Kanati Fork Trail – Kanati Fork Trail in the Smoky Mountains

Read this disclaimer before using any information on this site.

Kanati Fork Trail
Trail Features:		Wildflowers
Trail Location:		Between Newfound Gap / Cherokee
Roundtrip Miles:		4.0 miles
Total Elevation Gain:		1495 feet
Avg. Elev Gain / Mile:		748 feet
Highest Elevation:		4328 feet
Trail Difficulty Rating:		6.99 (moderate)
Parking Lot Latitude:		35.58792
Parking Lot Longitude:		-83.36356

Directions to Trailhead:

From the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, drive 21.4 miles south along Newfound Gap Road, 8 miles past Clingmans Dome Road. The parking area for the Kanati Fork Trail is easy to miss. The parking lot will be on the left side of the road; however, the trailhead is on the

opposite side of the road. If you reach the Kephart Prong trailhead, you’ve gone a half-mile too far.

From Cherokee, go north for almost 12 miles on Newfound Gap Road. The parking lot will be on your right.

Trail Description:

The Kanati Fork Trail follows the Kanati Fork Creek for the first half-mile or so into this hike. Since the creek is in the valley about 50 feet below the trail, you’ll only be able to catch a few glimpses of the stream as you climb upward.

Through the lower portion of the trail you’ll notice a lot of rhododendron next to the trail and in the valley to the left of you. As the Kanati Fork Trail meanders up hill, you’ll pass over several small creeks. The trail is a steady climb, but you really won’t notice this if you’re goal is spotting wildflowers.

Two nights prior to hiking the trail, a powerful storm ripped through the Smokies, dumping marble-sized hail that pelted and damaged the flowers and foliage in this area. Despite all the damage, we still saw Canadian violets vasey’s trillium, painted trillium, wake robin, brook lettuce, as well as several other wildflowers we couldn’t identify.

Early spring is usually the best time to hike this trail for wildflowers.

We ended this hike at 2 miles. You have the option of continuing on for another mile to the Thomas Ridge Trail junction, however, most of the wildflowers will be within the first two miles of this trail.