Parson Branch Road

Total Miles
7.9

Elevation

851.20 ft

Duration

1 Hours

Technical Rating

2

Easy

Best Time

Spring, Summer, Fall

Show in App
Parson Branch Road 5

Trail Overview

Parson Branch is a full gravel, one-way, scenic route that leads through the Smoky Mountains. The road is maintained, however, you may find the occasional tree down after heavy storms. This is usually not a problem. There are also many shallow water crossings, all less than 1ft deep. 4WD is not needed at all for the route and is friendly for stock-height vehicles.

Photos of Parson Branch Road

Parson Branch Road
Parson Branch Road

Difficulty

One vehicle wide with occasional pull-offs. One-way route. Many shallow water crossings, all less than 1ft deep. Possibility of trees on the road after heavy storms. If not for those mentioned, I would give this trail a 1 for its rating.

History

The route was completed in 1838. It connects Cades Cove to Tail of the Dragon.

Technical Rating

2

Status Reports

Jason S
Jul 11, 2024
4x4
Open
Normal
Easy trail with a few rutted areas and minor holes from erosion. Great trail to take in the sites, especially if you like driving near water and hearing it trickle by!
Mario Reyes
Jul 02, 2024
2024 Ford Bronco
Open
Normal
Well maintained, one way trail with many shallow water crossings. A couple uphill runs that could be challenging if it were wet and downhill descends that you will need to be in a lower gear. Overall a very easy trail that is great to tackle while in the area! Accessing the road took a long time since it’s open to the public. It was bumper to bumper up until the turn off from the main road.
Michael Keating
Jun 04, 2024
2004 Volvo XC70
Open
Muddy/Wet
Full stock xc70 on touring tires made it perfectly fine. One little hill climb, many at most 4in deep concrete water crossings, even though it rained heavily just a few hours before. The full stock 2023 open diff bronco we followed didn’t get out of 2wd once. If you’re looking for an adventure even in something not so capable this is the place to go.
Jt Torres
May 18, 2024
4x4
Open
Normal
Muddy/Wet
Even with trail wet never had to go to 4High or low. Saw several deer.

Access Description

The Parson Branch Road is only accessible through Cades Cove, about a half mile past the John P. Cable Mill.

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