Accessibility – Moderate+
Height – 50′ (over a number of drops)
Distance – 5.4 miles (out and back)
Beauty – 3
Photo rating – 3
Solitude – 8
GPS Info: LAT 35.47067 LONG -83.57728
Last Updated – 12-23-2024
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Where to park: The parking is at “Road to Nowhere”, the tunnel in Bryson City at the and of Lakeshore Drive. There is a parking area about a tenth of a mile from the tunnel. The GPS for the parking lot is 35.45893, -83.53768. You do need a parking pass, and it is a good idea to check the park website to make sure the roads are open. You can visit the park website at this address.
https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm
The hike: From the parking lot, walk the extension of Lakeshore Drive past the bollards and head through the tunnel. if you’ve never been to the tunnel, it’s neat to walk through. On the other side of the tunnel, the road will change to dirt and start heading down. After 2.1 miles you will pass the Whiteoak Branch Trail on the right. In another tenth of a mile there is a confusing trail junction, so you need to pay attention. The Lakeshore Trail makes a right and goes over a bridge. If you’re not paying attention, you will walk past the turn and continue straight onto the Grey Wolf Walk. If you do miss the turn, you will have a nice view of the lake in about 0.6 of a mile. After making the right you will pass a side trail to the Woody Cemetery.
After navigating this intersection, the trail will descend more steeply until reaching a T intersection with the Forney Creek Trail next to backcountry campsite CS74 – Lower Forney. Make a right onto the Forney Creek Trail. Hike the Forney Creek Trail for 0.4 of a mile to the junction with the Bear Creek Trail, which comes in from the left. Turn here and cross the bridge. The trail with climb and pull away from Bear Creek, and then go through a sharp left switchback and head back to the creek. In all you will be on the Bear Creek Trail for 1.2 miles. There isn’t an exact spot to leave the trail. I left it at: 35.47137, -83.57762. Head straight down the bank to the creek. We crossed to the other side and explored several of the drops. We did all of our exploring on river right, following what was left of an old road. There is no “main” drop, just a series of smaller drops adding up to “Upper Bear Creek Falls.”
