The morning started off cool and overcast with a chance of rain so we opted to hike instead of do a bike ride. Big Creek Loop is a nice hike under 6 miles with several creek crossings, lots of giant maple trees, rhododendrons, and huge second growth forest.
We hiked clockwise but either way would be good. The sign said it was steeper going this way and I like steeper uphills and less steep downhills so that’s why we did clockwise. The highlight is the confluence of Branch Creek of Big and Branch Creeks. But to get there we hiked through forest that climbed steadily up and up. Once we entered the stream section the hits kept coming.
There are several bridges to cross and creeks to gawk at. It’s all so very green and lush and the rushing water is calming. We took a couple spurs to get better glimpses of the creeks that crisscross the trail. So with all our side trips the loop was longer than the sign said. But worth it!
The next part is mostly all downhill on a wider trail that is draped around the outside of the valley. We did pass three other hikers here but that’s all we saw the whole hike. This was a weekday so that plays a factor in it because on a weekend with the nearby campground I imagine it gets busy.
Leave a Reply