BRADLEY FORK
Location: Western North Carolina
Trip Starts: Smokemont Campground
Trip Ends: Smokemont Campground
Total Distance: 16.6 miles
Hike Type: Roundtrip, Loop Hike
Hike Difficulty: Difficult
Trails Used: Chasteen Creek, Hughes Ridge, Bradley Fork, Dry Sluice Gap, Smokemont Loop
Trail Traffic: Light to Moderate
Trip Type: Multi-Day Hike
More Information:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-1200
Highlights:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses 800 square miles of land and 95 percent of it is forested. The park is world renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal resources and for the beauty of its ancient mountains. This loop hike is on the western side of an area known as Hughes Ridge near Smokemont Campground. It starts around 2500 feet, climbs the ridge to roughly 5000 feet, and descends back to the campground following both the Chasteen Creek and Bradley Fork drainages.
More Details:
- click to see trail photos from this hike in Great Smoky Mountain National Park: January 3, 1998
- click to view a detailed trip report of this backpacking trip to Bradley Fork: January 3, 1998 (password required)
- click to read a daytimer report of this hike along Chasteen Creek: January 3, 1998 (password required)
- click to view maps of this hike near Smokemont Campground: area map, detailed map (password required), profile map
- click to see a Great Smoky Mountains National Park map, Great Smoky Mountain National Park trail map
- click to see a recap of our annual cold weather Klondike Hikes into the wilderness which began in the early 90’s
- click for the hiking and backpacking trails discussion forum on other Long Distance Trails
- click for the hiking and backpacking trails discussion forum for other Southeastern Destinations
- click for more hiking and backpacking books on the Appalachian Trail
- click for access to the guidebook Trail By Trail: Backpacking In The Smoky Mountains which has details on this destination
- click for other North Carolina hiking and backpacking books
- click for other hikes in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
- click here to add your hike, trip report, or feedback for this destination
