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View Full Version : info on the Eagle creak trail GSMNP.



bigjenz
04-10-2005, 08:34
I will be using this trail to get to the AT and would like some info on it. Also I will be going to Gregory Bald from the AT if anyone has any comments on these trails thanks ahead of time.

mark

spunky
04-10-2005, 13:15
Eagle creek trail is a beautiful trail that basically goes up the creek to the AT. There are 18-20 stream crossings that are between knee and waist + deep. I hiked it last year the first weekend in June and the water was mid thigh deep. Oh, and it is swift, wide and cold. By the time you get across your feet will probably be numb. Most of the stream crossings (Eagle Creek) are before campsite #97 after that there are still about 5 (Gunna Creek) which are still deep, but short crossings.

All that aside, it is an absolutely beautiful trail. The first four miles are basically flat then the climb of about 2500 feet begins. The elevation at the beginning is roughly 1750 feet and it climbs to 4800 at Spence Field.

Are you going to take the Lakeshore trail to the Eagle Creek trailhead or are you going to get a boat shuttle? The marina will shuttle you to the mouth of Eagle creek for a fee of course. Be careful and if the first crossing is treacherous, then don't try the rest of the trail. THey (the crossings) don't get any easier.

Gregory Bald is absolutely worth your time! If you are there the middle to end of June, then the wild flame azaleas will be in bloom on Gregory Bald. You will have a 360 degree view from the top.

Chip
04-10-2005, 14:11
You will have a few stream crossings going up to Gregory Bald as well. I agree with Spunky! This is a great trail and worth the hike. If you go around the last week of July up to the 2nd week in August you might be able to get in some blueberry pickin' if you like. My wife and I like to do that. We make some blueberry hot cakes for breakfast before hiking back down the loop.

Happy Trails,
Chip ;)

bigjenz
04-10-2005, 15:39
Thanks for the info. We will be hiking this trail on Thu. of this week. With all the rain the Smokies will be Mon-Wed should we be looking for another trail up to the AT?

chris
04-10-2005, 15:47
Eagle Creek is a good trail to take up to the AT, but the Gregory Bald area (the AT before Fontana Damn was built) is the best. Very, very scenic, though out of the way for the must-make-AT-miles whiteblazing crew.

On one trip I went up the Eagle Creek and came back after cutting south from Silar Bald. This was during a September and the creek fords were not too bad, none above the knee. Right now, you'll have a lot of snow melt. I'd recommend a different way up with fewer fords. Unfortunately, the other ways in the area all involve fords of some sort, unless you go up Gregory Bald (do it!).

spunky
04-10-2005, 20:21
Thanks for the info. We will be hiking this trail on Thu. of this week. With all the rain the Smokies will be Mon-Wed should we be looking for another trail up to the AT?
With all of the rain, I would choose a different approach and save Eagle Creek for another time. If you want to keep that option, look at trying the following:
Start at Fontana, hike the Lakeshore trail to #90 and try the first crossing or two on Eagle. The first crossings are only a tenth of a mile and it's flat to get there. If you're not comfortable, then spend a night at #90.

Next day, hike back to the AT on Lakeshore, take the Twentymile loop trail to Long Hungry Ridge trail; stay the second night at #92 then go up to Gregory Bald. You have to have reservations to stay at campsite #13. then take the Gregory Bald Trail to the AT at Doe Knob. If you were wanting to continue on the AT, go on to Mollies RIdge.

Without knowing how far, how many days, miles per day, it's hard to give any other advice. You could hike back down the AT to Fontana if you don't have any more time. Or you could go on to Spence Field with a side hike up to Thunderhead before coming back down. This is assuming that you wanted to hike a Smokies and AT loop.

If you have more questions, let me know. I completed all of the trails in the Smokies last July! Working on the AT section at a time!!:banana

MedicineMan
04-11-2005, 03:24
To have completed all the trails in GSMNP is quite an accomplishment! Most of us think AT Thru-hiker or 2000 miler but the 900 miles of trails in the Smokes is impressive to at least me :)
One could spend a good part of his/her lifetime in the park and not only this park but many more. Someday when I meet God I will ask why only 24 hours in a day and only 7 days in a week :(
When I think of gregory bald, humback rocks, and rocky knob shelter in virginia, i sometimes get saddened by the a.t. reroutes, but Avery/MacKaye noted long ago that the a.t. is the superstructure of a vast array of trails that radiate from this 'highway'---its up to us to hike all of them we can in our short lifetimes.
One more thought to you....noticed you're from Kentucky, how much if any of the Sheltowee Trace have you done and do you recommend any sections in particular? I'm often guilty of focusing only on the AT when so much good hiking surrounds us in northeast TN.

spunky
04-12-2005, 21:01
Thanks! We probably drove 25-30,000 miles to hike those trails!

You know it's bad being from a state and not hiking there. From where I live, it takes nearly two hours to get to any trails. I have hiked all the trails at Land Between the Lakes, Mammoth Cave, and trails in other parts of the state, but living in the western part of the state, it takes as long to get to the "good" hiking as it does to the Smokies. I tend to hike more in TN because it's not any farther.

I have hiked part of the Sheltowee near Cumberland Falls but only a few miles. It's really pretty in that area. It's definitely worth checking out. I've also hiked several trails in Big South Fork.

Have you hiked any of the Cumberland Trail?? It will be a great trail when it's finished!



To have completed all the trails in GSMNP is quite an accomplishment! Most of us think AT Thru-hiker or 2000 miler but the 900 miles of trails in the Smokes is impressive to at least me :)
One could spend a good part of his/her lifetime in the park and not only this park but many more. Someday when I meet God I will ask why only 24 hours in a day and only 7 days in a week :(
When I think of gregory bald, humback rocks, and rocky knob shelter in virginia, i sometimes get saddened by the a.t. reroutes, but Avery/MacKaye noted long ago that the a.t. is the superstructure of a vast array of trails that radiate from this 'highway'---its up to us to hike all of them we can in our short lifetimes.
One more thought to you....noticed you're from Kentucky, how much if any of the Sheltowee Trace have you done and do you recommend any sections in particular? I'm often guilty of focusing only on the AT when so much good hiking surrounds us in northeast TN.

MedicineMan
04-12-2005, 22:20
it will be truly awesome kick-butt trail. I haven't really 'hiked' it though but did 'walk' almost 3 miles on it to get to the 'work' site....we did the Big Dig last summer in the Soddy Daisey Gorge.
If you look at the scant photos on the Cumberland Trail website you will be enticed to walk some of it.
What is also exciting is that it will connect with the Pine Mountain Trail and since you are living in Ky, then maybe you've heard of the Misha Mowgwa (sp?) trail that is really several trails combined starting at Cumberland Gap NHP...this 21 mile hike begins in the park and ends in Ewing Va but it is abs. incredible with so many features (like a gigantic sand cave)......
Then to think that someday (maybe our grandkids) will be able to start in Alabama at the true southern terminus of the Appalachian mountains and hike all the way to Breaks Interstate Park and then connect with the AT (i think Mowgli said around the Burks Garden area), too cool.
anyway, too many trails and only one lifetime!

Knowing how far you've driven to complete the Smokies is even more impressive!

Mike
04-13-2005, 14:40
I once hiked eagle creek in early march. Of course it was snowing. Of course the water was upper thigh high. My intention is to never do that trail again unless I take a fly rod.

Congrats to Spunky on 900 miles. I am currently at around 250 with the intent to add another 100 this year. But hey, I live 7 hours from the park. Some day 10 years from now I will tabulate the amount of driving miles I have racked up to finish the park.

My current daydream is of the day I finish the last section of trail in the park while I am attempting GA-ME.

halibut15
04-13-2005, 17:54
My group considered Eagle Creek Trail as a bailout during our AT section hike of the Smokies in 03. There were terrible storms that entire week, and we fortunately met some other hikers who had attempted to go down the trail from the AT but turned back after one of them was actually swept downstream a ways at one of the fords. Of course, the rain was insane and much more than normal that week, so it most likely wouldn't be like that now. I've heard it's a great trail.....