Driving Directions

From East or West, take I40 Exit 329, Crab Orchard. From East, turn right; from West turn left toward the little town of Crab Orchard. Cross US 70 and the railroad track. Turn left on Main Street. In a short distance turn right on Hebbertsburg Road. Take Hebbertsburg Road North for 3.3 miles to the power line crossing. Park beneath the power line and walk North along the road for about 300 feet to the trailhead on the right (N35 56.930 W84 51.135).

Trail Description (South to North)

The trailhead is 150 feet from Hebbertsburg Road on the left just beyond the yellow gate. This connector with yellow blazes passes through scrub mixed forest of recent growth for 865 feet before intersecting the main trail. At all times of year both open field and forest birds can be seen and heard due to the open canopy.

At the junction, notice the sign indicating the main trail direction North to the Overlook, Campsite, and Keyes Road and South to Hebbertsburg Road. The sign misspells Hebbertsburg. Turn right heading northerly toward East Keyes Road.

The trail begins a short gentle descent. The forest here is mostly hardwood recent growth. The trail begins a gentle undulating descent through mountain laurel and mixed forest. Cross a small wet weather drainage. Continue through a nice white pine glade.  The trail begins to descend. Switchback up stone steps and shortly climb stone steps between two large white pine trees.

Cross a wet weather drainage as the trail meanders through mixed scrub forest.  Notice the large colonies of ground pine through the next 0.10 mile.  Overlook spur. A short 125 foot spur trail on the left leads to an overlook with splendid views south up Daddys Creek Gorge and its mixed forest below. The fall colors can be spectacular and winter views without foliage provide an expansive look at the gorge. This is also a good spot for birders who want to glimpse raptors in flight. (El. 1,712′) N35 57.97, W84 50 33.41

From the overlook spur, the trail begins a steady gentle descent into Daddys Creek Gorge.  Cross a large wet weather drainage with stones for fording. Notice the small stone shelf on the right. Note the thin sedimentary layers visible in the rocks on the right before descending on stone steps.  The trail veers away from Daddys Creek below to the left and leaves the older growth forest with its larger trees and then continues to descend into Daddys Creek Gorge.  The trail passes rhododendron thickets on the right. Dense rhododendron thickets are called “hells” because they are so difficult to penetrate. The trail begins its final undulating descent before leveling out in the gorge. Trail joins Daddys Creek at N35 43.85, W84 51 00.28. Elevation 1,542′.

For the next .9 mile, the trail follows Daddys Creek on the left through generally level terrain. Note that Daddys Creek flows north. There are stands of hemlock, white pine, rhododendron and mountain laurel as well as mixed hardwoods. There are interesting rock bluffs on the right along the way. The trail crosses Hatfield Branch which runs most of the time except in dry seasons. Just before the crossing there is a rock bluff on the right as you cross a drainage on stone steps. This bluff weeps water all year and is known as the “Billboard” because it can be seen from the Fairfield Glade Overlook Trail across the creek.

Wave to the hikers on the other side of Daddys Creek. Also note the fairly good sized large leaf magnolia on the left in this area. Magnolia Macrophylla, the “large leaf magnolia”, is a deciduous magnolia native to the southeastern United States and eastern Mexico. It boasts the largest simple leaf and single flower of any native plant in North America.

Note the old roadbed (Hatfield Road) on the right (east) leading up the hill. This area was Hatfield Ford across Daddys Creek, though no actual ford is visible today. There is a rockhouse on the right just after Hatfield Ford. A nice stone bench is here on the edge of the creek.

Cross two wet weather drainages separated about 150 feet and then shortly descend on some stone steps.  After crossing another wet weather drainage, pass through a nice stand of Hemlock. Note some Woolly Adelgid damage. There is a small rock house just ahead on the right. Continue with rock bluffs on the right and cross another small wet weather drainage.

Primitive campsite. (N35 58 32.916 W84 50 57.75) Tent sites are designated with signage. There is no potable water at this campsite.

The site of the proposed suspension bridge is alittle to the south of the camp site at

35.97408, -84.84814. or

35°58’26.7″N 84°50’53.3″W