Great Smoky Mountains National Park- Cataract Falls and Fighting Creek Nature Trail

I knew nothing about the Sugarlands Visiters Center, but I arrived and began to walk down a trail any trail. Totally by happenstance, I ended up on the Fighting Creek Nature Trail. I also had no idea that there was a waterfall in the vicinity until I stumbled across this intersection.  

The trail leading to the waterfall is called the Cove Mountain Trail, but the Cataract Falls is just a short distance at 0.1 miles.  The trail hugs alongside the Fighting Creek much in which we walked on a boardwalk. It is somewhat confusing on how I ended up here from the Fighting Creek Nature Trail. There must be some connector trails that isn't shown on the map I used.

A few hundred yards towards the falls there was a sign with a picture of a dog with a red circle and a black slash going across the picture. I was here with Gypsy and by gum, I was going to see this waterfall.

If I had the time, I would have gotten a real good education on identifying the different plant life that grew in the Great Smoky Mountains and North Carolina in general. The Fighting Creek Nature Trail had many of these placards that identified what you were viewing. What I was viewing here was a Mockernut Hickory.

 A log bridge that crosses over a small brook.

Hiking in late evening through a dense forest was a nice break from the intense heat of the day.

The Fighting Creek Trail begins its loop back at this historic John Ownby Cabin. Built in 1860, and the last surviving structure from the pre-park Forks-of-the-River community. I didn't think of taking a picture of this cabin; this picture is courtesy of  Wikimedia Commons.