Metcalf Bottoms Trail

The trailhead is at Metcalf Bottoms (point A).  There is no camping at Metcalf Bottoms, but there is a very large picnic and day use area.

The trail proceeds from point A for about 100 yards southeast along the Little River, and then makes a sharp left turn to go northeast to the Little Greenbrier School (point B).  The trail largely follows the Little Brier Branch upstream to the school.  This is the same route that school children living in Metcalf Bottoms would have followed to walk to school each day.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find a topographic map that includes the trail, and the road map that does show the trail shows the Little Brier Branch but doesn't identify it.

The narrow, one lane road labeled Walker Sisters Road is open to vehicles as far as the schoolhouse at point B, weather permitting.  So it is possible to drive to the schoolhouse most of the time.  Beyond the schoolhouse, Walker Sisters Road is closed to vehicles and indeed it forms Little Brier Gap Trail that goes post the Walker sisters cabin and terminates at Little Brier Gap.

The normal way to reach the trailhead is to enter the park at the Townsend Y, turn left on Little River Road (state route 73 on this map), and proceed to Metcalf Bottoms.  An alternative is to enter the park from Wears Valley on Lyon Springs Road (point C) and proceed on Little Greenbrier Road to Metcalf Bottoms (point A).

To get from the Metcalf Bottoms parking area to the trailhead, it is necessary to cross a one lane bridge across the Little River.  This is a view of the bridge looking back after crossing it.

From this vantage point, the large picnic area is back across the bridge and to both the right and left.

The Little River looking upstream from the bridge.

The Little River looking downstream from the bridge.

The trailhead sign, just after the bridge and on the right.  This is one of the few times with my new digital camera where I failed to hold the camera still enough to avoid jitter.

The beginning of the trail.  This picture is deceptive in that it depicts a wide, straight, and graveled trail.  The trail follows the Little River in this manner for about 100 yards, and then makes a sharp left turn to follow the Little Brier Branch upstream to the schoolhouse.  It's a well maintained trail and it's a very easy hike, but the trail is not wide, straight, or graveled after it makes the sharp left turn.

This is the sign where the trail makes its sharp left turn.

I'm not sure the sign is really necessary, but it avoids confusion because the gravel footpath does follow the Little River upstream upstream for another 20 or 30 yards before coming to an end.  The sign helps people to understand to turn left on the trail rather than continuing on the dead end footpath.

In many places the trail is a little muddy and wet.  Bridges aren't really necessary, but one was provided anyway in this case.

End of the trail.  This is the sign at the edge of the schoolhouse lawn that shows the way back down to Metcalf Bottoms.

One view of the schoolhouse.

Another view of the schoolhouse.

Informational National Park Service sign with some history of the schoolhouse.  The school was built in 1882 and hosted classes until 1935.  After the park was created, the schoolhouse hosted educational tours for visiting school groups.  Miss Elsie Burrell ran the tours from 1969 when she was 65 years old until 1999 when she was 95 years old.

A close up of part of the National Park Service sign.

The cemetery at the schoolhouse.

A closer view of the cemetery at the schoolhouse.