This is one of the finest paths in the Great Smoky Mountains. The only thing lacking on the trail is distance - unfortunately, this pathway only runs across the ridge for the distance of 2.4 miles as it links up the Little River trail with the lower section of the Jakes Creek trail. It's smooth, beautiful, has a great grade and has some fine stands of big second-growth trees on the west side of Cucumber Gap. Wildlife is common, though the only thing I spotted on this wet April morning was a couple of pileated woodpeckers, some turkeys, a couple of deer, lots of bear scat, some boar sign, and the bright red mud bug, or crayfish, below. The crayfish had staked out a perch atop a stone in mid-trail and vigorously defended it with waving red claws. It was all of 2 inches in length.

There are a number of options for a good hike using this trail as a connector. It makes up part of a good 5.8 mile loop out of the Little River trailhead - leaving the Little River trailhead, hike 2.4 miles upstream, then turn west on the Cucumber Gap trail, following it over to its intersection with the Jakes Creek trail. At the intersection, you'll be about 150 feet below the trailhead for the Meigs Mountain trail. From the intersection, cut back down the Jakes Creek trail to the 'Dogpatch' collection of old cabins and shacks in the Elkmont area to reach the start. That's a really good loop for the kids or for a outstanding lazy rainy day hike.
To make the hike a good candidate for a longer walk, pick up the Meigs Mountain trail when you reach the intersection of the Jakes Creek trail and the Cucumber Gap trail. You'll need a shuttle set up for this one, but it's a winner, taking you from Elkmont on Little River over to Tremont on the Middle Prong of Little River. You'll pass the Meigs Creek trail and the Curry Mountain trailheads along the way, and finish the hike up on the Lumber Ridge trail. You'll have the options of exiting via the Curry Mountain trail (3.3 miles), coming out near Metcalf Bottoms, or coming out at the Sinks via the Meigs Mountain trail (3.4 miles.) Whichever route you choose, you'll get to enjoy a good Great Smokies low-country hike.