Enloe Creek  to Chasteen Creek With Rich

Friday April 13, 2007 

Dana Koogler and Rich Stevenson

Total Hike Distance 10.8 miles 

Pictures are HERE 

Enloe Creek Cascade Waypoint

 35.611300,-83.261200

Chasteen Creek Waypoint

35.587220,-83.310810

    Rich and I met at Smokemont Campground at nine a.m. Friday morning.  We'd been planning on camping, but the weatherman called for foul weather most of the weekend.   We decided to bag the camping trip and just day hike.   The weather started off cool and clear. Temperatures were thirty degrees to start with, but warmed up to sixty.  We got rained on several times through the day, but thankfully it was just short lived sprinkles.   It was great to see Rich and spend some time with him.

Below: pair of white trilliums along the start of the hike

   We left my jeep at Smokemont and headed over to Qualla Boundary to begin our hike in Ravens Fork.   On the way we spotted some members of the EBCI in their ceremonial garb.  They were over in the Oconaluftee  Pioneer settlement.   We began by hiking up Hyatt Ridge for 1.9 miles to the gap and from there picked up Enloe Creek Trail which leads downhill into Ravens Fork gorge and passes CS 47. The trail is 3.6 miles long and ends atop Hughes Ridge.  I had backpacked to CS 47 previously, but while it was a pretty trip it was lonely.   It was snakey being June and the grass was tall.  It was prettier today and far more enjoyable with a companion.   Lots of Spring wildflowers to see.    I noticed the park service added bear cables at CS 47.  I had to make my own when I stayed. 

Ravens Fork is a major stream in the Smokies, and has carved out a massive gorge in the mountains.   Boulders the size of buicks can be seen here in and along the river.  

   The stream is one cascade and placid pool after another.  Last Spring Bill Stowell, Kenny and myself bushwhacked up the gorge from Big Cove Road as far as The Big Boy which is a thirty foot cascade on the river.   It was tough going and not nearly as pretty as I had hoped.   It was a lot of trouble to make it back there for not much pay off.  

Above: metal bridge over Ravens Fork

Below: a scenic cascade on Ravens Fork 

Below: another scenic pool of water on Ravens Fork

Below: a pretty cascade on Enloe Creek

Below: the Enloe Creek trail is very pretty

     The forest is greening up and coming to life.   We noticed a recent cold snap had damaged some of the blooms.   Enloe Creek trail passes the stream and remains high above it for most of the way.  The slopes are steep at any given point, but at some places are a sheer drop.  We soon spotted a glint of white indicating we were paralleling Enloe Creek Falls.  Today we would bushwhack down to it for an up close view.   The slopes were mossy and green and bore white trilliums, squirrel corn, and dutchmans britches.  It was a nice looking waterfall of twenty five feet high and twenty feet wide.  It drops over a rocky ledge in the river.  We side hilled it around to where we thought we could get the best shot from the base.   Unfortunately there were still lots of tree limbs in the way.   I shucked off my boots, rolling  up my pant legs to above my knees.  I borrowed a hiking pole from Rich. I forded the creek to get a shot from the far bank.  He did not want to do this.  I eased into the cold water testing the depth as I went.  I believed I'd be no deeper than mid thigh after I tested it.  One false step though and I plunged in up to my hooha in that cold water.  I hurried to get up on the rocks.  I was setting up to take pictures when an ugly thought occurred to me.  I yelled back across the creek "NO PICTURES!"  "TOO LATE! " was Rich's reply from his side of the creek.  

Below: shallow spot where I tried to ford Enloe Creek. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Below: photo Rich took of me in my foolish creek crossing

Below: Enloe Creek Falls from the base unobstructed! 

Above: Rich grins down at me with a little smirk.  

          I got some shots and found a better way to ford the creek back across.  Despite his proclivity for blackmail shots he IS a good friend. He had rope and a helping hand to get me back up that slippery rock embankment safely.  It was worth it. A trip wouldn't be the same if somebody didn't pull a boneheaded move at some point, right? 

   We  had the steep, steep bank to go up to regain the trail. We crawled up it like dogs.  I told him when we got back to nice flat ground I could kiss it.   We continued taking in the sights of the creek below. It looked like a silky white ribbon running through green trees.  The trail itself was gorgeous.  We saw loads of wildflowers. Dwarf ginseng, yellow trout lilies, purple phlox, fringed phacelia like snow covering the ground in places.  Lots and lots of big trees.  Enormous yellow buckeye with their peeling bark and the shiny buckeyes they drop.  We decided to continue to the point where the trail crossed the creek and stop for lunch.   The crossing is over a foot log in a real picturesque setting.   We were refreshed and surprised by the unending beauty.  I would say that this hike is one of my all time favorites.  Mossy glens with rivulets of water streaming down to join the main creek.  Wildflowers carpeting the forest floor.   

Below: the steep bank we had to climb back up to the trail

Below: white ribbon of Enloe Creek slides down the mountain

     Enloe Creek begins its climb to join Chasteen Creek Trail atop Hughes Ridge.  We had a classic Dana & Rich moment on the trail.  Rich found a curry brush from a horse lying on the path.  He actually picked it up! (Can you say germphobe!) I asked him if I could brush his hair with it?  He said no.  I asked him if I could take pictures of me TRYING to brush his hair with it and him running away. Again he said no!  He hung it up in a tree so if someone saw it they could take it with them.   

Above:  another beautiful cascade on Enloe Creek. I think this one is my favorite.  

   We toiled bravely up the ridge. I huffed and puffed and had to stop frequently to blow my nose and sneeze.   Pollen was giving me fits of sneezing.  I said I'm so depressed then burst out laughing.   Rich asked why?  I said cause this is hard and I'm not very good at it.  I wasn't very convincing.  We went through one zone which was drab and lifeless. Spring had not arrived here up this high.    Soon we were on Hughes Ridge with only downhill or level hiking to go.  It was nice when we entered the balsam zone with the deep green-black rich firs.  

Below: This is a classic Smoky Mountains view. Enloe Creek above the bridge visible into the distance. 

    We met two elderly men backpacking on Chasteen Creek Trail as we were heading down.  I was wearing a red Bob Marley t shirt.   The first old guy remarked that his last name was Marley and made some reference to him being kin to Bob.  I asked him to sing us a song.  He didn't even know any Bob Marley music.    We visited with them briefly.  We got ready to push on the older one said  "Take off that shirt!"  My eyes widened and I answered him "I don't THINK SO!" I knew what the friend was thinking as he wouldn't make eye contact with me.   "Damn. I thought I could take him backpacking, but he's NOT READY. Look at his eyes! He's still crazy! Off his medication!"  The more reticent of the two with more restraint over his mouth indicated that they needed to get going.    I had to agree.   We mosied on. Rich never missed a beat, but told me "There is only one thing you need to remember about men. They are pigs!" I agreed and didn't let it bother me.  I told him I had come to expect some of that stuff from ODBs.  

Below: Dana Bee and Waterfall Rich on the bridge.  That is my red Bob Marley t shirt.  

      Chasteen Creek Trail begins at a swag on Hughes Ridge then goes down through another zone of dead and drab very briefly.   It was nice as we lost elevation to see things green up.  The patches of white trilliums and other wildflowers emerged once more.    Rich spotted a deep purple bloom and asked me what it was. We had run upon some purple larkspur.  It isn't real common.

It was a lot in one place too.   We passed CS 48 which is an attractive campsite.  We really liked this trail with its cascades, small waterfalls, and forest floor full of blooms.

Above:  trout lily by the trail

  

   We came to a point where we were high above Chasteen Creek to our right.   It wasn't long until we spotted an impressive long slide followed by a creek wide cascade.   It was very scenic.  Having never hiked the trail from this direction it took us a beat to realize that was Chasteen Creek Cascade!  We had both seen it before, but from the opposite direction.  It had a lot of water coming over it today.   We stopped to take pictures and enjoy the waterfall.    I stood there and pondered. I reached an important decision. "Rich, I have decided to take martial arts class.  Then when some fool starts some shit with me like that old guy today I can Kung Fu him!"  Rich laughed and said "Good idea,but be sure to tell 'em to lie still there for a minute. I've gotta take your picture. You're my first ass kicking!"  We had a good laugh over that. Stupid old guy telling me take my shirt off.  Ha-yah!   (click the link to hear my theme song) 😁

    

We came to the junction of Chasteen Creek trail with Bradley Fork Trail.  We continued on toward Smokemont Campground and my jeep.   The trail was wide, level, and follows Bradley Fork to our right.   The wide stream of Bradley Fork is beautiful all year long.  We came upon a clearing to the left where masses of purple phlox bloomed.   We turned aside to check it out.  Running cedar wound its way among the trees.  All this smelled great and looked even better.  We arrived at the campground at 8 pm.  It hit me we were done yet!  We had to drive back round to Straight Fork to get Rich's jeep.  We were both so tired, but stowed our gear and headed that way.   I remember us saying we now wished we had just camped. We could have rested then gone after the jeep the next day.   The weather turned out to be better than predicted.     

Below: Rich taking photos of the flowers and the cascades

Below:  a mass of phlox!  This smelled so good!  

  On the way to get the jeep we saw some elk grazing in a meadow.  They are neat looking animals.   I dropped Rich off at his vehicle and we said our good-byes.  On my way back out of Big Cove I looked at the mountainside looming above me.  The trees were not leafed out yet. I saw a huge black spot up there.  I first wondered if it was a cave entrance, but then the 'cave" started to move!  ;It was the biggest bear I've ever seen!  He was climbing round in the tree limbs and coming down. I wish I could have captured a photo of that, but at least I had the experience of seeing it.  What an acrobat he was! He was not exactly graceful, but he made up for it in size!  

Below: Chasteen Creek Cascade 

   I cranked up the radio for the long drive home.  I savored the events of today as I drove along.

Below is a video of Chasteen Creek Cascade in Spring though from another trip. 
I do not have any video of Enloe Creek or  the Ravens Fork Gorge. That footage was lost long ago on my other Youtube channel.