January 28, 2023
After hiking Twentymile Loop Trail, I decided to drive to Tennessee via Deals Gap and the Foothills Parkway to hike the Goldmine and Cane Creek Trail. The ice above 3,500 ft. was still too much, but it was a good time to grab some trails on the lower elevations. Per other blog posts/trip reports and now my own experience, these are two of the easier trails in the park. The trailhead for Goldmine is very reminiscent to hiking the Pisgah 400. It was not clear where to park, and the trail is not marked with a lot of fanfare. I love it. To get there, turn onto Joroulman Drive (in Tallassee, TN), then take the first right onto Steffner Circle. Soon on the right you will see a sign for Goldmine. Parking consists of a few spaces near a home.
Goldmine descends over 350 feet down to a gap. It’s rutted in places and on this day quite muddy. From there it’s an easy .6 mile walk to Cane Creek Trail, a straight, nice jaunt in the woods. From what locals have told me, it’s better to grab these trails in colder weather when the snakes are not out and about. There are numerous creek crossings, and I could see copperheads being an issue in season. The last creek crossing was ankle deep and did not have the ole rocking hopping capability.
Total mileage is 7.4 miles.
sweetwilder 