Enloe Creek Trail

At a glance

• Length: about 3.5 miles as mapped by the National Park Service
• Stated hiking distance: 5.6 miles round trip
• Route type: Out and back
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Surface: Native
• Area: Cataloochee and Hughes Ridge, North Carolina
• Highest point: about 4,840 feet
• Lowest point: about 3,630 feet
• Total one-way climb: about 1,210 feet
• Total one-way descent: about 750 feet

The trail connects Pretty Hollow Gap Trail with Hughes Ridge. Its two mapped ends are in different places, so retracing the entire route doubles the distance.

Getting to the trailhead

Enloe Creek Trail lies in the Cataloochee and Hughes Ridge area. Cherokee, North Carolina, is about 9 miles away in a straight line.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is about 15 miles away, and Pigeon Forge is about 20 miles away. Sugarlands Visitor Center is about 15 miles away. Nearby airports include McGhee Tyson Airport and Asheville Regional Airport.

On the trail

The route follows the Enloe Creek drainage through cove hardwood and northern hardwood forest. It receives light use and offers a quieter backcountry setting than the popular valley trails.

The creek corridor provides wildlife habitat and spring wildflowers. Enloe Creek Falls is near mile 1.4.

The first mapped point is about 4,400 feet, while the last is about 4,840 feet. Expect both climbing and descending in either direction.

Nearby mapped places include Enloe Ridge, Hyatt Ridge, Hughes Ridge, and campsites #47 Enloe Creek and #48 Upper Chasteen.

When to go

Spring brings wildflowers to the creek corridor. Check current conditions and alerts on the park’s National Park Service website before choosing a date.

Before you go

Carry water, pack layers, and prepare for a native trail surface. Check current park alerts and trail conditions before departure.

Follow posted rules and leave no trace. Confirm the intended turnaround point because the mapped trail connects two different locations.

Questions