Snake Den Ridge Trail

Snake Den Ridge Trail
	Snake Den Ridge Trailhead at Cosby Campground
Length	5.3 mi (8.5 km)
Location	Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, United States
Trailheads	Cosby Campground (near Campsite B51); Junction with the Appalachian Trail near the summit of Inadu Knob
Use	Hiking
Elevation
Highest point	Appalachian Trail junction, 5,800 ft (1,800 m)
Lowest point	Cosby Campground, 2,360 ft (720 m)
Hiking details
Trail difficulty	Moderate-to-Strenuous
Season	Open year-round
Sights	Views of the lower Pigeon River and French Broad River valleys and the crest of the Eastern Smokies; multiple forest types; Rock Creek and Inadu Creek
Hazards	ice hazards in colder months

Last updated February 22, 2019

The Snake Den Ridge Trail is an American hiking trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park of Cocke County, Tennessee. Winding its way up the backbone-like crest of Snake Den Ridge, the trail connects the Cosby Campground to the Appalachian Trail and provides the quickest access to the high peaks of the Eastern Smokies. The trail passes through three forest types— a mixed deciduous forest at its lower elevations, a substantial stand of heath bald on the more narrow sections of the ridge crest, and an old growth northern-style coniferous forest at its higher elevations.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park national park in the USA

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an American national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park in the United States with over 11.3 million recreational visitors in 2016. The Appalachian Trail passes through the center of the park on its route from Maine to Georgia. The park was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934 and officially dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940.

Cocke County, Tennessee county in Tennessee, United States

Cocke County is a county on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 35,662. Its county seat is Newport.

Tennessee is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th largest and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States. Tennessee is bordered by Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, Arkansas to the west, and Missouri to the northwest. The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state, and the Mississippi River forms the state's western border. Nashville is the state's capital and largest city, with a 2017 population of 667,560. Tennessee's second largest city is Memphis, which had a population of 652,236 in 2017.

The trailhead is located at the Cosby Campground across the street from Campsite B51, at the southwest end of the campground. Spur trails connect the trailhead to the Low Gap Trail to the east and the Gabes Mountain Trail to the north. A substantial parking lot for hikers is located on the opposite side of the campground, near the ranger station. The park's Cosby entrance is located just off Tennessee State Route 32, which splits off from U.S. Route 321 in the town of Cosby.

U.S. Route 321 (US 321) is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It runs for 516.9 miles (831.9 km) from Hardeeville, South Carolina to Lenoir City, Tennessee; with both serving as southern termini. It reaches its northernmost point at Elizabethton, Tennessee. Because of its unusual "north–south–north" routing, U.S. Route 321 intersects both Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 70 three separate times. The highway serves different roles in each state: An alternate route to interstates in South Carolina, a major highway in North Carolina, and a scenic route in Tennessee.

Cosby, Tennessee Unincorporated community in Tennessee, United States

Cosby is an unincorporated community in Cocke and Sevier counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Although it is not a census-designated place, the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for the ZIP Code (37722) that serves Cosby had a population of 5,201 as of the 2000 U.S. Census. The community has given its name to the northeastern section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which forms its southern boundary.

Vital information

With a few minor exceptions (namely the two creek crossings), the Snake Den Ridge Trail is a continuous, unbroken ascent from trailhead to trail terminus. The ascent is very gradual at first, following an old maintenance road, but becomes rugged and steep just beyond the maintenance road's cul-de-sac. The section between the Inadu Creek crossing and the Maddron Bald Trail junction winds through multiple switchbacks.
There is no footbridge at the Inadu Creek crossing, but the stream is usually passable with little effort. Like any mountain stream, however, heavy rains can render Inadu Creek volatile and unpredictable.
As the trail approaches the Maddron Bald Trail junction, it ascends a poorly lit and poorly drained section of the ridgecrest laden with rocks. In colder months, the water that accumulates along this section of the trail freezes over, coating the rocks in a sheet of ice.
The Cosby Knob Shelter is located along the Appalachian Trail 2.5 miles (4.0 km) east (going northward) of the Snake Den Ridge Trail junction. The Tricorner Knob Shelter is located along the Appalachian Trail 3.7 miles (6.0 km) southwest of the Snake Den Ridge Trail junction.

The Maddron Bald Trail is an American hiking trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park of Cocke County, Tennessee. Rising from the outskirts of the Cosby community, the trail ascends Maddron Bald, a 5,212-foot (1,589 m) mountain crowned by one of the park's most substantial heath balds. The trail also provides access to Albright Grove, a patch of old growth hardwood forest that contains some of the oldest and tallest trees in the Smokies. The Maddron Bald Trail's terminus— at its junction with the Snake Den Ridge Trail— is just 0.7 miles (1.1 km) from the Appalachian Trail.

Landmarks/overlooks

Cosby Campground (0.0 miles)
Cosby Horse Trail junction (0.3 miles)
Old cemetery (appx. 0.5 miles)
Cul-de-sac end of maintenance road/Rock Creek overlook (appx. 1 mile)
Rock Creek crossing (appx. 1.1 miles)
Inadu Creek crossing, small waterfall (appx. 2 miles)
The trail enters heath stands (appx. 2.5-3.5 miles)
Maddron Bald Trail junction (4.6 miles)
F4 Phantom plane crash wreckage (appx. 5 miles)
Appalachian Trail junction, view of Upper Cosby valley (5.3 miles)
Views of Mount Guyot, Old Black, Luftee Knob and the Balsam crest, and the Tennessee Valley (1–2 miles west of trail terminus)

Mount Guyot (Great Smoky Mountains) mountain

Mount Guyot is a mountain in the eastern Great Smoky Mountains, located in the southeastern United States. At 6,621 feet (2,018 m) above sea level, Guyot is the fourth-highest summit in the eastern U.S., and the second-highest in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While the mountain is remote, the Appalachian Trail crosses its south slope, passing to within 1,000 feet (300 m) of the summit.

Old Black (Great Smoky Mountains) mountain in United States of America

Old Black is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. While often overshadowed by Mount Guyot, its higher neighbor to the south, Old Black is the 4th-highest mountain in Tennessee and the 7th-highest in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Appalachian Trail crosses its western slope, connecting the Cosby-area trail system with the heart of the Eastern Smokies.

Geographical information

Rock Creek Rock-creek-gsmnp1.jpg — Rock Creek

Snake Den Ridge is the westernmost of a series of narrow ridges that descend northward from Inadu Knob, a 5,925-foot (1,806 m) summit straddling the main crest of the Smokies just north of Old Black. Inadu Knob is the northernmost of the high summits of the Eastern Smokies and the last mile-high summit traversed by the Appalachian Trail heading northward before the trail begins its descent to the Pigeon River Valley. The ridge's name refers to the snake dens allegedly found along its lower reaches (snake dens are common at mid-level elevations in this section of the park according to folk lore).^[1] "Inadu"— the Cherokee word for "imaginary snake"— echoes this description.^[2]

The Cherokee are one of the indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in southwestern North Carolina, southeastern Tennessee, and the tips of western South Carolina and northeastern Georgia.

Inadu Creek parallels the southern base of Snake Den Ridge, flowing in a northeastward direction toward Cosby Campground before emptying into Crying Creek near the Gabes Mountain Trailhead. The northern flank of Snake Den Ridge is drained by the upper Greenbrier Creek watershed. All of these streams are part of the greater Pigeon River watershed.

Trail synopsis

Cosby Campground to Inadu Creek — 2 miles

Cul-de-sac end of the gravel road, appx. 1 mile from the trailhead. Snake-den-ridge-culdesac1.jpg — Cul-de-sac end of the gravel road, appx. 1 mile from the trailhead.

Campsites at the Cosby Campground are organized into "A" group and "B" group, with the B group being south of the A group. The Snake Den Ridge Trailhead is located across the street from Campsite B51. The hikers' parking lot is situated on the other side of the campground, so dayhikers must cross the campground (appx. 0.2 miles (0.32 km)) to reach the trailhead. From the trailhead, the trail follows a gravel maintenance road 0.3 miles (0.48 km) to its intersection with the Cosby Horse Trail, which connects the Snake Den Ridge Trail to the Low Gap Trail on the slopes of Mount Cammerer. The Snake Den Ridge Trail continues westward, rising gradually along the gravel road. At approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km), the trail passes a small cemetery, which contains several burials of residents who lived in the Cosby Campground vicinity before the creation of the park. One notable burial is Ella Costner (1894-1982), the "Poet Laureate of the Smokies," who wrote extensively of the Eastern Smokies region.

Beyond the cemetery, the trail continues its gradual ascent along the old gravel road. At approximately one mile, the road ends in a cul-de-sac. A brief spur path on the right (north) leads to a low cliff overlooking Rock Creek. The Snake Den Ridge Trail continues westward near the top of the cul-de-sac, where it departs from the gravel road to follow a rugged backcountry trail (there is no sign, but the trail is marked by a string of mid-sized rocks). Shortly thereafter, the trail descends briefly to cross Rock Creek. The creek can be crossed via the log footbridge or an adjacent low fording area.

After the Rock Creek crossing the Snake Den Ridge Trail begins a steep ascent toward Inadu Creek, which it briefly parallels. At around 1.5 miles (2.4 km), the trail turns sharply to the south for several hundred yards before switching back to the west and reapproaching Inadu Creek. From this section of the trail, the crest of Snake Den Ridge is discernible through the treeline. After a series of relatively steep inclines, the trail finally turns northward and briefly descends to the creek.

Inadu Creek to Maddron Bald Trail junction — 2.6 miles

The Snake Den Ridge Trail entering a stand of heath along the ridgecrest. Snake-den-ridge-trail-gsmnp2.jpg — The Snake Den Ridge Trail entering a stand of heath along the ridgecrest.

The Snake Den Ridge Trail crosses Inadu Creek immediately upstream from a small waterfall. The creek's streambed, like most streams on the slopes of the Smokies, is filled with boulders. From Inadu Creek, the trail follows a steep incline northward to the crest of the ridge, where it turns westward again to ascend along the ridgecrest. The trail follows a series of inclines and switchbacks as it winds its way across the top of the ridge. Views through the treeline of Cocke County to the north alternate with views of Camel Hump Ridge and the main Smokies crest to the south as the trail switches back and forth across the ridgeline.

As it ascends the crest of Snake Den Ridge, the trail traverses several backbone formations lined with thick stands of rhododendron and mountain laurel known as heaths (sometimes called "hells" in Appalachia). Heaths often appear on narrow ridges, where the soil is too poor to support larger wooded plants. One of the park's most spectacular examples of heath bald occurs atop Maddron Bald, a mountain rising to the west of Snake Den Ridge.

At around 4 miles (6.4 km), vestiges of the coniferous forest that blankets the higher elevations in the Smokies begin to appear. The trail passes through a final switchback to the poorly lit western flank of Snake Den Ridge and ascends southward along a steep, rock-strewn incline to its junction with the Maddron Bald Trail. Maddron's heath-covered summit is located along the Maddron Bald Trail approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km) west of the Snake Den Ridge Trail junction.

Maddron Bald Trail junction to Appalachian Trail — 0.7 miles

The Snake Den Ridge Trail at its Maddron Bald Trail junction Snake-den-maddron-bald-gsmnp1.jpg — The Snake Den Ridge Trail at its Maddron Bald Trail junction

At the Maddron Bald Trail junction, the Snake Den Ridge Trail continues southward up into the northern-style forest. Just beyond the junction, before the trail turns briefly to the east, the summits of Inadu Knob and Old Black are visible through a break in the foliage. The inclines along this last section of the trail become more gradual before culminating a final sharp ascent to the Appalachian Trail. At this junction, there is a large outcropping of contorted sandstone and a view of the Upper Cosby Valley to the southeast.

Near the Appalachian Trail junction, a few pieces of wreckage from an F4 Phantom fighter jet are scattered along the trail. This plane crashed near the summit of Inadu Knob in 1984.^[3] A more substantial scattering of this wreckage can be found along the Appalachian Trail, just south of the Snake Den Ridge Trail junction.

A high-altitude helicopter landing pad is located along the Appalachian Trail in the gap between Inadu Knob and Old Black, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of the Snake Den Ridge junction. This landing pad area allows an unobstructed view of the high peaks of the Eastern Smokies, with Old Black and Mount Guyot to the southwest, Luftee Knob to the south, and Big Cataloochee Mountain and Mount Sterling to the southeast. Just beyond the landing area, on the slopes of Old Black, there are several breaks in the treeline opening up views of the Tennessee Valley to the northwest and Clingmans Dome and Mount Le Conte to the west.

Photo gallery

The summit of Inadu Knob, viewed from the A.T.
Inadu Creek crossing
Inadu Knob and Old Black, viewed from just past the Maddron Bald Trail junction
View of Camel Hump Ridge from the Snake Den Ridge Trail
Trunk of a 400-year-old tree, near the Inadu Creek crossing
Luftee Knob, viewed from the A.T. just west of the Snake Den Ridge junction
The Snake Den Ridge Trail/Appalachian Trail junction near Inadu Knob
View from the Snake Den Ridge Trail/Appalachian Trail junction

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References

↑ Michael Frome, Strangers In High Places: The Story of the Great Smoky Mountains (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1994), 107.
↑ James Mooney, Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee (Nashville, Tenn.: C and R Elder, 1972), 522.
↑ Jack Neely, "Smoky Mountain Archaeology." Metro Pulse 12, no. 14 (April 2002).

External links

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Inadu Knob — SummitPost.org
Snake Den Ridge Trail — Hilltop Hikers; map and elevation gain information

Coordinates: 35°45′11″N83°12′37″W / 35.7531°N 83.2104°W / 35.7531; -83.2104

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[1] Michael Frome, Strangers In High Places: The Story of the Great Smoky Mountains (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1994), 107.

[2] James Mooney, Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee (Nashville, Tenn.: C and R Elder, 1972), 522.

[3] Jack Neely, "Smoky Mountain Archaeology." Metro Pulse 12, no. 14 (April 2002).