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Hike of the Month: Laurel Falls and Little Greenbrier Trails

The trailhead for the Laurel Falls Trail is situated next to a parking area on Little River Road between Elkmont and the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)

Photo by Adam Brimer

The trailhead for the Laurel Falls Trail is situated next to a parking area on Little River Road between Elkmont and the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)

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  • Water pours over Laurel Falls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. The 1.3-mile Laurel Falls Trail, which begins at Little River Road, is one of the most well-used trails in the park and is paved from the trailhead to the falls. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • The trailhead for the Laurel Falls Trail is situated next to a parking area on Little River Road between Elkmont and the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • Hikers will travel 1.3 miles on a paved section of the Laurel Falls Trail before reaching Laurel Falls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, Tenn. Looking back to the South along the trail just short of the falls, hikers will be able to see the conical peak of Blanket Mountain as seen here to the right. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • Icicles cling to a fallen tree on the Laurel Falls Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • Hikers will travel 3.1 miles from the trailhead before reaching the intersection with the Little Greenbrier Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. Hikers will need to travel to the left to begin following the Little Greenbrier Trail. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • The conical peak of Blanket Mountain can be seen from this vantage point on the Little Greenbrier Trail just a few hundred feet from the intersection with the Laurel Falls Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. By looking to the left off of the trail, hikers can see the peak on a clear day. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • A short distance after joining the Little Greenbrier Trail from the Laurel Falls Trail, hikers will be able to see Wear Valley in the distance through the trees in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. Views of the valley continue to improve as the hike winds its way down to Wear Gap Road. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • The 4.3-mile Little Greenbrier Trail winds in and out of snowy and icy areas in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. Hikers traveling in the wintertime should use caution as parts of the trail were icy due to recent snowfall. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • A large, downed tree could be found on the Little Greenbrier Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. Due to the tree's girth, a short side trail can be used to navigate around to the other side. Hikers should use caution as the trail was covered in ice and snow due to a recent snowstorm. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • Portions of the Little Greenbrier Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn., offered for smooth traveling while other portions in the shade were still covered in ice and snow due to a recent snowstorm. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • After traveling 2.4 miles on the Little Greenbrier Trail from the Laurel Falls Trail intersection in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn., hikers will reach an intersection with the Cove Mountain and Little Brier Gap Trails. The Cove Mountain Trail, seen here leading off to the right, is not listed on the sign. To the left of this sign, hikers will be faced with a fork in the trail where the left side leads to the Little Brier Gap Trail and the right side continues along the Little Greenbrier Trail. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • After reaching the intersection with the Cove Mountain, Little Brier Gap and Little Greenbrier Trails, hikers will take the fork on the right to finish the hike on the Little Greenbrier Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. The Cove Mountain Trail is not listed on the sign even though it continues off in the opposite direction from these two trails. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • A Dept. of the Interior marker can be found on the Little Greenbrier Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. Hikers should look out for a metal post just off the side of the trail to find this particular marker. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • Views of Wear Valley become more prevalent as hikers descent toward Wear Gap Road on the Little Greenbrier Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • The Little Greenbrier Trail ends at Wear Gap Road after 4.3 miles of travel from the intersection with the Laurel Falls Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
  • The Little Greenbrier Trail ends at Wear Gap Road after 4.3 miles of travel from the intersection with the Laurel Falls Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)

Photos from February 2013's Hike of the Month on the 3.1-mile Laurel Falls and 4.3-mile Little Greenbrier Trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, near Gatlinburg, Tenn.

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