Dogs No Dogs
Features
Cave · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Spring · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife
Overview
This loop is a challenging 2-day route that takes you past an old community, then up to some great views from the Appalachian Trail and back down, all while passing some beautiful cascading creeks.
Need to Know
Make sure to make backcountry camping reservation as the sites in the area tend to fill up.
Description
Start at the
Jakes Creek Trail Trailhead parking area just past the Elkmont Campground. Start along the
Jakes Creek Trail for .3 miles and turn left onto
Cucumber Gap Trail. This trail steadily climbs for a little over a mile before descending back onto the
Little River Trail.
Stay on
Little River Trail for 1.3 miles until you cross Lost Creek by bridge. There is a nice large log to take a small break before starting up the long climb of
Goshen Prong Trail. Make a right at
Goshen Prong Trail. A creek flows to your right and after a mile you can see some beautiful cascades. Around the 3.2-mile mark, you'll reach campsite #23 which makes for a nice place to take a small rest. From here the trail begins to climb from about 3200' to 5700'.
Around the 5-mile mark there is a stream which will become your last water source until you reach the AT. Just past the stream is a small cave. Eventually, the
Goshen Prong Trail ends at the Appalachian Trail. From here, turn right. Double Spring Gap shelter is .6 mile and makes for a great stopping point for the day. Fill up your water here, as it is the last water source until you reach the lower parts of
Jakes Creek Trail for some miles. Double Spring Gap shelter is quite popular with AT hikers as it has water and a privy. Silers Bald Shelter is another mile or so and is less busy but has no water or privy.
From the right turn that you just made, you'll reach Silers Bald which is marked by a marker on top of a rock. The shelter is located about .25 miles from here. The AT continues along the top of the mountains never dropping you too far below the ridge line. Around the 3-mile mark, you'll turn right on
Miry Ridge Trail and start a long descent of about 5 miles until you reach Jake's Gap.
From here jump on
Jakes Creek Trail for a quick and easy 3.3 miles back to the trailhead.
Contacts
Shared By:
Brian Carpenter
with improvements
by Blake Dickson
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