HIKE: Finley Cane/Turkeypen Ridge Loop - Great Smoky Mtns Ntl Park

In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there are a series of trails that cross Laurel Creek Road that can be combined in numerous ways to create a variety of hikes. This loop hike will give everyone a taste of the area and the trails involved. We'll start on the Finley Cane Trail (with a couple of hopefully rock-hopable water crossings and cooling rhododendron tunnels), make our way down a section of the Bote Mountain Trail (thankful to be going down instead of up), cross Laurel Creek Road to pick up the Schoolhouse Gap Trail (for a gradual climb), then take the Turkeypen Ridge Trail for our final up and down journey back to the cars.
In total, the hike is 9 miles with total elevation gain of 1200 ft., rated Moderate.
Our Moderate hikes are: 5-10 miles and/or elevation change of 1000-1800', on trail hiking. Hikers should be regularly hiking 5+ miles with 400-500 feet of continuous elevation gain over a mile, at a 2.0-2.5 mph pace.
For more information and to register for this hike, go to the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club website here.