Raven Fork, Three Forks and the Big Pool

Matt, Brian, Aaron and me at Campsite 44 after our 10 hour 3.4 mile day. We hiked from 44 over Breakneck Ridge and down a drainage to Raven Fork at the Big Pool. The legend of the Big Pool is larger than the pool itself but nonetheless we had an incredible three days of backpacking and exploring a section of the Smokies I had never really spent a lot of time in. If you are wanting to just get to the Big Pool (aka Three Forks) just hike to campsite 44 then follow the spring branch down hill. When you get to the creek you are at the Right Fork of Raven Fork. Now turn left and go down stream a mile to the Three Forks. Return the same way. Allow about two hours to go down and three hours to go back up. Once you get in Right Fork it will be a creek wade...not a rock hop. Make sure you go back up the correct drainage to campsite 44 however. Someone has flagging at the mouth of a similar looking drainage but be aware. Trust your map reading skills. GPS had a hard time receiving satellites!

Finally at the Big Pool. You can see it just above my shoulder. It is 2.1 miles from Campsite 44 along Breakneck Ridge to Raven Fork. We left at 9:00 a.m. from the campsite and arrived at approximately 3:00 p.m. The rhodo was thick but not that bad. I have seen thicker rhodo in other areas of the Park. But it was slow going. Breakneck Ridge was very pretty with all the spring wildflowers and budding trees. We even found an anglers fishing net hanging from a tree up there.


About a 1/4 mile from Raven Fork (and to the west of the old trail which is not to be seen again once you leave Breakneck) we found this tunnel in the creek. It was one of the neatest things I have seen in a while. It reminded me of a miniature Arch Rock. It was about 15' long and about 3' high. (Click on the image to see it larger in a different window).

One of the respites during the hike off Breakneck was finding fallen Spruce trees. This one was probably 125' tall and provided us a place to walk out of the rhodo. Behind me is Matt, Aaron and Brian. This was a welcoming "sidewalk" through the rhodo!

Once at Three Forks/Big Pool area we fished a little, made hot drinks, had lunch, found the old campsites (which are still very well used), Aaron and I went swimming, Brian caught a small rainbow and we fixed his blisters. Around 4:00 we crossed Raven Fork and went up the Right Fork. We tried to rock hop for a while to keep our feet dry but after a hundred yards or so we gave up and just waded. If you return to Campsite 44 this way, make sure you know exactly where to turn off Right Fork to go up McGee Springs Branch. If not you will be thrashing around hopelessly! We arrived at the site at 7:00 so it took us about three hours to go up.

In the blue hikers guide printed in the 1970's by the Sierra Club, there is a description of the area including Breakneck Ridge and also in Ken Wise's book he gives a good description and a photo of the old campsite with old canvas tents with stove pipes coming out of their sides. Great photo. Again, if you are just aiming to go to Three Forks go down from Campsite 44 and back up. Allow from the site about five hours not including your time at Big Pool/Three Forks.

Gunter Fork Trip

Bushwhacking down Gunter Fork

Rhodo so thick its hard to see two people here. Most of the time we swam on top of it!

Gunter Fork Falls. Just above here is the Cascades. Just below is where the old RR grade comes in from the east.

Walnut Bottoms. Check out that Byer of Maine "Parachute Traveler Hammock"

March 27-28 I went with some new friends up then down Gunter Fork. What a wilderness! We went up the trail to the Balsam Mountain trail then bushwhacked all the way down to the RR trestle ruins below the falls. We found lots of old lumbering material and the old RR grades. The upper part of the creek itself contains many sharp rocks rather than the normal round rocks in most of the Smokies streams. I gotta go fishing there sometime...in the upper part. A pretty falls and an incredible cascade are worth the trip too! I was trying to relocate a Cessna 150 that crashed in the 1960s. It is still there but I could not find it.

Mill Creek Falls

I have seen this falls on my old maps for years. I visited once back in 1986 and did not have my camera so I went back last weekend. This is a terrific trip. The photo above shows the falls/cascades from about a hundred yards away. From the Cable Mill area, drive up the gravel road (Forge Creek) until you drive over the bridge. Just after the bridge look for a swampy area to the right and a small gravel pull off on the left. Park there (on the left). Walk into the woods and you will hear Mill Creek to your left. Don't go there quite yet; continue walking slightly uphill. After a few minutes you will see a rise to your right. Go there. On that rise is an old road. Actually there are two parallel roads. If someone can tell my why there are two parallel roads I would appreciate it. Stay on the road going away from your vehicle. You will cross many blowdowns along the way. After a few minutes the road will abruptly end at Mill Creek. Walk across the stream into the flats. Continue walking upstream now for about two miles. I tried to follow the road bed as much as possible going up but I took an easier route coming back (I stayed above the creek to the north...there is an unmistakable bear trail that you can follow that is out of the rhodo and away from the creek). Eventually the road will peter out and the going will get a little steeper. At the end of the steep section the terrain will suddenly flatten out and you will see the falls about 200 yards beyond. Take note of the interesting rock formations to your north and south. Cool cliffs and rock walls abound. In the Sugar Cove area between there and the end of the road, there is supposed to be a mill stone in or near the creek. I could not find it. Anyone know where it is?

So, here is the famed Mill Creek Falls. Myth or Fact? FACT!

Bote Mountain Mystery Rock

What is this? I have seen this rock on the right side of the trail on upper Bote Mountain Road for years. When I first saw it I immediately thought of a corn meal grinder. Or maybe a mortar and pestle? Anyway, its been there for years and is intriguing.

Steel Tooth near Collins Gap

My buddy Dwight McCarter and I hiked with Bob Lochbaum and Ken Wise on an unmapped trail near Collins Gap to find this relic. The trail comes to an abrupt halt and nearby is this steel tooth. We believe it was from a piece of road making equipment. The area where this trail is does make sense to build a road. A trail could have been planned this way and stopped. However this piece remains a mystery. Its about a foot long and is very heavy. I think it attaches to a backhoe or shovel machine and it came off or was discarded. In fact on modern road construction equipment these teeth are replaced rather than having to buy a whole new bucket or scoop.

Eagle Creek Copper Mine

Another "legend" I heard about growing up was the Eagle Creek Copper Mine. It supposedly had all the mining equipment still there, several pits and railroad ties to see. After investigating this legend I found out that it does in fact exist. I have been there four times and keep finding neat things. From Eagle Creek on Fontana Lake, go toward Campsite 90 but turn right into another draw. I will post its name later. Paddle about a mile and on your left will be an obvious opening in the woods. Immediately you will find railroad ties almost operating as steps up to the mine site Once there you will see the fenced in pits to your right and machinery to your left. Up on a rise to the left is this winch that my son is standing near.

These are the ties at one of the fenced pits.

Again, a photo of the winch.

Panther Creek Slate Quarry and Rail Car

Fact or Fiction? When I was growing up I heard about a train car still on its tracks in the Abrams Creek section of the Smokies. I hiked in three times to the Panther Creek area and finally hiked up far enough to find the answer. I will add more later but in a nut shell there are remnants of the quarry activity there! Below is the sky line that went from the north shore to the cart.


Here is Mike Wood kneeling at the arch behind the cart. The skyline apparantly looped here for its anchor.

An here is the cart...still on tracks! Not very large but a cart nonetheless! So....FACT!

Tri-pacer Airplane Crash

Here my friend Charlie Wimmer is at the crash site. This is close to Double Springs Gap shelter just off the AT a few yards.

The plane crashed in a snow storm and the pilot survived! I will add more details later.

Another look at the Piper Tri-pacer

Sugarlands Rock House

You gotta wonder who built this house, who visited it, who slept in it, what was cooked, how deep the snow ever got, how many animals came by and finally who was the last person to stay in it before it was torn down.

This is looking south from the fireplace hearth. Notice the beds to the right. I think I counted four sets of beds inside and outside the house. Two are beautiful with neat designs at the feet.

The hearth in the larger of the rooms. Pots and pans are still there lying even on the mantle.

Here is a map to the cabin.

This is a gas stove. It has three burners (which are still there).