March 26, 2023
Chestnut is located just outside of the town of Townsend, Tennessee at the infamous Townsend Wye. Known colloquially just as “the Y”, this y-shaped confluence of Hwy. 321, Little River Road and Laurel Creek Road is a popular spot for swimming, tubing, jumping in the Little River. To the southwest of the parking spaces, the sign for Chestnut is easily found.
The trail is fairly untroublesome to hike, rising 1,328 ft. in 4.4 miles. The first 1/4 mile are the best with a huge assortment of wildflowers and fauna. It was staggering the number of flowers on the steep hillside. The 1.5 miles up Chestnut Top Lead could be considered steep, but it levels off fairly quickly presenting some picturesque views of both Cades Cove and Townsend.
On this warm March day, the return hike back to the car was a pleasure, the sun gleaming on a spring afternoon.
Total mileage is 8.8 miles.
sweetwilder 
You’re not kidding about those wildflowers at the beginning of the trail. I just looked back at my photos of our hike there in April 2014 and we identified 33 different ones in that first half-mile.
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It’s an amazing place!
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