Rattle Snake Ridge

Rattlesnake Ridge is located in the Northern Cherokee National Forest near Greenville, Tennessee. The trailhead leaves Horsecreek Campground at the base of the Appalachian Mountains and travels through the Unaka Wilderness. This is the home of Tennessee's Black Bear population and one of the Eastern United States more remote areas. According to our trail guide this was a three mile hike to the upper ridge of the Appalachian Mountains at 4,840 feet. The guide was far from accurate. This was to be our easy hike while in Tennessee. It ended up a 9.6 mile hike straight up into the wilderness, and it took nearly seven hour to complete.

Right from the start we knew something was not right. At one mile the trail forked and a wilderness sign-in station appeared. The trail lead straight up in solid thick Rhodadendron over twelve feet high. The trail was hacked through the brush for miles making tunnels. You had no choice but to follow them because leaving the trail was suicide. This was a true rain forest, wet, hot, humid and what seemed like never ending. Bear scat was visible at several locations. As we reached the upper ridges the trail grew completely shut until we could go no further. We ate lunch in a grove of ferns as the Jack Russell Terriers moved in an out of sight throughout the forest. This was a very difficult hike. We made extra noise on our way back down the mountain to notify any Black Bears of our presence. They probally don't get much company on this trail. The Rhododendrons are white at the lower elevations, but are a beautiful purple in the higher range of the mountains. If you have never seen a wilderness area, this one is a case study. This hike is not for a beginner. This is one of our top five toughest hikes. So much for our easy hike, but at least we didn't see any rattlesnakes. Good Luck.