Baskins Creek Falls via Baskins Creek Trail(edit)

Overview

This trail is a 2.7 mile hike in off Roaring Fork Motor Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Baskins Creek trail offers a connection between Grapeyard Ridge trail and Trillium Gap trail. It’s not nearly as popular as nearby Rainbow or Grotto Falls. The main highlight of the trail is Baskins Creek falls. Although the access trail to a cove below the falls is not maintained by the NPS, and is very steep in sections. Just use caution, if hiking to the falls. The trail climbs about 300 ft in elevation over the first half a mile, before descending down to Baskins Creek. After passing through the creek, you’ll climb again, this time approximately 500 ft. Make sure to see the sizeable oaks in this section. Once you reach the top of the ridge, you’ll hear the traffic on Roaring Fork road.

Getting Started

Park on the side of Cherokee Orchard Road right before the entrance to Roading Form Motor Trail.

Note that Roaring Fork Motor Trail is closed in the winter, but the walk from the car to the trail junction is 0.2 mile.