Grapeyard Ridge to Engine Creek Loop

 

Grapeyard Ridge to Engine Creek Loop
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
December 7 - 8, 2025

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Blog:

The Grapeyard Ridge and Engine Creek Loop was a great hike on basically two “unofficial” Smoky Mountain trails mixed with a little Application history to boot. This is a great hike if you have never gone backpacking before as it is low mileage split up over two days, and there is nothing too strenuous about the trail. The Engine Creek campsite is also one of my favorites so far in the Smoky Mountains.

- Smoky Mountains Area Trail Map -

This trail system is located in the Greenbrier Ranger district of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and was once home to several Appalachian communities and is ripe with history. First inhabited by the Cherokee Native Americans then around 1800 the first permanent white settlers moved in. There are many grave sites and cemeteries located all around this area. (1)

I parked at the Greenbrier Ranger Station and hiked 0.8-mile down Greenbrier Road until you come to the Rhododendron Creek Trail. There will not be any sign, and you will not see it on the park's trail map as it is an unofficial trail. It will be easy to follow as there is a worn path, and it follows the Rhododendron Creek the whole way.

My Route:

	Greenbrier Road	......	0.8 miles
	Rhododendron Creek Trail	......	1.1 miles
	Grapeyard Ridge Trail	......	2.4 miles
	Engine Creek Trail	......	2.4 miles
	AllTrails Links: Route | Profile

Rhododendron Creek Trail is only about a mile long with a gentle uphill grade for most of it, but you will want to take your time on this one. There are many cascades and waterfalls to view as the trail winds its way along the creek. I am pretty sure the majority of my hiking time was spent on this section of the trail trying to take in all of the waterfalls. There will be one substantial uphill section just before you reach Grapeyard Ridge, and it is at this spot the creek forks.

- Along Rhododendron Creek -

Grapeyard Ridge will follow the northernmost fork of the creek, and the trail will continue to climb. There is Rayfield Cemetery along this trail, and I wanted to go check it out, but it is on top of a substantial hill and looked overgrown. I plan to go back and try and find it as I feel pretty confident that bushwacking will be envoled. The trail continues to climb as you pass through a little Rhododendron tunnle just before you get to the top.

From here you will start to descend and will swing around a bend where the “engine” of Engine Creek lays. Part of the logging history associated with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a Nichols & Shepard steam engine that was used to power a sawmill. This particular steam engine was on a tractor frame and fell off the trail and was left in the creek. I have looked up the manufacturer and model, and while I have not found the exact one, below is a link to old Nichols & Shepard catalogs.

· http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=2548&tab=3

And here is a link to another blog that I thought was interesting regarding the engine...

· https://npplan.com/parks-by-state/north-carolina-national-parks/great-smoky-mountains-national-park-park-at-a-glance/great-smoky-mountains-national-park-greenbrier-region/great-smoky-mountains-national-park-nichols-and-shepard-steam-engine-wreck/

- The Steam Engine Behind Me -

From the little bit of cursory research that I have done Engine creek used to be called Injun Creek. With Injun not being referred to as Indian but the way in which “engine” was being pronounced in the area (2). So, the creek is named for this Steam Engine that fell into it with the name officially being changed in 2020 (3). This is a nice little piece of Smoky Mountain history.

From the steam engine it is just under a half mile to trail that will take you to Campsite No. 32 Engine Creek. This is also the start of The Engine Creek Trail that is another unofficial trail in the Smoky Mountains. I do really enjoy this campsite as there is grass and the two times staying there it has always been a nice, soft lay. Both times I have slept well here. There was another group who posted up for the night as well.

It was a cold night, but fortunately there was no wind, and we were able to get a nice little fire started. I was warm and cozy in my sleeping system and did not have any problems during the night. The next morning, I got another little fire going, had a good breakfast, packed up, and was on my way.

Going from the campsite down Engine Creek towards the ranger station is a downhill hike and very easy-going. After 0.7 miles from the campsite, you will hit a side trail that will take you to the E. E. McCarter Cemetery. A lot of the names and dates have worn of the headstones there, but from what I can gather a lot of children are buried there.

- E. E. McCarter Cemetery -

I could not find much of anything regarding E. E. McCarter and the only McCarter that seems to pop up on the Internet is a Jacob Tyson McCarter. Tyson, as he was known, lived in the area from 1870-1950 and had a farm where a few of the outbuildings still stand. Those outbuildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (1).

After the brief stop there is was back on the Engine Creek Trail for a bit, until I got off trail to look for the John Ownby “Cemetery”. After I made it there I did see there is a “trail” further up Engine Creek where you don’t need to bushwack as much. From what I can John Ownby is the only one buried here.

John Ownby moved to the Greenbrier area around 1818, and he was a veteran of the War of 1812. He settled downstream from the Whaley’s, and those two families became the predominant people of the Greenbrier area (1).

Great hiked mixed with history, and I cannot wait to get back to this area. As always, my friends, hike on and stay safe out there!

Footnotes:

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenbrier_(Great_Smoky_Mountains) 

(2) https://hikinginthesmokys.com/grapeyard-ridge-trail/
(3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_Creek

Pictures:

Story Links:

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Smoky Mountains Backcountry Permits
• Smoky Mountains Greenbrier Page
• AllTrails: My Route  |  Profile
• Instagram Profile
• YouTube Channel

Starr Mountain Loop

Star Mountain Loop
November 23, 2025 / Cherokee National Forest

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Blog Entry:

The main reason for this hike was to shake out my new Hyperlight Southwest backpack that I just got. Wanted to get a good hike in with it loaded up to see how it did, and I will give you a rundown of it at the end of this blog post. I also chose this hike because it is an area I have not much explored except for the Gee Creek Hikes I have done. I tried Starr Mountain on the Gee Creek side, but that trail is heavily overgrown, and I could not complete it with Frank.

My Route:

- Click Here To Open AllTrails Route -	(1) #127 Hogback Spur	....................................	1.5
	(2) #126 Hogback Horse	....................................	2.9
	(3) CR 44	....................................	0.9
	(4) #120 Starr Mountain Horse	....................................	3.1
	(5) #123 Yellow Creek	....................................	1.7
	(6) #122 Burkett-Ivin	....................................	0.2
	(7) CR 44	....................................	0.2
	(8) #126 Hogback Horse	....................................	1.1
	(9) #127 Hogback Spur	....................................	1.5

 

My route started off on Forest Trail No. 127 Hogback Spur that is a nice, wide, soft trail with a definite forest feel to it and less of the temperate rain forest you get in the Smoky Mountains and other parts of Cherokee National Forest. It does have a slight uphill grade, but nothing difficult. There are several places where you can pull off to the side and get a beautiful view when the leaves are off the trees.  

- Along Hugback Spur -

At the trail junction with Hogback Horse trail, I took it to the left and as you wind around the trail, it opens at times to give an actual prairie feel with long, tall, wispy grass. Today was a bright sunny day, and without leaves on the trees it amplified the strength of sun. Hogback Horse trail ends at County Road 44 where you follow the road until you arrive at Starr Mountain Horse Trail #120.  

After a short climb you reach the ridge line of Starr Mountain. I am not sure how it is in the summer with leaves on the trees, but at the time when I was hiking it the sun did beat on me and felt intense. There are some spaces along this section of the hike that provide some good views of the surrounding area. Right before you hit the Yellow Creek trail, there is a picnic table that provides a great please fir a break and take in the view.  

- Sitting Along The Ridge of Starr Mt. -

The Yellow Creek junction will be on the right side of the trail and is easily missed, speaking from experience. This trail narrows and takes you back into the forest where you are once again surrounded by trees along with large groupings of rocks in a few different areas. I found this to be a pleasant walk and got a little reprieve from the harsh sun. The trail ends at the Buckett-Ivin Trail #122 and after just under a quarter of a mile you cross a bridge over Yellow Creek and meet up with Country Road 44.  

You are not on Country Road 44 as long this time before linking up to the northern section of Hogback Horse Trail #126 where it widens again. Like most of this loop, the walk through here is very nice and easy going. This section of the trail will transition out of forest to prairie as you hit the junction with Hogback Spur where eventually it transitions back to forest. Hogback Spur is the only section of the loop you will have to hike twice. Of course, the lighting was different my second time around that gave me a whole different effect over one of the mountain views. It lit in such a way that I almost thought I was looking at a painting and not real life.

- Evening View Along Hogback Spur -

I would say this hike was better than expected, but I am sure the sun and the clear blue sky had something to do with it. I would like to see during the summer when leaves are on the trees as I am sure it would cover up some of the fantastic view I had. I might actually take Maggie back to this area and try and do a shorter version of this one. As always my friends hike on, and stay safe out there!

Story Links:

• Cherokee National Forest 
• Hyperlight Southwest Backpack 
• AllTrails  -  Trail Recording  |  Profile
• YouTube Channel 
• Instagram Profile

Story Pictures:

Rainbow Falls & Trillium Gap Loop

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Mount Le Conte - September 11, 2025

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Blog Entry:

- Area Trail Map -

I chose a very grueling hike to test out what kind of shape I was in, so I planned on taking Bull Head up Mount Le Conte and then Trillium Gap back around. This is probably the longest Mount Le Conte Loop hike, and it would have been over a 20-mile day with over 5,000 ft of elevation gain. I forgot the Bull Head was closed during the week due to trail renovations, so I had to audible and go up Rainbow falls trail. I would still end up with over 18 miles and by the end I was wasted.

I have done this loop a few times, but I usually take Trillium Gap up, and Rainbow falls back down. I Chose to do it this way because one, Bull Head was closed, but two I wanted to the higher elevation gain going up to judge my strength. It also has been a bit easier on my knees lately, doing the slighter grade down.

- Rainbow Falls -

The Rainbow Falls Trail is 6.7 miles to the top of Mount Le Conte. It gets its name from the almost 80-foot waterfall located just 2.8 miles up the trail. This waterfall is the highest single drop waterfall located within the bounds of the Smoky Mountains National Park. From here it is another 3.9 miles up to where the trail ends at the Le Conte Lodge.From there I hiked up to Hight Point, that is the true summit of Mount Le Conte standing at 6,593 ft. After I tagged to the top, I went over to Myrtle Point where I had my brunch, coffee, and did some rehydrating for the push back down the mountain. I also took in some great views as well.  

- At the Summit of Mount Le Conte "High Top" -

To get to the Trillium Gap trailhead I had to back track past High Top where the junction is right before you get back to the Lodge. Trillium Gap is an 8.9-mile trail that has the lowest elevation gain of any of the Le Conte trails, but the lesser elevation is traded for a longer trail. After 3.6 miles you will reach the Brushy Mountain trail junction and from there it is about 1.5 miles to Grotto Falls. Grotto Falls is a 25 ft waterfall and is the only waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that the trail takes you behind the falls. Once past Grotto Falls it is roughly another two miles of trail that will follow the Roaring Fork Motor Trail road back to the Rainbow Falls trailhead and complete the loop.

A challenging but still one of my favorite hikes in the park. To break it up and give yourself more time you could always spend the night in the shelter on top of Le Conte. You will need to get a permit to do this, and there are no fires allowed there. As always, my friends hike on and stay safe out there.

- The Grotto Falls -

My Route:

- 3D Rendering Of My Route - Links to AllTrails: Route | Profile	Rainbow Falls Trail	....................................	6.7
	Trillium Gap Trail	....................................	8.9
	Total Miles Hiked	....................................	18.94
	Total Elevation Gain	....................................	4,288 ft
	Total Time	....................................	14:08:38

Pictures:

Adventure Links:

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park 
• GSMNP PDF Trail Map 
• GSMNP Permit Site for Backcountry
• AllTrails:  My Profile  |  Adventure Recording 
• My YouTube Channel
• My Instagram Profile
• My Website

Related Adventure Links:

Return to Frank's Rock

Return to Frank's Rock
Somewhere in Tennessee | June 14, 2025

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Blog Entry: 

This tribute video to Frank has been over a year in the making. I wanted to do the hike closer to the one-year anniversary of his passing the rainbow bridge but did not get it done for a few months after that. Between being busy at work and technical difficulties uploading the video to YouTube I had to scrape my first edit and do it again on new video editing software. Finally, I am able to share my tribute hike with you all.  

Words cannot do justice to my feelings about Frank, so this video is my attempt to do so visually. Frank was the sweetest, gentlest, and bestest dog companion a person could have so I hope it comes through. 

Thanks for watching, and as always, hike on and stay safe!  

Video’s Featuring Frank: 

	Hiking the North Old Mac Trail with Frank Frozen Head Stat Park, Wartburg, TN January 12, 2020 YouTube Video
	Hiking North Fork Citico Creek with Frank Cherokee National Forest, TN September 5, 2021 YouTube Video Chiney Top / Spicewood Trail Loop Frozen Head State Park, Wartburg, TN September 26, 2021 YouTube Video
	Mill Branch Trail – Day Hike Cherokee National Forest, TN February 20, 2022 YouTube Video
	Hiking Bald River with Frank Cherokee National Forest, TN May 15, 2022 YouTube Video  |  Blog
	Camping at Frozen Head State Park with the Dogs Frozen Head State Park, Warburg, TN July 8, 2022 YouTube Video
	Fall 2022 Frozen Had Hike with Frank Frozen Head State Park, Warburg, TN November 14, 2022 YouTube Video  |  Blog
	Slave Falls, Twin Arches Double Loop Hike Big South Fork, Oneida, TN December 30, 2022 YouTube Video  |  Blog
	Hiking Somewhere to Nowhere Cherokee National Forest, TN August 5, 2023 YouTube Video  |  Blog
	Hiking up at Norris Dam Norris Dam State Park, Rocky Top, TN September 3, 2023 YouTube Video  |  Blog
	Took the Bird Dog to a Brid Park and Did Bird Dog Things Seven Island State Birding Park, Kodak, TN December 12, 2023 YouTube Video  |  Blog
	The Old Mac Loop Frozen Head State Park, Warburg, TN March 24, 2024 YouTube Video  |  Blog

Video Dialog During Reflection Scene: 

There are often small events in life that create big turning points. One such event was running into a German Shepperd puppy at a camping trip over eight years ago. Whatever the reason Mary Ellen decided at that point we were getting a dog and along came Earl.  

I never wanted a dog, I was a cat guy, but Earl taught me that I was in fact a dog guy. When I saw Frank pop up on the foster’s socials it was a no brainer that we got him as Earl could use a companion. Larry was a bit more of a fight, but Mary Ellen was right, and he fit right in and our three stooges were born. 

For whatever reason Frank and I bonded, and he quickly became my ride or die pup. He would actually wake me up on the weekends if I did not get up early enough, so I could watch him run out in the yard while I drank my coffee. He was sweet, loyal, and just the bestest boy!   

Frank loved to go hiking with me and would get super excited when we went on our adventures. He would probably do double the milage as he would go from one side of the trail to the other looking for chipmunks, squirrels, birds, and such.  

When Frank crossed over the rainbow bridge, he left a huge gap in our hearts and our lives. We still had Earl and Larry, but Frank was the life and soul of our yard. He was always running, chasing birds and butterflies, so with Frank who needed TV. So, Frank now works behind the scenes and has led us to some very special dogs.  

Because we needed life in the yard again, we decided to adapt a little English Pointer Maggie, who has taken up Frank’s gusto in the yard and goes hiking with me. Frank led us to Greece, where we found Cookie who possessed that sweet setter personality and gentleness. Finally, back to Greece one more time as we await our little Turner who is Frank’s doppelganger in appearance.  

We may be a little crazy, but I am certain Frank has had a hand in all three for our new arrivals. Frank will be forever missed, but he lives on in our hearts and these three new fur babies. 

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