tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post4687385653948249108..comments2024-03-18T00:50:07.856-04:00Comments on Appalachian Treks: Upper Sill Branch FallsMark W. Peacockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17497175909510439620noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-61787155942834385292012-10-12T20:40:17.843-04:002012-10-12T20:40:17.843-04:00I wish I had read your directions before I started...I wish I had read your directions before I started on this trail. I did this trail a few days ago and went all the way to the top but because there were no markers, I wasn't sure I was on the correct trail at the top. I finally turned around and went back down. doingitallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00584904416890967693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-1131573434728535312012-04-28T15:14:39.861-04:002012-04-28T15:14:39.861-04:00I was just up there this morning. Like everyone e...I was just up there this morning. Like everyone else said, it is very overgrown, although someone had been through there with a machete in the past few months which helped. I was able to follow the trail fairly well with the exception of walking right past the beginning of it.... buy like a mile. Look for the marks on the trees and some pink tape that marks the trail throughout. There are some amazing views along this trail!Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-28488916950795389202011-08-21T22:47:36.625-04:002011-08-21T22:47:36.625-04:00We just made it here yesterday. We had no idea wh...We just made it here yesterday. We had no idea where the trail was exactly, so we went to Lower Sill Falls and (facing the Falls) scrambled up the right side of the mountain until we had reached the old wagon trail. We then hiked along the trail to the Upper Falls, following the water all the way. The trail is very overgrown and in need of maintenance, but therein lies it's appeal. It's an achievement to get to the falls, and even in the low water level days of summer, it's a great view.<br /><br />Here is the easy way to get there:<br />Once you turn off of the car road where the marker indicates the Sill Branch Falls Trails, head down the trail to the split for N/S Sill Branch Falls trails. Take a right at the fork towards Sill Branch Falls North. About 3/4 mile afterwards, you will come to the wagon road. The road will be on your left and it's not easily seen. There is a marked tree at the fork. Make a sharp left and follow the wagon trail up and around the mountain until you reach the falls. There are three river crossings that are dry crossing in the summer, and a section that is VERY narrow and travels along the center of the river paths with sharp dropoffs to either side. You will find a few trees along the way marked with pink tape. And as for the bear tracks... yes. They're there.Blastfemurnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-26482578629687849822011-02-14T20:11:02.577-05:002011-02-14T20:11:02.577-05:00Thanks to your information, and the GPX file on th...Thanks to your information, and the GPX file on the TN Landforms website, was able to find Upper Sill Branch Falls yesterday. Trail is definitely NOT cleared all the way - a fair number of blowdowns, some dog hobble thickets, etc. But not at all hard to follow. GPS was not really needed, but was reassuring... As you probably know, you can download the GPX file of the exact location from TN Landforms website, and put it on your GPS.<br />Not nearly the flow of the main falls, but still a lovely waterfall. And there were several sets of Black Bear tracks in the thin snow!Marty Silvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-35509542356249536692011-01-30T08:54:06.341-05:002011-01-30T08:54:06.341-05:00Hi Wendell, yes, that's the painful part of it...Hi Wendell, yes, that's the painful part of it...we were so close. Tina, I get lost enough as it is staying on the trail... :) But I do enjoy hikes like this that are obscure and remote - and rarely traveled.Mark W. Peacockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17497175909510439620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-66759999563541286572011-01-24T20:32:26.523-05:002011-01-24T20:32:26.523-05:00Do you trek much off the beaten trail, Mark? I wou...Do you trek much off the beaten trail, Mark? I would love to hike both on and off the trail. I like the idea of exploring areas that are not commonly trekked on. =)Tinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978916010988754502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-90697337130025810452011-01-24T20:21:04.733-05:002011-01-24T20:21:04.733-05:00If you had met back up with the creek above Sill B...If you had met back up with the creek above Sill Branch Falls you weren't that far away probably. It gets tighter at that point with more rhododendron and the creek to contend with. When I was there most of the downed trees were on that road cut on the side of a very steep bank. And there were a lot of them...Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17429843034885465968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-5865904194359204622011-01-24T07:41:37.463-05:002011-01-24T07:41:37.463-05:00that bad eh?. i tried to get there myself late las...that bad eh?. i tried to get there myself late last fall, but i had no real idea where i was going. my plan was to get above lower sill branch and follow the creek upstream ... epic failure. <br /><br />this incident pushed me to get a gps, which should up my chances of finding it now. if you try to get there again sometime, let me know, i'd like to tag along.Mike Stillwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12932091620902427764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-27445381615379549972011-01-23T17:22:13.341-05:002011-01-23T17:22:13.341-05:00No idea what they'd say to that -- except that...No idea what they'd say to that -- except that it would take an army of chainsaws to clear the road! But it would be great if it would be improved - it's very gradual in term of elevation, and offers some nice views this time of year. I'm not sure of the last leg of the hike, my guess is that it's pretty much undeveloped. We turned around, guessing that we had somehow missed it or overshot it. At the point of the cascade you see above, the trail pretty much gives out.Mark W. Peacockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17497175909510439620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9193288971166646699.post-8718579699284363002011-01-23T17:16:34.156-05:002011-01-23T17:16:34.156-05:00i get the feeling from your post and the links you...i get the feeling from your post and the links you referred to that this is not an official trail, more like an unused logging road and a side trail.<br /><br />Do you know if the CNF folk would be willing to let a group of like-minded folk organize a "trail maintenance" day where the trail could be made accessible again?Mike Stillwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12932091620902427764noreply@blogger.com