Trillium Gap - Baskins Creek Loop + Twin Creeks

Date: 12/28/13
Distance: ~13.8mi

Today I hiked several trails that are around the Roaring Fork Motor Trail.  I parked in the Rainbow falls parking lot and started my hike on the Trillium Gap Trail.  The trail parallels the road for about 2.3 miles.  The road is always in sight, so it was nice that the road was closed for the winter.  Once I reached the Trillium Gap parking area, I took to the road and went down the  mountain.  The walk down the road was about 1.5 miles to the Baskins Creek Trail. I did spot 3 deer on the side of the road on the way down to the trail.

Once on the Baskins Creek trail, you almost immediately pass by a Cemetery.

About 1.3 miles down the trail, a sign indicates that you should take a side trail to the falls.  The side trail is probably about 0.2 miles with a big descent to the bottom of the falls.

A father with 3 young boys were at the falls.  He indicated that they had come directly up from Gatlinburg somehow and a group I passed on the way out said that they had left a car "at the bottom".

Shortly after returning to the main trail, a sign points to a side trail indicating the Baskins Creek Graveyard.  It was a bit of a climb to this graveyard which was perched on the side of the mountain.  It wouldn't would be much fun carrying a casket up to this graveyard.

 Once back at the car, I ditched the pack and walked down to the Bud Ogle Cabin so that I could hike the Twin Creeks trail.  This is the cabin.

After looking around for several minutes, and not locating the trail, I hoofed it back up to the car and drove to the bottom of the mountain.  I parked across the street from the Twin Creeks sign and headed up the mountain.  As it turns out, the trail terminates on the Nature Trail.  I turned around and made my way back down to finish off a nice day.

Trillium-Baskins loop

Twin Creeks up and down