Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Beech Gap I Trail

This would be the last of the three short hikes I had planned for the day, a five mile round-trip hike on the upper section of the Beech Gap Trail. It was again a long, bumpy drive on the Balsam Mountain Road. I was relieved to get out of the car and stretch my legs.

From the trailhead at the Straight Fork Road, the Beech Gap Trail follows an old railroad grade for a short distance before making a sharp right turn and ascending towards its namesake Beech Gap. I decided to see where the railroad grade led and followed it to Straight Fork

where the water cascaded down towards Raven Fork. There was evidence that a beaver took up residence in the area.

After a quick exploration of the railroad grade, I returned to the Beech Gap Trail and started the long, unrelenting ascent. The autumn colors were amazing along this trail,

which was lower in elevation than the other two I had hiked this morning. I slowly made my way higher and higher until I had reached my destination, the junction with the Balsam Mountain Trail.

I then turned around and started to make my way back to the car.

The descent went pretty quickly.

I had to be careful though, as there were lots of loose rocks hidden under the fallen leaves that could have easily turned an ankle. There were a few wildflowers still in bloom along the trail. Mostly asters,

with some white snakeroot mixed in. I stopped for a snack at a tree with mushrooms growing out of it

and soon after was back at the car for the drive through Cherokee and back to Greeneville.