Indian Creek Motor Trail

The consistent and steady grade over an unimproved roadbed will likely only appeal to those looking for a tough grind.

The Indian Creek Motor Trail follows an unimproved roadway from the bottomland about 600 yards above the mouth of Georges Branch near the western end of the Deeplow Gap Trail.

It starts quickly out of the bottom, setting a steeply angled course up the flank of Thomas Divide. As the trail ascends it passes through a random mix of sourwood, dogwood, eastern hemlock, red maple, black oak, yellow birch, and white pine.

Higher up, the prevalence of yellow poplar and pignut hickory trees signal that the trail is approaching the ridgeline of Thomas Divide. The trail never quite reaches the spine of the divide but levels out to terminate in a peculiar intersection with the Thomas Divide Trail. Here, the Thomas Divide Trail emerges as a narrow track rolling off the ridgeline before claiming the roadbed at a right angled intersection.

This content was contributed by author Ken Wise. For a comprehensive hiking guide to the Great Smoky Mountains and to see more by Ken, click here.