gatlinburg tn trails

[1tfrot]

need some advice, please. we are planning a long weekend trip to gatlinburg to do the pigeon forge ziplines. we are bringing our dog with and looking at dog friendly cabins. we are driving the wifes '08 jkur down and would like to find some easy rated trails/back roads for some exploring/sight seeing. so easy trails to drive around on and some cool hiking spots to get the dog out would be great.

any recommendations?

the jku is on 35" KO2s.

thanks

 

[Big David]

Check out Cades Cove. Lots of hiking, lots of history & wildlife.

 

[5BrothersFabrication]

Check out Cades Cove. Lots of hiking, lots of history & wildlife.

X2 Type in Cades Cove in the ol' Google Maps and look at the satellite view with road map. Right next to the Cades Cove Visitors Center is a road called Forge Creek. Pretty cool little (long) drive. Dumps you out right in the middle of the Dragon. Well worth the drive.

But if you want to do some very light wheeling, go to Windrock, buy a map and stick to the easy trails. Also worth the drive. Views from bunny trails are incredible.

 

[jeeptj99]

Cade's cove all the way. Lots of good hiking plus the history of it if you're into that sort of stuff.

 

[tyldyl12]

Re: Re: gatlinburg tn trails

X2 Type in Cades Cove in the ol' Google Maps and look at the satellite view with road map. Right next to the Cades Cove Visitors Center is a road called Forge Creek. Pretty cool little (long) drive. Dumps you out right in the middle of the Dragon. Well worth the drive.

But if you want to do some very light wheeling, go to Windrock, buy a map and stick to the easy trails. Also worth the drive. Views from bunny trails are incredible.

Double check before you go. I think Forge Creek is closed Nov - Mar. I've also seen it randomly closed for downed trees and such.

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[5BrothersFabrication]

Re: Re: gatlinburg tn trails

Double check before you go. I think Forge Creek is closed Nov - Mar. I've also seen it randomly closed for downed trees and such.

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We were just there a month ago, it was as open as a 7/11.

 

[1tfrot]

thanks for all the info so far. sounds like Cades Cove will be a strong consideration. looking at their website, it seems pretty cool.

 

[tyldyl12]

Re: Re: Re: gatlinburg tn trails

We were just there a month ago, it was as open as a 7/11.

My bad. Guess everything I read on the internet isn't true after all.

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[The Luke]

My wife swore up and down that seeing bears at cades cove is guaranteed. Except I've not seen a dang thing either time we've gone. It's pretty, but I think the bears are a myth. Lol

 

[Big David]

They are there. I was gonna suggest bear pepper spray if you go hiking. We saw a momma & little cub. People were running after the cub taking pictures. There was enty of bear poo on the road.
Around dusk we saw a herd of 50 or so deer.

The drive in is pretty cool too.

 

[jp fan]

Go do the motor nature trail it has hiking and great views and on the other side it has awesome places to get by the creek for pics, take your lunch and picnic on the trail it is all pavement

 

[RockHales]

PARSON'S BRANCH ROAD (the one that dumps out on the Dragon)
Rich Mountain road
NORRIS MUNICIPAL WATERSHED,But most of those are closed during the winter but worth checking out.

 

[5BrothersFabrication]

PARSON'S BRANCH ROAD (the one that dumps out on the Dragon)
Rich Mountain road
NORRIS MUNICIPAL WATERSHED,But most of those are closed during the winter but worth checking out.

My bad. Reckon one turns into the other.

 

[karatejosh]

Re:

Cades cove will be the best if you are there at when they open at 6 before all the people scare the wildlife away parsons branch is cool i bit not really a trail more of a gravel road i jave done it in cars truck and sportbikes it is long tho will take about 1.5 hours to get back to pavement stop by deals gap great guys there some of my best friends

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[blacksheep10]

**** I wish we'd done this when we went in OCT like 5 years ago. We walked around the tourist trap of a town quite a while. Then we went on a pavement loop scenic type drive thing, saw a bear, a lady double parked middle of road to get a pic, as we were going around her she opened her door and stuffed it middle of front bumper, it was perfect 14 hours from home. Luckily we were in my buddy's car laughing1. Really neat nature there. I'd love to go back with the jeep. We are closer to Colorado than to the smokies though

 

[jp fan]

^ much rather go to Colorado but TN s closer, Love the views there

 

[sexxy]

We went to Cataloochee a couple years ago to see the elk. It was gravel roads mostly and extremely curvy and somewhat narrow roads at times. Most of the roads didnt have a guard rail even with several hundred feet dropoffs immediately off the road. Most of the areas did not have cell service. It was a very good trip that I plan to do again but it wont be an every time thing like going thru cades cove. The elk were in a few open fields and there were turkeys almost everywhere when we were there. Check out the houses, barns, and other buildings to see how little people used to get by with and what some considered luxury back then.

 

[jeeptj99]

I've seen a **** ton of bears there over the years, and more deer than I could ever count.

 

[cgodfrey]

Like others have said, Parson's branch road (near visitor center) is nice gravel road with some small stream crossings with concrete bottoms. Be prepared to drive over an hour back to pigeon forge due to Parson's branch being a one way road.

 

[99BLUEXJ]

Parsons Branch has been closed for over a year now due to a huge problem with dead trees. I've been wanting to ride up and check it out so I've tried to watch the updates.

They are saying they're still not sure when they'll be able to open it. So be sure to look into that before planning any trips on it. Not sure if this link will work..

http://www.thedailytimes.com/news/parson-branch-road-in-cades-cove-could-be-closed-through/article_e27590d3-3412-5487-980d-2f8eefad93f9.html