It was the last hike of 2017 and like last year what better places to finish up than in the Smokies on an outing to Indian Flat Falls, Saturday.
This hike was in the Tremont section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). It was only my second hike out of this section, the first was a year ago to Spruce Flat Falls. While the Spruce Flat Falls hike starts at the Tremont Center, the trailhead for Indian Flat Falls is at the end of Tremont Road.
This hike was in the Tremont section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). It was only my second hike out of this section, the first was a year ago to Spruce Flat Falls. While the Spruce Flat Falls hike starts at the Tremont Center, the trailhead for Indian Flat Falls is at the end of Tremont Road.
The path up is the wide Middle Prong Trail. The reason it was an old railroad bed and later a road, but it has a gradual incline. Some relics from these days can be found, including the remains of an old car about halfway up.
Before getting there one passes the Lynn Camp Prong Cascades which are pretty impressive. That is a feature of this trail as it runs parallel with Lynn Camp Prong. It reminded me of the hike up Bradley Fork Trail out of Smokemont, back in May, but the big difference it was much colder on this day with spots of ice on the trail plus a little snow.
About three-fourths the way up the trail Indian Flat Prong joins Lynn Camp and it is here that the path switchbacks away from the water, but it will eventually come backcrossing at a footbridge. It is not too long before there is a bend in the trail. Middle Prong continues up while a single path goes the right down, tenth-of-a-mile to Indian Flat Falls.
The falls is a four-tiered cascade, but only the upper two are visible from here. You can bushwack to the other two, but it is dangerous and messes up the vegetation...so don't.
Because I only needed to complete a two-tenth stretch, I heard up to where the Middle Prong Trail ends and two other trails (Lynn Camp Prong & Greenbrier Ridge) meet with it. Anyway, the hike back just followed the same path, except downhill. Did find an old chimney that I missed on the way up. This hike was a great way to finish out 2017 and the first outing of WinterOitdoors '17-18. Oh, and I finally visited the Towsend GSMNP Visitor Center.
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