Bullhead Trail - Bullhead Trail in the Smoky Mountains

Bullhead Trail
Trail Features:		Views / Interesting Geology
Trail Location:		Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Roundtrip Miles:		5.9 miles
Total Elevation Gain:		1607 feet
Avg. Elev Gain / Mile:		545 feet
Highest Elevation:		4217 feet
Trail Difficulty Rating:		9.11 (moderate)
Parking Lot Latitude:		35.67582
Parking Lot Longitude:		-83.48527

Directions to Trailhead:

Starting from Light 8 in Gatlinburg, turn onto Historic Nature Trail / Airport Road. At 0.7 miles, veer right onto Cherokee Orchard Road, upon which you will enter into Great Smoky Mountain National Park. After driving another 2.2 miles, you will enter the one-way Cherokee Orchard Loop. After driving about 0.6 miles on the loop, the Bullhead trailhead will be on your right. (If this parking lot is full, there is an auxiliary parking lot about 0.1 miles further down the road)

Trail Description:

Right before turning into the parking lot you may have noticed a locked gate blocking an old gravel road. This gate marks the trailhead for the Bullhead Trail. You'll need to follow this gravel road, which is actually the Old Sugerlands Trail, for approximately 0.4 miles before turning left onto the Bullhead Trail.

Just over a mile into the hike, the trail begins to ascend more rapidly as you climb the Bullhead. Over the next mile or so, you’ll pass many rock cliff faces. At roughly 1.5 miles, you’ll pass two small caves created by overhanging rocks.

After climbing the Bullhead, the trail begins to level off and you begin to catch glimpses of some of the surrounding mountains. Almost straight ahead, Balsam Point will come into view (picture to the left). If you were to choose to hike another 4.2 miles and go all the way to the top of Mt. LeConte, the trail would take you up the north face of Balsam Point before exiting onto the ridge to the right of the mountain. Another option, if you still have the energy, would be to hike another two miles to this ridge, which affords outstanding views on either side of the ridge.

However, if you’re goals aren’t as lofty this day, you could end your hike at the rock cairn located nearly 3 miles from the trailhead. The cairn was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps back in the 1930’s. By standing on it you'll have some fairly good views of the mountains to the east and northeast of you.