Sill Branch-Long Arm Branch Loop 10 Miles - Elevation Gain 1900 Feet A strenuous hike with some very rocky sections and two very steep climbs. There are a few creek crossing that can be easily rock hopped during normal water levels. This description will be given as hiked, starting from the Sill Branch Trailhead and hiking the loop clockwise. This direction is the easiest way to find the trail junctions but has the most difficult climbs. To avoid the very strenuous sections of Sill Branch and the steep rocky descent on the Long Arm Branch Trail, I would recommend hiking counterclockwise beginning on Long Arm Branch, but you must look very carefully for the Forest Service Road Junctions. Hiked October 27, 2011. Copyright 2011 Ned Sanders. Information may be used by permission only. Directions to Trailhead: Leave Greeneville on 11-E Bypass North. Drive past the Wal-Mart Supercenter and turn right at the first traffic light on Highway 107 toward Erwin. Continue for 13.7 miles, turn right on Clark’s Creek Road and drive 1.2 miles until the pavement ends. You will come to a large parking area next to a swimming area known as the Sally Hole. Continue for about two miles until you see a trail sign to the left with several boulders blocking motor traffic. There is space for several cars along the road. You will begin your climb on a rocky stretch and will reach a junction with the trail to Sill Branch Falls at about .4 miles. For this loop, you continue to the right steeply uphill. You will climb for almost two miles on an old logging road along a beautiful fork of Sill Branch. There are two very steep but short sections to be navigated, along with several easy creek crossings, before reaching a junction with an old Forest Service Road near the top of the ridge. (Note: if hiking the loop counterwise, you should look very carefully at this point to locate the trail veering downhill to the left here). You will follow this road to the right along a winding but nearly flat section for about a mile and a half until you pass through a gate leading to another Forest Service Road that forks with both forks apparently going to the right, one uphill and the other downhill. Be sure to take the fork which goes downhill immediately to your right. (Note: if you are hiking in the opposite direction you need to look very carefully for the road here as the gate is hidden around a bend. Look for the gate on your left where the road makes a very steep bend uphill to the right in a clearing.) This road also follows a fairly flat circluar path across the ridge top although there were many muddy sections in the trail at the time of this hike. You will pass several roads on you right which are gated but be sure to continue on the main ridgetop road until you reach the Long Arm Trailhead in a clearing at Bear Wallow Gap. You will have covered about 5.5 miles to this point and there will be yellow blazes present to mark your descent from the ridgetop on Long Arm Ridge. You will follow the Long Arm Trail which circles moderately downhill for about a mile and a half until you reach a clearing on your right which has been used as a campsite. There is a spur trail leading uphill to the left but you should ignore it and continue to the right, steeply downhill, passing Long Arm Branch Falls, a small cascade visible in a bend of the trail. Just below the falls the trail becomes very steep and exceedingly rocky for a short stretch. Continue to follow the trail as it crosses Long Arm Branch four or five times. There are remnants of old bridges at two of the crossings but rockhopping is not difficult under normal water levels. After covering a little over 9 miles you will pass a short trail to Pine Ridge Falls on your right. Continue straight about a third of a mile to the Long Arm Branch Trailhead and walk down the road to the right about a half mile back to your vehicle at the Sill Branch Trailhead.
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