Dave Miller's Adventures

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: October 13, 2026

This easy flat trail led 1.4 miles out and back from Sugarlands Visitor Center to Cataract Falls. The trail had many tree identification markers. The trail ran mostly parallel to Fighting Creek, a tributary of the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. Near the falls we hiked a little of the Cove Mountain Trail. Rosie unnoticedly almost stepped on a long beautiful blue colored snake. I snapped a few photos as it slithered along the bank below the trail and identified it as a blue rat snake.

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: Monday, October 12, 2026

This was one of three trails surrounding the Kuwohi Observation Tower totaling about 1.4 miles and was a good morning trail to warm up our muscles since it was about 50 degrees. Recent rains made the trail (a former stream bed) a little wet in parts but descended just below the highest point in Tennessee and ended near the Kuwohi parking lot and Visitor Center. The trail was rocky and slow going with occasionally gave us views of the ridge and valley. Some leaves were changing colors, and we saw squirrels periodically cross our path. We ran into a couple who were jogging this trail going in the opposite direction uphill towards the peak. We also met a nice Asian family on the trail and there friendly, talkative daughter named Eva. This trail is a nice hiking trail to take to and from the Kuwohi Observation Tower in leu of just hiking up the .6-mile steep paved path to the tower.

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: Monday, October 12, 2026

Just below the highest point in Tennessee (6,643 feet) at the summit of Kuwohi (formerly named Clingman’s Dome) we began hiking a section of two iconic trails. From the Sugarlands Visitor Center down in the valley, the temperature had dropped at this height nine degrees to 48 degrees, and it was quite foggy in the low clouds. The trail was tight, but the trees kept the wind from making it even colder on this high ridge. Occasionally there were small openings in the trees so when the fog parted you had great views of the distant ridges. Although the national park was very crowded with people coming to see the fall tree colors, the trees had not really turned beautiful yet except for small areas way up here on the peaks. One of the photos below shows some fallen leaves that were quite colorful. We hiked about a mile before connecting with another trail. 

Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026

This memorable trail we last trekked in October 2020 and found a GoPro camera in the stream of water flowing down from the falls. Due to peak season in the park, we were lucky to find a parking spot about .4 miles down the road from the trailhead. A mile back before we parked, we spotted a mother bear and a baby cub foresting for berries near the roadside. Another sign said just under 3 miles to the falls. The sign at the trailhead warned hikers about feeding bears. By the time we hiked a side trail then up to Rainbow Falls and back, we hiked about 9.1 miles. The first part of the ascent, LeConte Creek ran parallel to the trail on the right side. The trail was rocky with lots of tree roots but scenic through the thick forest with the sounds of the creek. The elevation gain was 1,500 feet from the trailhead to the Rainbow Falls and I really felt it the last half mile. A tip to hikers, there are two small waterfalls just before reaching Rainbow Falls so don’t turn around too early.

The 80-foot-tall Rainbow Falls is huge and beautiful. There are slippery rocks on the left to climb closer so be extremely careful.

Near the end of the hike, I heard a something in the woods to my left and saw black, hairy bear. About fifty yards later I got a clear picture and video of the bear.