Walk to Spruce Flats Falls 

Kenny & Dana Koogler 

Sunday November 23, 2025

  

We hiked to Spruce Flats Falls on a Sunday morning.  With a lot of other people too.  

Below is a video of the falls and sorry, but there are people crawling all around in it.

The Cat Stairs Trip Report

The Cat Stairs Trip Report 

3-6-2007

Dana Koogler & Tom Dunigan 

9 miles Round Trip approximate 

with approx. 7 of those miles being off trail 

 The Cat Stairs is the northwest end of the Greenbrier Pinnacle. It is a mountain in the Greenbrier section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.   The route is a navigation challenge as well as a physical challenge.  I have made that climb three times.  The first time was with me and Kenny.  That was about 2005 The second time was with Bill Stowell and that was about 2006.   The third and final time was March 6, 2007 with friend Tom Dunigan. He is the creator of the much loved, well used Tennessee Landforms website.   Tom called me up and wanted to experience this off trail venture.  I had always said I'd not do it in snow, but that just goes to show... never say never.   

     The first trip with Kenny I was very proud of because I planned the route 100% myself and 

nailed it!  The first trip up there was quite a struggle.  We climbed the ledges of rock up the end of the mountain hand over hand super steep.  We finally got to the top and what was funny was you arrived at the top to find you had to crawl through a hole in the rhodo that a dog could barely fit through.   We were happy to drop down to our knees and crawl since that was easier than what we'd just done.     It went on for quite a ways and finally opened up only when we met the unmaintained Greenbrier Pinnacle Trail.   It was once an official park trail that went up to the summit of the mountain to an old fire lookout tower.    We went to the tower site that time to sit down and rest before beginning our descent.   

       The Greenbrier Pinnacle trail is no longer officially maintained, but it was in pretty good shape that day.  It looked good to us as it was something of a trail whereas we'd had none up until then. It also was welcome since the way was all downhill or level from there on out.    We walked the Ramsey Cascade trail the final bit to the road and then down the road closing our loop at the jeep.   

     Bill Stowell and I did it the next time.    It was far easier since I'd done it before not that long ago.   It was made even easier because trees had fallen on the rhodo tunnel at the top and we could just walk across the mountain top instead of crawl!  We had to pick our way over and under a few trees, but it was nowhere near the struggle as the first time.  

       I actually have the typed trip report from mine and Tom's trip which I am putting on here for posterity.   It is such a difficult trek that I took very few photos. It really isn't the place to be dragging out a camera and trying to take photos.   

   One of the things that led me to want to do this hike was an old friend who passed away around 2015.  He was a hoss among men.  He was a guide and an avid hiker. He set records in hiking all the routes of LeConte with Lee Lewis. within 24 hours!  He was employed at the time I met him at The Happy Hiker store in Gatlinburg.   He told me once that you didn't know nothing of the Smokies unless you knew where the Barnes sisters were buried.  I didn't realize it at the time, but hiking the Cat Stairs Route was the time I was to find where they were buried and where their family homestead was!  

     

  Tuesday  morning I met Tom at the parking area for Ramsey's Cascade. We left his vehicle there and took the jeep down the road to begin our day of hiking.He had wanted to climb The Cat Stairs, and asked me to lead the way.  He was kind enough to lead me on a trip up Marks Creek Manway to the falls so I was happy to return the favor. Kenny and I had done this trip a little more than a year ago, and we enjoyed it.  I enjoyed Tom's company of course so I was glad to spend some time with him. He is a fun person to hike with.  The weather today was sunny with clear blue skies and temperatures perfect for this trek.

     It warmed into the sixties which was nice especially on the uphill portions. A couple thoughts went through my mind as we started off.  I was thinking how nice it was going to be that we had a shuttle today, and wouldn't have to walk the additional miles on the road like last time.  I was thinking how I hoped my recall on the journey was true.  Lastely, I wondered if Sunday's snow fall had melted or if we we encounter ice and snow on that dark underbelly of Greenbrier Pinnacle where the Cat Stairs lay?  I had always said there were two times of year I'd not climb it.  Winter in snow and ice and Summer when the snakes were out on the rocks. 

                 We headed up  the mossy old road grade that begins at the side of the Greenbrier Road up to Ramsey's Cascade.  It is a narrow path that travels between crumbling rock walls covered in moss.  The path is not maintained, but enough people make this trip up to the Barnes Place to trample it down. It isn't hard to follow this far.  A year ago when we made this trip the first time we saw rock cairns pile up leading the way until about 1/2 mile past the Barnes Place. Today we saw one rock cairn the entire time.

Someone had knocked them all down and scattered the rocks, but it made no difference to me.  We made our crossing of Bird Branch and a nameless little feeder stream. Today I was relieved to know in advance that the grade would be almost constantly uphill although gentle at first.  The first time I thought I was really out of shape and suffering until I looked at the elevation profile when we got home.

The hike gains 3000 feet of elevation in 3.4 miles by the time you reach the summit. We covered the trip to the top in 3 hours. I was pleased since I am so slow and out of shape. My short legs cannot keep pace with that long-legged, lanky Tom.  He makes it look like a walk in the park on level ground!

     We arrived at the Barnes Place. It is another old homesite here in the Smokies.  There are many like it. It is a special, kind of sad place since the three Barnes daughters ... all children, are buried here.  Their grave sites and markers are surrounded by a single strand of barbed wire, and the ground here is covered in green velvet moss. The cabin site sits just a bit further past the cemetery.  There are two springs here The ground around the Barnes homestead is something odd to see in the Smokies.  The cleared level field which stood before the cabin is covered in grass tussocks, and is low lying and boggy. A small bog type pond is across from the girls graves. It is strangely out of place here.  The chimney pile of the old Barnes cabin still stands and is a crucial landmark for this trip. The path gets notably harder to discern here, and one must go behind the chimney and head left into the woods to find the way.  The path is very difficult to spot and grows fainter beyond the cabin site.  Animal paths cross and re-cross in a maze from here on out. 

above: the Barnes sisters graves.  Rosy ( 8yrs old), Julles (2 yrs old) and Della Lenora Barnes (14 months.old)  Ok Povy.  I know where they are buried! 

Above: The chimney of the Barnes homestead .

Below: Looking back down the chute we just climbed.  The photo does a poor job showing the difficulty and steepness.

below: looking up at the hole in the rhodo we are aiming for up top.  

Below: where the Cat Stairs are located on the map

Above: various points along our journey this day. 

above and below the cistern hole at the old tower site on the summit. You can see our packs in the bottom image.

Below: Dave Landreth took this photo of Steven climbing the Cat Stairs.  He let me use it to show a bit more of the climb.  Thanks Griz!  

above: the view of Mt. Leconte from the overlook on the Greenbrier slopes. 

     We traversed left and continued up until we came to a level clearing.  I saw a bluff line and had that odd feeling I was getting ready to repeat a  navigation mistake from the previous trip. We stopped to let me check my bearings, and Tom entered the way points I had given him earlier.  As he was entering the coordinates I stood there and shut my eyes and listened. I could hear the trickle of water. Funny how that sound helped me figure out where we were.  At once I knew we were on the right course and had not gone astray.  I could hear more water bubbling. There is a rock walled spring and I remembered we had not passed it yet.  A few steps more and we did pass it. The water I heard bubbling was not from the spring since it barely had any water, but was from stream seeping down the bluff a bit further on. WE found the now more or less level path that lay just below the ridgeline and continued.  This is a very pretty trail and while it has some blowdowns is easy and there is a view in the distance of the mountains.    Before too long we came to the real place we made the mistake before.  Kenny and I had gone low and left to the base of this massive cliff on our first trip. Today I was able to avoid that and we made a right turn and positioned ourselves on the spine of the Cat Stairs. 

    The wind storm of October 2006 had put a lot of blown down trees over the already hard to follow track.  It forced us to do some circumnavigating. We stuck to the spine though and were able to stay on course. I don't know how other people are, but I tend to make difficult journeys seem easier in my memory. Today was a wake up call that this trip was a butt kicker before and today was no different. What really hurt was coming to parts I'd conveniently forgotten.  Like the false summit. It all came back to me as we climbed up, up and more UP! Today we climbed the false summit in three inches of slippery snow! We'd take one step forward and two steps back. We made it though and when we arrived at the portion where it leveled off and I laid eyes on the true Cat Stairs I was one happy woman.

I'd gotten us this far. I walked over and took a look at them. Snow and ice on the rocks. Well, I'd deal with the climb after I'd refueled.  I sat down on a dry spot in the sun to rest, eat and rehydrate before we began the climb. I wouldn't even let myself think about it right now.  I knew full well I hadn't gotten this far to    chicken out and turn around. We were going to make it and that was all there was for it. 

    Tom loaned me a pair of gloves which I was happy to put on.  I lead the way since I'd done this before.  He had three remarks for me. 

1. Let me know if you're gonna fall so I  can get out of the way. 

2. No use taking pictures right now. When you're not the lead dog the view never changes.

3. Do you want to turn around and smile for this picture or will a view of your butt have to do?  

He sounds like some of my other friends. 

    There was glaze ice and snow covering sections of the rock and scattered all over the climb.  Fortunately it wasn't that bad, and I found that adrenaline is a great eye opener.  It helped me pull off some moves I didn't even consider before and spot some hand and foot holds that I hadn't seen previously. The climb actually went better than the first time. I fell into my unfortunate habit of not giving a crap about taking pictures.  I just wanted to live through the experience. Call it a weakness.  We  had some nice views of the AHHHHHH! behind usonce we got to a level spot and could survey where we'd come from.  I must really love this climb or I wouldn't keep going back for more. Looking back down the chute is quite an experience.  We kept pushing on until we got to the point where I could see the little hole in the rhodowe were to aim for. The Autumn windstorm had opened up things considerably up top. Now instead of one hole there were two! Instead of getting up there and going through the single hole and being forced to army crawl for 1/4 mile you can stand up almost at once! The top of the ledge here sticking off the northwest end of Greenbrier Pinnacle is 25 feet wide in total.  You can see from one side to the other easily.

There is but one path along it that it is obvious.  We pushed our way through shrubby, tangled heath. Finally we came out at a point where there is a clearing and a trail junction. The path goes right to an outstanding view of Mt. LeConte and down off the mountain or goes left to the Greenbrier Pinnacle summit at 4.476 ft elevation and an old fire tower site.

We spoke to a group of gentlemen hikers who were finishing their lunch at the overlook. They wondered where we came from? We continued our trip to the firetower site and the high point.  The old tower site has a crumbling old chimney pile and you can see where the watchman's hut stood as well as the tower.  The tower was dismantled long ago. One stick of metal rail is all that is left of the tower.  I was fascinated by the cistern up there. I have seen cisterns atop mountains before, but this one is a perfect circle and held a frozen pool of water. We sat in the sun and ate a snack and talked a bit before starting down the mountain. 

The Greenbrier Pinnacle trail used to be a maintained part of the regular system of trails in the Smokies.  We both wondered why the decision was made to let it go to unmaintainted status? It is still traveled enough to be easily followed and is in fair condition. There are some massive trees up there along this hike. There are some very cool rocky outcrops. There is one rock house along the way and you could see where someone piled wood to build a fire beneath it.  

    On our trip down the mountain we overtook the group of five older gentlemen hikers. 

We stopped and spoke with them at streamside and went on past them. On the trip down Tom spotted a white patch of ice or water on the slopes of Mt. LeConte which he believed may be one of the waterfalls on Cannon Creek.  He is probably right. Cannon Creek is supposed to have three waterfalls on it. I have made it to the first one. I have not visited the second and third despite a couple attempts. We ambled down the trail and before long came out on the Ramsey Cascade Trail. I was real pleased to have navigated it successfully. and me the challenge yet again.  The hike distance was 8.4 miles round trip. 

 An aside to this story. Taking photos of this trip is something I've found to be difficult.  It requires too much of my physical energy and mental focus to be worried about pictures. 

It also is frustrating to show the scope of the climb to portray the experience accurately. 

While I do not recommend this trek for most people it is a fun and daunting challenge for experience off trail hikers.  There are many other interesting features to the climb if you hunt them.  Different routes can be taken. The one I chose was the simplest and easiest.

 An alternative way to experience parts of this journey would be to simply hike the old Greenbrier Pinnacle trail and go up to the overlook and the fire tower site

 

 

Sams Creek Manway

above: pioneer junk.. an old wash tub lying about on the manway

Sams Creek Manway

Kenny & Dana Koogler 

 Sunday Nov 16 2025

 We had quite spell of sickness the past two weeks. Plans blown to smithereens for our 41st Wedding Anniversary.   None of what we had planned took place.   Despite all that by Sunday Kenny was finally well.  We were able to attend worship service at our home church Rocky Branch Baptist.    We went home after to have lunch, rest and see what we'd make of the rest of the day. The weather was beautiful. Clear and crisp with the temperature seventy degrees at the house.    Kenny asked me if I'd like to go over to the park to take a stroll?  I was happy to hear him say it.     I'd had more than enough being cooped up.   

     We went over to Tremont around 3:30 p.m. to find plenty of parking at the road's end.

Still a fair number of hikers out and fishermen, but not a terrible crowd.   I still wasn't in the mood for a bate of hikers so we chose Sam's Creek instead of the main trail. It had been way too long between visits.   It was beautiful.  We got out of the truck where we parked. The holler back there was dimming by that time and the temperature was sixty-three degrees!  A little chilly with my shorts on, but I got moving and I was perfectly comfortable.  

       We encountered more fellow hikers on this manway than I ever have before.  We saw at least eight people. Six out of them were leaving as we arrived.  The last two were coming in as we hiked out.    We ended up hiking a bit further than we'd thought. Kenny was so fatigued on Friday that just being out for a little over an hour to eat at McAllister's did him in.   I did not want to press our luck by going too far.   We enjoyed the pretty scenery, fallen leaves, little bit of remaining color, history, the cascades and the start of Betsy Lee's Stick Season!  

       Below: the steel I beam bridge over Sam's Creek

above and below: two views of spots along this lovely stream. 

Below: Kenny ahead of me on the manway with the sun still in the sky, but the gloaming has come to this holler.   The dimming of the day. 

above: old wash tub junk at Long Branch crossing. If you look closely you can see this was bridged at one time. 

above and below: looking at the rock work of the old bridge abutments and walls on Long Branch

Below:  you can see the sun and Autumn colors high up, but down lower near this beautiful stream it is darker and cooler.   It is tranquil and pretty. 





Last of all is a short video clip of the stream and some mournful music that sets the mood for the place.  The music is Autumn Stillness by Violin Sky

  I cannot hike back here without thinking of Big Will Walker and his many wives. Two of which helped him bear the children that led to me having ALL FOUR of my grandchildren!  

I hope when I get to Heaven he is one of the first people I get to see to thank him.  God is great every single day.  His wonders to perform! 

Gobey Four Wheeling in Autumn to Boogs Den

above: photo of the cover of a book written by Jean Pollard and Barbara Ellis Langley.

It can be purchased at the Morgan County Historical Society Museum in Wartburg.  It tells the story of Boogs Den. That is how I came to know of it.  Here is a link to the small business spotlight article that tells about my visit to the museum. 

Gobey Four Wheeling in Autumn to Boogs Den 

Saturday  Nov. 1, 2025

Dana & Kenny Koogler

Photos are HERE

Gobey Directions HERE 

Sat. Nov. 15, 2025-- I am making a note here to say that after nearly 12 years of blogging, I had a mishap. I was over half done with typing this trip report last night when I lost ALL my work.

One time in twelve years isn't bad, but it was very discouraging.    I am starting over fresh today. I hope it will be even better than it was.  I am going to keep it down to the condensed version as I don't think I have the gumption to do more than that right now.  Remember, Back up all work! 

Friday Oct. 31 we decided late in the evening that on Saturday morning we'd get up and go out to Gobey.  The weather had cooled down a lot making it a great time to hunt for off trail stuff.  We'd had rain so the original plan was find Boogs Den cave then go over to Devonia and hunt waterfalls.       We set out at a decent time Saturday morning.  It felt great to be actually carrying out a plan instead of merely talking about it.    It was nice too that it wasn't such a long way from home.   We parked, unloaded, stowed all our gear in the RZR and set off.  The temperatures were in the upper thirties.   The weather was calling for a clear day that should warm up some.

    We had to cover some of the same ground today as we had our last ride out here. Kenny pulled up Lifetime Maps and showed me the way we needed to go.   He suggested taking a slightly different course to find the cave. It would run us by Shroom Rock which we had never visited.

We realized Friday night we had also never visited Gobey during Autumn.   We were to find out we were indeed late to the party.   

        We started enjoying beautiful Autumn colors almost immediately. The climb up to Shroom Rock was pretty and fun.   It wasn't a long ride until we got arrived at Shroom Rock and got out of the machine to see it for ourselves.  It indeed looks like a giant mushroom made of stone.

above: I liked the bright red leaves against the blue sky

Below: the trail we rode had large rocks all along it. 

Below: Shroom Rock was impressive

Below:  the climb up the mountain to Shroom Rock was pretty

Below: partial view on the ride to Shroom rock

above and below: spot we stopped to look around at Shroom Rock.  Kenny with our RZR.

    Next we pushed onward along the Rock Ledges Trail toward the next thing the map program indicated.  It pointed out "Home Site" and "Graves 1858".  We enjoyed the crazy climb and jostling around among golden leaves.   Towering rock bluffs and mountains made it enjoyable also.

Below is a video clip of that section of our ride

 

  We did find the "home site" and I found one possible grave stone.  A fellow on Facebook showed me a photo of one of the for sure graves.   Just before that spot we passed the big turn with the three crosses and a nice view. 

      

Below: a pretty view from three crosses in Fall

Below: three crosses for three dead men

Below:  this is what sat at the homesite.  a flat area where a house may have stood.  This is all that remains.  

Below: backed up to give a broader look at the home site 

Below: what may be a grave marker 

Below: asters blooming late into the season 

  We kept going along Rock Ledges Trail and began to see familiar terrain where we needed to stop to hunt for Boogs Den cave.  This is as good a place as any to include a snippet about where it got its name. It was named for a man who lived in the area called Boog Davis.  He hid in the cave during the American Civil War. He did not want to fight on either side.  Barbara's book outlines the specifics as to what his reasons were.  Tennessee seceded the Union by only one vote.  It was split almost down the middle in sentiments for and against the war.  Mr. Davis found himself caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.  God will have to be his judge as to whether he did right or wrong.   I think it is possible many East Tennessean's had the good sense to see that there is no such thing as a winnable war.  Everybody loses in one way or another.   We followed a side path that led up to the rock ledges.  We began to hunt for a cave. 

Below:  view from the top of Rock Ledges 

Below: I am standing on one part of Rock Ledges and you can see Kenny in his orange on another part. 

Below:  at one point I thought the cleft in the rock face might be the cave. It wasn't but we were getting closer.  

Below: I am working my way along the base of Rock Ledges toward the sound of Kenny's voice. He was yelling to me that he had found it!

Below: looking up at the bluff from its base as I work my way slowly along toward Kenny

  I was encountering lots of briars and vines and hitchhiking seeds.  It made me glad we had seen wisdom of waiting for colder weather to make this attempt.    I kept going toward Kenny and sure enough there he stood in front of a cave entrance with a tree growing near the mouth of it!  Just as described in the book!  We were thrilled to have found it. We spent longer than we realized exploring the area.   We found NO graffiti and only one piece of human trash. A long mashed plastic gallon milk jug.   It was not 100% pristine, but nearly so.  This lets me know that the folks who are aware of it and visit here are good stewards of landforms and history.   

Below: the mouth of Boogs Den cave. It is formed in an interesting way.  Bryan told me it is made this way because it sits on the Tennessee Valley Divide.  It is cleft from the top upward.  The tree grows near the base of the bluff and if you look up through the split you can see its upper limbs bend over the top entrance to the cave.    

Below: Looking out the mouth of Boogs Den. I liked the layered look of the rock.

Below: you can really see the split where the cave is on the divide line & the tree bending over it. 

Below: I am looking up through the split in the cave ceiling

Below: sunbeam illuminates the cave all the way to its back parts

Below: Kenny looking of the cave mouth for scale! 

Below is one of my doodles of how the cave seems to be.  I want to go back and check it out from the top next go round. 

Below is a video of Boogs Den Cave

  Eventually we snapped out of our trance and realized that if we were going to see anything else today we had to get on with it!  We went back to the machine and had a quick lunch and something to drink.  We motored onward. The next part of the ride was fun, but repetitive since we'd seen it before in June.   I did take some photos, but not many.  

Below:  This is a view coming off the back of the mountain toward Pilot Mountain.  

Below:  a snapshot of fiery red sumac leaves and puffy gray goldenrod gone to seed

Below: We passed through this stand of pine trees on the ride off Pilot Mountain.  

  We got down off Pilot Mountain and back round to Gobey Road.   We headed outward to the end past the gates.   We began seeing lots of rigs parked for folks to ride. Then we began seeing riders!  Lots of nice people had the same idea, but despite that it was not crowded and we only saw them along the main road.  We didn't encounter anyone on the trails themselves.  

      We did see a coal storage bin today on the ride up to the mountain top at the end which we had never noticed before.  Something to be said for every season. The colors out here were amazing!

above and below:  pretty colors looking off the mountain top near the end of Gobey Road

Below:  a trail intersection today

   I asked Kenny where we were going? He told me we had to get to a big intersection near the mountain top.  It didn't take too long until we got there. He stopped and showed me on the map program where we were. He then proceeded to show me what we needed to do to get where we were trying to go look for waterfalls.  He looked at the map and then at me and said "It's a long ways."  You may believe me when I say I can control my mouth.  I didn't say a word, but my face gives me away every time.   Kenny took notice of my horror and then began trying to back pedal.  "Well, it's not THAT far. " which was followed up by a lot of wild equivocating.  I call it "talking out of boths sides of  yer mouth."  

  Then I had my second epiphany of 2025.  I recognized that Kenny had the rabies again!  He loses his mind and gets over ambitious like a beagle on the scent of game in the woods.  I don't do the chasing rabbits thing too often.   It was already four o'clock pm.   The day had darkened and was turning cooler.   The long established pattern over the years of misery trips in the RZR where the ride got too long to suit me. The conditions got too uncomfortable.  I bucked up and said "Oh hell no!"  Not doing that today. "  Kenny knew better than to test my resolve so he began heading back off the mountain.  

He did not go without a bit more equivocating.  He doesn't mean to lie to me, but he lies to himself and believes it so he is crazy.  One of us has to remain sane and reasonable.  That would be me! 

        I convinced him that the trip was too ambitious for a short Fall day. It needed to be two trips instead of one.   I did not want our good day to become a misery trip.  Let's instead go back down the mountain enjoying the scenery and hit some of the good spots on the way.  He agreed that was a fine plan.  I actually got it on video tape him admitting that he was glad I had sense to talk him off the ledge.     We enjoyed seeing the Emory River and its historic railroad bridge ruins and Fall colors.

We stopped in Oliver Springs and got groceries for me to cook us a nice hot meal at home.  We arrived home tired and dirty, but in good spirits.  Not exhausted and me angry.  

       It was a far better plan.  We will return and hunt the waterfalls we wanted to see, but we will try to find a parking spot closer to them or head there first.  

above: Emory River and a set of railroad bridge abutments

Below: a cascade across the Emory River

Below: second set of bridge ruins on the Emory River 

Below:  close up of leaves on the river 

Below:  colorful red leaves and a small cascade at the second set of bridge ruins

      I leave you with a short video clip of the Emory River, bridge ruins, cascades and beautiful colors.

Gobey is pretty in Any season and as Kevin Crites put it "Now you see why I spend so much time up there!" Indeed I do my friend.  You are a wise man.  There is hope for me yet.  I am learning how to manage my sweet, but overzealous husband and his trail rabies.