Rich Mountain Trail - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Returning to one of our favorite places in early April 2014, we hiked the Rich Mountain Trail from the parking area at the beginning of the one-way Cades Cove Loop Road to the John Oliver Place.  This 2.8 mile round-trip hike is fairly level at an elevation of just under 2000 feet.  Since the trail is also used by equestrians, it is more rutted than many other trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Trail route

A short walk leads from the parking area to the trail head

The trail head is on the right side of the road just past the gate

The trail is very rutted due to equestrian use

Several places along the trail were muddy...

...while other portions of the trail were in great condition

Spring wildflowers were in bloom

Deer in the meadow

The trees were just beginning to bud

"Two crops can be harvested each year.  First stones and then corn."

Crossing Crooked Arm Branch requires some rock hopping

The Crooked Arm Ridge trail junction marks the ½ mile point

The trail is in markedly better condition past the junction

Rock hopping is also required at this unnamed stream

More wildflowers in bloom

There is very little undergrowth in this part of the forest

Additional plants are sprouting

A hard-packed dirt portion of the trail is followed by ...

...another rocky section of the trail

Another unnamed stream is crossed without a bridge

More wildflowers

Evidence points to hikers and horses walking around this tree instead of jumping

Remnants of a pine tree splintered in a storm

Most downed trees have been cut and moved off the trail

More downed trees from the tornadoes of a couple of years ago

First view of the John Oliver place

This cabin was built in the early 1820's

Windows were a luxury that only a few could afford

Many structures in the cove are listed on the National Register of Historic Places

View of the cove and the mountains from the porch

Deer were still grazing in the meadow on the return hike

"Purple mountain majesties"

Thunderhead Mountain from deeper in the cove

There is no fee to enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm.