7.5 mile loop starting at the Big Creek Ranger Station.
Alpacas check out the weird looking dude at near the Big Creek entrance.
Mount Sterling, NC - The crossroads at Big Creek on Hwy 32
Mount Sterling, NC - The crossroads at Mount Sterling near the Big Creek entrance
The Big Creek entrance in the northeast corner of the Smokies
The Ranger Station at beautiful Big Creek
Big Creek
Chestnut Branch trailhead on Big Creek Road
Chestnut Branch Trail - Chestnut Branch and the gates that keep the horses of the trail
Chestnut Branch Trail - Gorgeous Chestnut Branch
Chestnut Branch Trail - Heading uphill through a pretty hemlock forest
Chestnut Branch Trail - Climbing above Chestnut Branch
Chestnut Branch Trail - Washtub artifact along the trail
Chestnut Branch Trail - A nice cascade
Chestnut Branch Trail - A big tree beside the creek
Chestnut Branch Trail - A pretty area of cascades
Chestnut Branch Trail
Chestnut Branch Trail - Chestnut Branch
Chestnut Branch Trail - Now switching away from the creek into the rhododendron tunnels
Chestnut Branch Trail - A cool branch with welcome shade to get out the relentless sun
Chestnut Branch Trail - A windfall hangs over a small creek
Chestnut Branch Trail - Reaching the intersection with the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail/Chestnut Branch Trail intersection - Time for a rest after a nice climb
Appalachian Trail - Back on the AT again heading 'south' and uphill
Appalachian Trail - Views into Tennessee start to appear
Appalachian Trail - Views to the south
Lower Mount Cammerer Trail/Appalachian Trail intersection
Lower Mount Cammerer Trail/Appalachian Trail intersection - I was here last year from by loop out of Cosby
Lower Mount Cammerer Trail/Appalachian Trail intersection - Views that are soon to be blocked by Spring blooms
Appalachian Trail - Now heading back northbound on the AT
Appalachian Trail - The familiar white blaze and high rhododendron on the AT
Appalachian Trail - This segment just north of the Chestnut Branch intersection is nice and flat
Appalachian Trail - Bending around on the AT with nice views northbound into Tennessee
Appalachian Trail - Views into Tennessee
Appalachian Trail - Is this Mount Cammerer?
Appalachian Trail - Big gravevines climbing the poplars
Appalachian Trail - Looking down into the valley at the Davenport Gap AT shelter
Appalachian Trail - The spur over to Davenport Gap shelter
Appalachian Trail - Davenport Gap shelter
Appalachian Trail - Davenport Gap shelter - this is first Smoky Mountain AT shelter for southbounders, and the last for northbounders
Appalachian Trail - Davenport Gap shelter is has the old style chain link fence across the front
Davenport Gap shelter - this little seep is the water supply for the shelter
Davenport Gap shelter - This little seep is the water supply for the shelter. I can imagine it runs dry pretty easily
Inside the Davenport Gap shelter
Davenport Gap shelter - Pack hangers with critter guards. Smokies shelters are notorious for critters.
Davenport Gap shelter - The view from the front porch of the shelter
Appalachian Trail - Approaching Davenport Gap and the eastern boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Appalachian Trail - Signs of Spring. It has been a tough winter in the Smokies.
Appalachian Trail - Davenport Gap, eastern end of the Smokies
Appalachian Trail - Davenport Gap
Big Creek Road - Closing today's loop with a walk along the Smoky's eastern boundary
Big Creek Road - The 'trail' back to Big Creek
Big Creek Road - A demolished old log building on private land beside the Smokies
Big Creek Road - A cemetery I hadn't noticed on the drive in
Hopkins Cemetery?
A large cemetery very close to the Big Creek entrance
The largest headstone in the cemetery
Daniel Hill, Korean War Vet
This headstone was at the far end of the cemetery away from all the other graves
Young Martha Cole didn't make her 20th birthday - and died on September 11th.
