Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Big Fork Ridge Trail–Caldwell Fork Trail, 3 sights
15.6 mi · ▲ 1,968 ft · 6 hr 11 min
Big Fork Ridge Trail–Caldwell Fork Trail, 3 sights is a 15.6-mile out-and-back in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Nellie, NC. It climbs 1,968 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 89/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Big Fork Ridge Trail–Caldwell Fork Trail, 3 sights
15.6 mi · ▲ 1,968 ft · 6 hr 11 min
Elevation 2,629–3,643 ft
Out & Back · Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Trailhead: Cataloochee Horse Trail · 35.62649, -83.11229
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 88°F / low 70° · precip 20% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:08 AM · sunset 7:56 PM
Horses allowed on the whole route · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Cataloochee Horse Trail, heading E.
- 4.7 miBear right onto Big Fork Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 3.1 miReach Cataloochee Horse Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 3.1 miBear left onto Caldwell Fork Trail, heading E.
- 4.7 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Good to know
- Horses allowed on the whole route
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Cataloochee Horse Trail Trailhead
- Cataloochee Horse Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 107 ft
- Boogerman Trail–Caldwell Fork Trail, 3 sights 11.4 mi · ▲ 1,178 ft
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