Tennessee · Hiking

Gee Creek

Gee CreekPhoto: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.4 mi
round trip
841 ft
climb
1,479 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
best months

Is Gee Creek open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Cherokee National Forest. It doesn't name Gee Creek, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Cherokee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Gee Creek is an easy out-and-back hike in Tennessee's Cherokee National Forest, on the Ocoee Ranger District. The trail lies within the South Cherokee National Forest & Wildlife Management Area, and the land is managed jointly. The route is 2.8 miles long, and it rises from about 1,000 feet to roughly 1,500 feet, with a total climb of 841 feet and a steepest grade of 22% around 0.9 miles from the trailhead. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Athens weather station put October highs around 73°F with lows near 47°F, while April runs about 71°F by day and 45°F at night. That station sits several hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the upper reaches run cooler. The Gee Creek Trailhead is the starting point, and the hike takes about 1.5 hours. Starr Mountain and Gee Creek Watchable are both within a quarter mile, and Quinn Springs Pavilion campground is about 1.4 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov

    Best time to visit Gee Creek

    Best months: March–June and September–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      49° / 28°

      12 wet · 1 snow

    2. Feb

      53° / 31°

      12 wet · 1 snow

    3. Mar

      62° / 37°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      71° / 45°

      11 wet

    5. May

      79° / 55°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      85° / 63°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      88° / 68°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      88° / 66°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      83° / 60°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      73° / 47°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      61° / 36°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      52° / 31°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Athens, TN, 13 mi away at 940 ft. The station sits about 500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN HORSE TRAILPhoto: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN HORSE TRAIL

~1 min drive

6.9-mile out-and-back trail in Tennessee with 2,479 ft elevation gain and loss.

Slickrock Branch RoadPhoto: Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Slickrock Branch Road

~17 min drive

1.43-mile point-to-point trail in Tennessee with 109 ft gain and 497 ft loss.

HIKE

COFFEE BRANCH TRAIL

~1 min drive

14.5-mile out-and-back trail in Tennessee with 3,847 ft elevation gain.

Lowry Cove TrailPhoto: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lowry Cove Trail

~2 min drive

3.86-mile point-to-point trail in Tennessee with 2,880 ft gain

Quartz LoopPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Quartz Loop

~23 min drive

1.69-mile loop in Tennessee with 409 ft gain and 395 ft loss.

HIKE

COKER CREEK FALLS TRAIL

~18 min drive

4.54-mile out-and-back hike in Tennessee with 2,571 ft elevation gain/loss.

Prince Gap TrailPhoto: Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Prince Gap Trail

~19 min drive

7.04-mile out-and-back trail in Tennessee with 1,366 ft elevation gain and loss.

Clemmer Spur TrailPhoto: Nicolas Raymond from Bethesda, Maryland, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Clemmer Spur Trail

~16 min drive

A 2-mile point-to-point trail offering easy access to Tennessee's natural scenery.

HIKE

CHESTNUT LOOP BIKE TRAIL

~23 min drive

12.44-mile out-and-back bike trail in Tennessee with 3,486 ft elevation gain

HIKE

Starr Mountain Extension

~1 min drive

1.31-mile out-and-back trail on Starr Mountain in Tennessee with 237 ft gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors