Chasteen Creek Cascade is located in the Smokemont area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While only about 15 feet high, the cascade is a beautiful destination for this easy four mile round-trip hike. The average grade is only 3% or relatively flat for the park. The route to the cascade starts at the north end of the Smokemont Campground. While the campground is open year-round, the northern section is closed in the winter. The seasonal closure adds another 0.2 miles each way to the hike, increasing the trip to 4.4 miles. Limited parking is available at the trailhead or near the gate closing the northern section of the campground.
To reach the cascade, begin hiking the Bradley Fork Trail. The trail follows an old road up Bradley Fork. In ¼ mile, the Towstring Horse Trail merges from the right. The rest of the route is a combination horse and hiking trail. Please be considerate on the trail and remember that horses have the right-of-way. We met one group of a guide and five riders on our hike. The trail closely follows Bradley Fork, although mountain laurel and rhododendron often block the view. At about 1.1 miles, the trail crosses a one-lane plank bridge over Chasteen Creek. Shortly beyond the bridge, the road forks with the Chasteen Creek Trail branching off to the right at about 1.2 miles from the trailhead. Turn right onto the Chasteen Creek Trail to continue to the cascade. Back country campsite 50 is located near here and is visible when there are no leaves on the trees. At one and one-third miles, re-cross Chasteen Creek on another one-lane bridge, this time with handrails. At 1.8 miles, look for a spur trail that veers to the left. Follow the spur trail past the horse hitching rail nearly to the creek. Follow a footpath upstream to the right for about 100 yards to the cascade.
While Chasteen Creek Cascade is not as well-known as other waterfalls and cascades in the park, it packs a lot of beauty into its small size. Because part of the campground was still closed when we hiked to the cascade one afternoon in late March 2016, our hike was 4.4 miles round trip. Even though it was a warm, dry day in the middle of spring break season, we saw very few other visitors on the trail.
Topographic map with GPS trail overlay
Trail elevation profile
Northern part of Smokemont Campground was closed
Bradley Fork Trail trailhead at northern end of Smokemont Campground
Bradley Fork
An unnamed branch flows toward Bradley Fork
Typical trail conditions
Another view of Bradley Fork
Mosses grow around a micro-waterfall beside the trail
Bradley Fork Trail bridge over Chasteen Creek
Chasteen Creek
Bradley Fork Trail continues to the left and Chasteen Creek Trail branches off to the right
Chasteen Creek Trail
Bridge over Chasteen Creek
Arch tree beside the trail
Hitching rail on spur trail below Chasteen Creek Trail
Foot path beyond the hitching rail
Chasteen Creek Cascade
Top of cascade
Bottom of cascade
Side view
View from downstream
Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.
Juney Whank Falls is located in the Deep Creek area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Bryson City, North Carolina. According to the National Park Service, the waterfall is most likely named after Mr. Junaluska "Juney" Whank, who is rumored to be buried in the area. A short, but fairly steep trail leads from the north end of the Deep Creek hiker parking area to the falls. While the trail is only about 0.3 miles long, it climbs 170 feet in less than a quarter mile before descending to the falls. The average grade is over 12% on a dirt and rock trail. The main trail passes above the falls, but a short spur leads down to the falls before climbing back up to the main trail on the other side. A sturdy bridge on the spur trail provides close-up views of the nearly vertical upper section of the falls. Below the bridge, the lower section is more a series of cascades that was partially obscured by storm debris. The total height of the falls is about 90 feet, almost even split between the sections. There were a fairly large number of people on the trail when we hiked to the falls in late March 2016, although there were times when no one else was visible on the trail. This is a beautiful gem of a waterfall that is well worth the climb to see.
Topographic map with GPS trail route
Trail elevation profile
The beginning of the trail seems easy enough
A trail-side cataract on Juney Whank Branch
The switchback at the cataract attests the true nature of the trail
Trail junction at the top of the switchback
A right turn at the junction proceeds up the hill
A steep descent leads to the falls
A bridge crosses between the upper and lower falls
Juney Whank Falls from the bridge
The falls from the end of the bridge
A closer view of the top of the falls
Lower section of the falls
A closer view of the lower section
Water drapes the rocks like gauze
Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.
Deep Creek Trail was one of the first trails constructed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Located entirely in North Carolina, the 14 mile trail begins on Newfound Gap Road less than two miles from the gap at an elevation of nearly 4800' and ends at the Deep Creek picnic area near Bryson City at an elevation of 1800'. The lower two miles of Deep Creek Trail follows the route of an old road. This wide gravel trail is open to hikers and bicyclists. Above the Indian Creek Trail junction, a horse trail joins the route as well.
Our hike began at the trailhead at the north end of the Deep Creek hikers parking area. Because of the ease of access to the waterfalls and the beautiful Deep Creek, finding a place to park can become an issue during busy times. Although the trail elevation profile below looks ominous, the entire climb was only about 150 feet in 0.8 miles for a grade of less than 3%. The wide gravel trail on such a gentle grade made for easy walking. At 0.3 miles, we stopped at a series of benches to view Tom Branch Falls across Deep Creek from the trail. Just short of one-half mile, the trail crosses Deep Creek on a sturdy one-lane carriage bridge. After crossing the bridge, another couple of benches overlook a pretty scene of whitewater on the creek. The gravel trail climbs a bit more steeply after crossing the bridge, but quickly descends to the Indian Creek Trail junction at 0.7 miles. We continued on the Deep Creek Trail for another few feet to the bridge over Indian Creek before retracing our steps to the junction. The lower part of Indian Creek Trail is also an old roadbed. The park service has been utilizing heavy construction equipment to improve drainage on both trails and the benefits are obvious. Only 200 feet up Indian Creek Trail, a short spur heads steeply down to the pool at the base of Indian Creek Falls. Instead of plunging over a precipice, the stream cascades over the rocks at a 45 degree angle. This creates a beautiful scene as the creek drops 25 feet into a pool at the base of the falls. After viewing the falls from the bottom, we continued up Indian Creek Trail for another perspective of the falls from above. We turned around about a tenth of a mile up Indian Creek Trail at another carriage bridge over Indian Creek for a total hike of 1.6 miles. We hiked in late March 2016.
Topographic map of route
Elevation profile
Trail begins at the gate beyond this dropoff area
Deep Creek
Heavy equipment has created a rut in the trail
Tom Branch Falls (60' high) flows into Deep Creek
A closer look at the falls
Several benches allow visitors to relax and watch the falls
Whitewater on a shallow part of Deep Creek
The gravel trail was formerly a road
The trail crosses Deep Creek on this carriage bridge
Deep Creek flows over a rock ledge just upstream of the bridge
Deep still waters of Deep Creek
The trail climbs a ridge, but remains beside the creek
Heavy equipment has been used on a drainage improvement project
Carriage bridge carries Deep Creek Trail over Indian Creek
Indian Creek from the bridge
Indian Creek Trail is another former road
Spur trail leading to Indian Creek Falls
Indian Creek Falls (25' high) is a slide instead of a plunge waterfall
A better perspective of Indian Creek Falls from Indian Creek Trail
Top of the falls
Another view of the sliding nature of the falls
The carriage bridge over Indian Creek above the falls was our turnaround point
Indian Creek from the upper bridge
Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.
