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greenBlue Little River Trail

  4.3 ( 9 ) Favorite
  1. Areas
  2. NC
  3. …West and Mountains
  4. …Great Smoky Mountains National Park
  5. Elkmont
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Trail

6.4 mile 10.3 kilometer point to point
Singletrack
Easy/Intermediate

Elevation

Ascent: 1,202' 366 m
Descent: 0' 0 m
High: 3,379' 1,030 m
Low: 2,178' 664 m

Grade

Avg Grade: 4% (2°)
Max Grade: 9% (5°)

Dogs

Unknown
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Trail shared by Christopher Dennison

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“Listen to the Little River (and ford it a couple times) as it parallels this breezy, level trail.”

— Christopher Dennison
GPX File

Features River/Creek · Waterfall

Description

From the trailhead, the route is wide and gravel paved. After an initial short stretch through an open area with abandoned structured on either side, the trail parallels the Little River to the West. The trail narrows after the initial mile and narrows again to singletrack in the final two miles.

The overnight sites are well placed. The initial overnight site (Backcountry Camp 21) is about 2 miles in where the Husky Gap Trail intersects. A water source is nearby. The second overnight site (Backcountry Camp 24) is about 2/3 in or 4 miles and the final overnight site (Backcountry Camp 30 Three Forks) is at the 6.4 mile terminus. Immediately preceding Camp 30 is a moderate ford (you'll get your feet wet).

Overall, this route is easy hiking or backpacking on level terrain. There will be some water crossings and a ford.

Contacts

Land Manager: NPS - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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Check-Ins

May 10, 2019
Matthew Stephenson
Mar 27, 2019
William Kleeberger
2h 30m
Mar 2, 2019
Kai-Wei Chan
Jan 15, 2019
Liz Wallace
2.9mi
Nov 5, 2018
Maximus Flame
5.1mi
Sep 29, 2018
Luke Laws
Out and back to waterfall 3.8mi
Jul 24, 2018
Alicia Bates
2mi
May 20, 2018
Jerry Park
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  4.3 from 9 votes

#1

in Elkmont

#4750

Overall
  4.3 from 9 votes
5 Star
44%
4 Star
44%
3 Star
11%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Rankings

#1

in Elkmont

#82

in North Carolina

#4,750

Overall
60 Views Last Month
2,045 Since Sep 4, 2015
Easy/Intermediate Easy/Intermediate
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Photos

An old abandoned cottage at the beginning of the Little River Trail in Elkmont. You can find a community of vacation homes from the 1920s in Elkmont before the the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in 1934.
An old abandoned cottage at the beginning of th…
 14
Bridge crossing
Bridge crossing
 4
An easy path adjacent to the river.
An easy path adjacent to the river.
 4
Huskey Branch Falls tumbles under the footbridge into Little River.
Huskey Branch Falls tumbles under the footbridg…
 3
Husky Branch Falls. A nice bench awaits.
Husky Branch Falls. A nice bench awaits.
 4
Narrow singletrack trail 4 miles in. Cool and pleasant. Little River is to the South.
Narrow singletrack trail 4 miles in. Cool and p…
 3

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