By Jenni Frankenberg Veal
For those who enjoy visiting the Ocoee River Gorge, but aren’t skilled enough—or old enough—to kayak its Olympic-rated waters, Goforth Creek is your ticket to outdoor family fun in the land of whitewater.
Goforth Creek embodies all that the Appalachian Mountains have to offer in the way of water. The pristine freshwater creek rocks and rolls its way down Chestnut Mountain, a wild and undeveloped wilderness within the Cherokee National Forest, a 650,000-acre forest and the largest tract of public land in Tennessee. At its base, Goforth Creek empties into the Ocoee River after travelling under U.S. 64.
Along its course, the creek tumbles over ancient rocks that create pockets of water wonderland fun, ideal for wading and rock hopping, fly fishing, photography and enjoying quiet time in the wilds of Tennessee.
Named for Josiah Goforth, who moved to the area in 1850, Goforth Creek is one of the Ocoee River Gorge’s best-kept secrets, seemingly well-known only within certain recreational niches. Goforth is one of the only wild wading streams within the Ocoee River Gorge. The creek is also a popular fly fishing destination, as the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency stocks it with trout eight times a year. A tributary of the Ocoee River, Goforth Creek is a popular launching site for kayakers aiming to run a section of the Ocoee.
“Goforth Creek is a great place for families,” Tennessee Wild campaign coordinator Jeff Hunter said. “It’s close to Chattanooga; it’s pretty, it’s easy, there’s lots of wildlife and kids can get in the water.”
Best of all, the water at Goforth Creek is about as clean as you can find in today’s rapidly developing world.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, a stream that comes out of the mountains, where there is no human habitation or development above it, is much cleaner than flowing waters in developed areas. Although there are still things to be concerned about, like bacteria, the fact that Goforth flows right through the forest without traversing through developments makes it a much more ideal place to play in the water, officials said.
The southeastern United States is a hot spot for aquatic biological diversity, and Goforth Creek is an example of an ecologically complex and fragile ecosystem. According to a 2010 report prepared by the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the Goforth Creek drainage is oriented in a way that may contribute to a cooler, moister microclimate associated with the Southeast’s rich diversity of life.
More than 25 species of land snails, including the Goforth snail, have been documented in the creek drainage, which represents 10 percent of the total snail species known to the state of Tennessee.
The Tennessee dace fish is also found in Goforth Creek, as well as Greasy Creek, Madden Branch, Caney Creek and Rogers Branch within the Cherokee National Forest. The Tennessee dace populations in these streams represent a significant proportion (about half) of the known populations of this species in the world.
The area is also rich in native plants, including Ruth’s golden aster, and rare plants exist throughout the area.
Black bears populate Cherokee National Forest, so it is prudent to be mindful of them while hiking at Goforth Creek.
The U.S. Forest Service says that although Cherokee National Forest has a healthy black bear population, bears don’t want to see you any more than you want to see them. According to the Forest Service, bears are curious animals, but if you make yourself look large and talk loudly, chances are, it will leave.
The entire Cherokee National Forest is a wildlife management area, so bear hunting is allowed except in the three designated wilderness areas: Big Frog, Little Frog and Gee Wilderness Areas. Black bear season opens in the fall in the Ocoee Gorge. For more information, click here.
Hiking at Goforth Creek
The Goforth Creek hiking trail begins at a small gravel parking lot off U.S. Highway 64, where Goforth Creek empties into the Ocoee River. A small green sign along the road marks the location of the trailhead.
Goforth Creek trail follows the creek along an old road bed, offering stunning views of waterfalls, clear pools, rock overhangs, wildlife and native wildflowers. The trail climbs briefly away from the water to a short grade and then rejoins the creek at a meadow, a former home site. There, the trail crosses the Goforth Creek and gains elevation on its climb to the rim of the Ocoee River Gorge. The trail ends at the summit of Chestnut Mountain, overlooking the Ocoee River Gorge and Big Frog Wilderness Area.
A round-trip hike on the entire Goforth Creek trail is approximately four miles in length. The creek segment alone is approximately one mile round-trip.
Directions from Chattanooga:
Head north on I-75 to exit 20. Take the bypass around Cleveland and exit on Highway 40/64/74 at the Ocoee sign. Continue east on 64/74 to the Ocoee River Gorge. After passing the second Ocoee powerhouse, look for the green Goforth Creek sign. The gravel parking lot is small and tends to be crowded with hikers and kayakers, but additional parking is available along the road. No parking fee is required.
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