting back down on the return leg.
Flat Creek Trail - An overgrown 0.2 mile spur trail took us to Flat Creek Falls. This was a multi-tiered fall but it I couldn't get good pictures of all the tiers from the vantage point we had. This is just one of many cascades that make up the falls.
Flat Creek Trail - Nick at Flat Creek Falls
Flat Creek Trail - Flat Creek Falls
Flat Creek Trail - Thomas at Flat Creek Falls. This is looking downhill at more of the series of cascades that make up the falls.
Flat CreekTrail (spur trail to the falls) - Beside Flat Creek on the return trip
Flat Creek Trail - The boys returning from the spur trail.
Flat Creek Trail - The boys returning from the spur trail
Flat Creek Trail - Seeing Balsam ridge means we're close to the end.
Flat Creek Trail - Balsam ridge from the trail
Flat Creek Trail - The tired boys got it done
Flat Creek Trail - Slightly more worn out than they were in the before picture.
Flat Creek Trail - One last view from Heintooga Overlook. Thomas had no interest in stopping here because the car was only a few steps away. :o)
Flat Creek Trail - Heintooga Overlook
Mileage tally to-date on 38 total hikes
