HIKE: Porters Creek to Brushy Mountain - Great Smoky Mtns Ntl Park

This hike in the Smokies will begin at the Porters Creek trailhead in the Greenbrier area. We will go ~1 mile along Porters Creek, past a cemetery and past the spur to the old SMHC cabin, before turning north up Brushy Mountain. The trail climbs gently through moist forest, gets steeper (and steeper) and has a few switchbacks on the way to Trillium Gap (~mile 5.5). Some may prefer to lunch there in a shady spot. Others may want to lunch at the summit, ~0.4 mile uphill on the heath bald, in the sunshine with spectacular views (in clear weather). We will return the same way.
Hike is 11.8 miles with ~3,000 ft. climb, rated Difficult if not Strenuous.
Our Difficult hikes are: 10-14+ miles and/or elevation change of 1800-2500' or more, mostly on trail, some off-trail possible. Hikers should be regularly hiking 8+ miles with continuous elevation gains of 500+ feet per mile for a sustained 2 to 5 miles (or more), at a 2.0-3.0 mph pace.
For more information and to register for this hike, go to the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club website here.