Tennessee · Hiking

Ike Branch Trail

0.5 mi
round trip
790 ft
climb
1,696 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Jun, Aug–Nov
best months

Is Ike Branch Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Ike Branch Trail, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Ike Branch Trail is an easy, short out-and-back hike of about a mile in Tennessee's Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness. The trail starts at the low point of 1,315 feet and climbs to a high of 1,696 feet, with a total round-trip gain of about 790 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, which falls within the Cheoah Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Tapoco, North Carolina, show October highs around 69°F with lows near 46°F, while July highs reach about 86°F. That station sits roughly 600 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. The trail is easy to fit into a longer day. Yellow Hammer Gap and Tapoco are both about 0.1 mile away, and the Benton Mackaye -Cheoah Rd route lies about 0.6 mile off. For an overnight stay, Bear Creek Hunt Camp is about 1.9 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

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

    Best time to visit Ike Branch Trail

    Best months: March–June and August–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

      48° / 28°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      52° / 31°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      60° / 37°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      70° / 44°

      11 wet

    5. May

      77° / 52°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 59°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 62°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 61°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      79° / 56°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      69° / 46°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      59° / 36°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      50° / 31°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tapoco, NC, 1.5 mi away at 1,110 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors