Rough Fork/Caldwell Fork/Big Fork Ridge Loop, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
12/8/2021	9.9 miles	5 hours 5 minutes	1,816'	2.0 mph	533.4

Parking: Rough Fork Road

Maps:

• 100 Favorite Trails of the Smokies and the Carolina Blue Ridge (for directions)
• National Geographic Great Smoky Mountains National Park East, Clingmans Dome, Cataloochee
• Gaia Gps app (with National Geographic layer)
• Hiking Trails of the Smokies (guidebook)

Directions:

• See 100 Favorite Trails map

Carolina Mountain Club Challenges:

• 100 Favorite Trails #35

This week I discovered that National Geographic produces produces two 1:40 scale maps for the Smokies, which are so much more useful than the single 1:70 scale map. I immediately ordered them. They are an improvement, though I still sometimes feel like I need a magnifying glass to see some details. One nice feature with a paid subscription to Gaia Gps, is that you can choose your map layers. One of the options available is the National Geographic map. And bonus, you can zoom in and see the details more easily on your phone.

On the drive to the hike, we passed several meadows, and saw an elk herd. We were the only car at the trailhead, and saw no one on our hike. The hike starts out on a nice level section of the Rough Fork trail. We visited the inside of the Woody House, built in the 1800's. After that we started climbing. I was out of breath. I needed to take many rests. Ugh. When we turned onto the Caldwell Fork trail, we got a break, and started descending. Many parts of this hike are actually nice level trail. The Big Fork Ridge trail has a more gradual climb.

We came across puffball mushrooms. I have never seen them before (I didn't even know what they were before moving to NC). I just had to squeeze a couple. What fun :)  This hike has a number of log bridges.

On our drive out, we got stuck for a while with an elk standing in the middle of the road. And another car approaching us, stuck as well, with the elk between us. A number of people I think drive down the road to the trailhead to watch the elk.