Twin Creeks Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Spring · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The trailhead is very hard to find. The lettering on the signs is hard to read. The trailhead is right before the gates on the right and the closest parking has room for only one car. This area has been heavily damaged by the fires and downed trees are everywhere.

Twin Creeks trail is a pleasant, short run that is both easy and great for all ages. Running along this trail, there's a creek on the left known as LeConte Creek. If you've been to Rainbow Falls before (seen on the Rainbow Falls Trail), this is where the water came from. Runners can either park a car at the Ogle Place Parking area, or run to the end of the trail and back for a total of about 4 miles.

Soon, runners will find the remains of an old homesite. There are still foundations and walls standing there, a testament to time from long ago.

About 1.5 miles in is a small footbridge that crosses a creek. At 1.9 miles, the trail comes to an end (runners can take a small loop trail known as the Noah Bud Ogle Place Nature Trail).

The Smokies are home to more than 1,600 species of plants, most of which produce an abundance of flowers in the spring. These species include mountain laurel, rhododendron, azalea, and many others. Spring wildflowers peak from early April through late May. To learn more about the plants of the Smokies and even get a trees and shrubs checklist, visit the park's website.

As for local fauna, black bears are common in the area, along with white-tailed deer and 31 species of salamanders.

Birdwatchers can spot a variety of species, notably the northern flicker (Colaptes auratus) and red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus).

For more information on black bears, refer to this webpage.