Trail Map (click to enlarge)

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See the Cosby Region web page for an interactive location map.

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Length: 13.5-mile loop
Time: 9 hours
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous

This loop hike begins on the Low Gap Trail before switching to the Appalachian Trail, and then returns back to the start on the Snake Den Ridge Trail. It covers the Low Gap and Snake Den Ridge trails in their entirety, and of course only a small portion of the 2,185-mile Appalachian Trail. Not many people are going to set out on a hike that is 13-miles long, but for those looking for a loop hike, this is as short a route as you can get in the Cosby area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The only other choice is a partial out-and-back hike on one of the long trails, which entails seeing everything twice, something I always try to avoid.

Being a loop, you can hike in either direction. On some loop hikes, starting out a particular way can save extra climbing, but in this case it probably doesn’t matter which way you go because the uphill sections are about equal in either direction. For the record, my description follows the clockwise route starting on the Low Gap Trail.

As for the amount of water to carry, if you are hiking in the cooler weather, a gallon should do. In the heat of the summer I highly recommend two gallons; anything less and you’ll be rationing it. That’s an extra 16 pounds in your back pack, but it will get whittled down to nothing by the end of the hike.

LOW GAP TRAIL

Start of the Low Gap Trail

The hike starts off on the Low Gap Trail at the Cosby Campground. There are a number of places where you can access the trail from your campsite if you are camping at Cosby, but for those driving in for the hike, the starting point is a hiker parking lot located on the left before you reach the campground registration office. If you notice on the above trail map, my start and end points are different. I actually started from near my campsite (green square on the map) but walked back to the parking area (red square). However, I will describe the hike starting at the hiker parking lot. A sign marks the trailhead.

The most confusing part of the hike is just getting out of the vicinity of the campground. The Low Gap Trail intersects twice with the Cosby Campground Nature Trail, plus there are all sorts of paths leading to and from different sections of the campground. Most of these intersections are well marked, but a few remained unidentified. Once you get out of the campground area the hike is pretty straight forward, and all intersections have excellent directional signage.

The Low Gap Trail passes through the campground area on a slight incline with terrain typical of the Smokies—rocky and rooty so that you need to watch your step to avoid twisting an ankle, but not so bad as to hinder your hiking pace. Shortly after passing the Cosby Nature Trail is a fork with no sign posted for direction. Stay to the left and you will cross the first of two small streams on what I call an “Indian Jones” bridge. These bridges are single logs with a railing, the type bad guys could rock back and forth to cause you to fall to your death as you try to escape across the river. I do not know the name of the first creek, but the second is Cosby Creek. Neither are formidable, and you could easily cross them on stepping stones, but bridges are provided.

Cosby Creek crossing

Just after crossing Cosby Creek you will pass another intersection with the Nature Trail. A few minutes later the trail dead ends into another trail without any indication of which way to turn. This is actually the Lower Mount Cammerer Trail. Taking a right will bring you back to the campground by way of crossing a very small pond on another Indiana Jones bridge, so you therefore must take a left. There is another intersection within stone-throwing distance, but this time trail signs provide direction. Take a right to stay on the Low Gap Trail (towards the Appalachian Trail). At this point you have made it out of the campground area, about .4 mile from the starting point.

In less than a half mile down the trail is another unmarked intersection on your right followed immediately by a marked intersection with the Cosby Horse Trail, also on your right. Taking a right on the unmarked trail leads down to Cosby Creek, while taking a right on the Horse Trail leads to an Indian Jones bridge over the creek. Both come out within a few yards of each other. The unmarked trail is simply the path horses take to cross the creek, for they obviously cannot cross on the bridge—unless you have a very talented horse. The bridge option is there because hikers can use the horse trail as well. For a good photo you may want to take this side trip down to the creek, and either trail will get you there. The better photo is of the bridge and creek from the horse crossing, versus a photo of the creek taken from the bridge. Regardless, be sure to make your way back to the Low Gap Trail and continue towards the Appalachian Trail when you are done.

Bridge over Cosby Creek

Up until this point the trail has been fairly level for a mountain trail. However, once you pass the Cosby Horse Trail intersection, the Low Gap Trail begins a relentless uphill climb all the way to the Appalachian Trail, with difficulty ranging from moderate to strenuous. To make matters worse, there’s not a thing worth seeing once you leave Cosby Creek. I know many people just like to hike in nature and others just want to get some good exercise—I’m not one of them. As a photographer, I prefer trails with scenic views, waterfalls, or some sort of historical structure along the way. Trees and more trees are all you will find once you leave Cosby Creek.

In a little over 2 miles from the Horse Trail (2.9 miles from the start) you will arrive at the intersection with the Appalachian Trail. The Low Gap Trail climbs nearly 1,800 feet over the course of these three miles. It took me about two hours to reach this point, but I am a slow hiker and often stop to take photos.

Typical terrain of the Low Gap Trail

Appalachian Trail

A trail sign marks the intersection with the AT. Take a right in the direction of the Cosby Knob Shelter / Camel Gap Trail. The trail runs along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, veering in and out of each state along the way.

The uphill climb continues for another .6 mile, leveling out for a very short stretch near the Cosby Knob Shelter. The forest is not as dense as on the Low Gap Trail, and you finally get some sun shining on you, but the trail terrain is as rough, if not rougher. At certain areas the rocks actually impede your progress. Some rocks are so large that you have to step up onto them, or if coming the other way, step down, similar to stairs. For anyone with knee problems, this is a minor setback but not a deal breaker.

Stone and log steps populate the opening stretch of the AT

As mentioned, the level area does not last long and you are soon back to an uphill climb, though this time around the ascent is only of moderate difficulty. Of course after already hiking three miles uphill, fatigue begins to set in and even a moderate climb can seem more difficult. Luckily this climb only lasts a half mile, and at 4.25 miles into the hike the terrain becomes a mix of easy to moderate inclines and declines populated with level stretches in between. It remains this way until you come to the next intersection—the Camel Gap Trail—at the 5.3-mile mark. Keep straight to stay on the AT and to reach the next destination, the Snake Den Ridge Trail 2.3 miles away.

For a mile and a half past the Camel Gap Trail, the AT becomes a roller coaster of small hills. Along the way you get a rare, non-obstructed view of the Smoky Mountains. When hiking in the Smokies you are often on the mountains, but because the trees are much too dense you rarely have a clear view of them. You’ve heard the saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” Well here in the Smokies “You can’t see the mountains for the trees.”

Clear view of the Smokies from the AT

A mile from the intersection with the Snake Den Ridge Trail, the AT takes a turn for the worse and begins a strenuous uphill climb. To top this off, after already hiking nearly seven miles, the trail is filled with more large rocks that require you to constantly step up and down. This will definitely wear you out.

The Snake Den Ridge Trail intersection comes at 7.7 miles into the hike. Over the 4.8 miles on the AT you climbed another 1,420 feet, more than 300 feet less than the ascent on the Low Gap Trail, and that climb was done in just 3 miles. Thus, while the AT had a final strenuous push to the top of the mountain, most of the trail was just moderate in difficulty.

Snake Den Ridge Trail

I have written before that whenever you piece together two or more trails to make a loop hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there’s always one that is fun, while the others suck. On this hike it is the Snake Den Ridge Trail that is the fun one, and not just because it is downhill. You will get another unhindered views of the Smokies, you will pass a refreshing cascade and an old cemetery when you get closer to the campground, and you will have a number of creek crossings on Indian Jones bridges.

A large boulder, along with a trail sign, marks the intersection of the AT and Snake Den Ridge trails. Stay to the right to make the trail switch and head back to Cosby Campground. The first .7 mile of the trail is a mild, uphill climb that ends at the intersection with the Maddron Bald Trail. Stay straight to remain on the Snake Den Ridge Trail. At this point you have reached the summit of the mountain, so from here on out the hike is pretty much downhill.

For the first two miles after turning off of the Appalachian Trail, rocks litter the path as if a prison chain-gang came through breaking large boulders into rubble. Even though you are walking downhill you really can’t go much faster than you could when traveling uphill. As bad luck would have it, as soon as the rocks thin out, roots appear, so there always seems to be something to hinder your progress. Fortunately, after two miles, while never rock and root free, the trail does get a lot better.

Rocky terrain of the Snake Den Ridge Trail

At the 10.5-mile mark, the trail begins to descend on a series of switchbacks down a very steep hill. At the bottom is an unmarked spur trail that leads to an overlook where you can get a clear view of the mountains—this is only the second time you can see the mountains during the entire hike.

Clear view of the Smokies from the Snake Den Ridge Trail

A half mile farther down the trail brings you to Inadu Creek where you will find two small but picturesque cascades of water, one on either side of the trail as you cross the creek on stepping stones.

Cascade at Inadu Creek

From here on out the trail is often within hearing distance, if not sight distance, of a number of creeks. A half mile from the Inadu Creek is Rock Creek, though this time you make your way across on an Indiana Jones bridge.

Bridge at Rock Creek

Bird’s eye view of an Indian Jones bridge

The traditional hiking trail terrain comes to an end around the 12.5-mile point, and you will find yourself on a gravel road for the last half mile. When you come to an unmarked intersection (Cosby Horse Trail), stay to the left. The campground is just a quarter mile away.

Not too far from the campground is an old cemetery known as the Williamson Cemetery. Most of the tombstones belong to members of the Williamson and Campbell families, though other families are represented as well. Here you will find the grave of Ella Costner, who, according to the tombstone, was a POW in World War II and was once the Poet Laureate of the Smokies. She died and was buried in 1982, long after the park was created. Of course you don’t have to hike 13 miles to see the cemetery, for it is just a ten-minute walk from the Snake Den Ridge Trail trailhead located at the B-Loop of Cosby Campground.

Ella Costner grave (2/18/1894 to 7/11/1982)

Joseph Campbell grave (12/3/1816 to 5/23/1894)

You will finally reach Cosby Campground after hiking 13 miles, though you still have to walk a half mile through the campground before getting back to the parking lot. Total distance is around 13.5 miles, and it shouldn’t take you more than 9 hours to complete the hike.

CONCLUSION

The majority of the hike is moderate in difficulty, though there are some pretty steep hills that veer into strenuous territory. However, with more than thirteen miles of ground to cover, even moderate climbs can seem much tougher after a while. Since there isn’t much to see, I only recommend this hike for those who like hiking or for those who want some exercise, for the scenery alone does not justify the effort.

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