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Honey Creek Loop

Honey Creek Trailhead Overlook, Oneida, TN 37841

Daylight

$

outdoor-adventures, hikes

The Honey Creek Loop would be my favorite hike I’ve experienced in Tennessee, except that it is a little too tough for young kids so it won’t claim that “favorite” title until my children are old enough to enjoy it.  I would not take your toddlers or young kids or even your pets on this loop, as there are several slippy rocks, ladders, ropes required to traverse boulders, etc.   My friend completed this with her tweens and teens and they did just fine.

At the parking lot, cross the road to the start.  Do not proceed to the path from the parking lot, as you will want to trek counter-clockwise.

I’d advise you to download AllTrails map layers as it is easy to get lost in some places.  While the trail is decently marked in places, we found ourselves off track a few times on accident.  Trail blazes on this trail are random arrows, blazes of green.  I would not trek alone on this one with only yourself and a teen / tween.

There are plenty of campsites along this trail but some of the boulder crawls will make it tough to carry a backpack for camping. 

Tips: Plan for an hour for each mile.  Wear grippy shoes and plan to get your feet wet – and watch out for your ankles (you don’t want to twist them).  Make time to climb up to the Honey Creek Overlook, which boasts a gorgeous view of the Big South Fork River and Area.  Plan for enough time to explore all the caves, waterfalls, and resting spots adequately.

Directions: Located within the Big South Fork NRRA in Oneida, Tennessee. Take Hwy. 27 south 11 miles, turn right onto Mountain View Road and follow signs for 5.3 miles to Burnt Mill Fork Bridge Trailhead, continue across bridge and travel 3.5 miles, turn right to Honey Creek Trailhead.

Features

Hiking Trails Waterfall Nature
Thoughtfully captured by:
Emily O'Grady
Emily O'Grady lives with her daughters Eloise (5) and Charlie (3.5), husband Mick, and their two senior dogs Porter and Francie, in Nashville. They’ve called Music City home for 7 years this September. After Emily and Mick met in New Zealand over 15 years ago, they’ve hiked and backpacked extensively across the globe for months at a time. In their new roles as parents, they’ve hit pause on their most extreme adventures for now, but they are consciously raising their daughters to love and appreciate nature, getting outside and exploring as much as they can in the hills of Tennessee and beyond. During the weekdays, you can find Emily leading teams across Asurion’s Product Development team, bringing the company’s service strategy to life across carrier clients. Before joining Asurion, Emily was an Engagement Manager for McKinsey & Company for 4 years, as well as held Analyst roles with Telephia (Nielsen) and Bank of America Global Corporate and Investment Bank. Emily holds a BBA in Finance, French and European Studies from Southern Methodist University and an MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management.
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