Little East Fork Trail Map

Route map of the Little East Fork Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...

Little East Fork Trail Map

Route map of the Little East Fork Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Little East Fork/Ivestor Gap Trail Junction -- 5,700'

This wide opening marks the junction of the Little East Fork and Ivestor Gap Trails. It's just about at the apex of the Ivestor Gap's curve around the end of the ridge a half-mile south of Shining Rock Gap. There's no sign to mark the Little East Fork Trail but, if you're watching for it, you shouldn't have trouble spotting it...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,680'

It is immediately apparent, upon leaving the Ivestor Gap Trail, that the Little East Fork Trail is much less frequently used...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,650'

An opening in the canopy provides a glimpse of the Fork Mountain Ridge, immediately to the west. This brief view is about the only one you'll get along the entire length of the Little East Fork Trail...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,620'

The grass-lined, gently downward-sloping trail, here at the start, is fantastically enjoyable...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,600'

As you can see more clearly in this shot, the Little East Fork Trail is following the route of an old forest roadbed...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,560'

Hopping across the the upper end of the unnamed tributary which drains from Flower Knob down to the Little East Fork...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,500'

Woodland scenery doesn't get much better than this...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,420'

Freshly fallen leaves coated a particularly mossy bit of woodland here, creating a uniquely beautiful kaleidoscope of color...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,360'

Just under a mile after leaving the Ivestor Gap Trail the Little East Fork enters its first tight switchback, beginning its main descent off the ridge. Note the seemingly clear road ahead at this spot...make sure you hang a right to stay on the correct route...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,340'

The trail is now quite serious about getting off the ridge...in the next 1.5-miles of winding trail I'd be loosing 1,000-feet of elevation...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,320'

Switching back again through a stand of young pines...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,260'

It's nice that the trail chooses to follow this old roadway down the mountain...it means there won't be any surprise super-steep pitches to contend with while it does...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,200'

Passing down through the last of this upper section of switchbacks...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,150'

Down, down, down...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,100'

Rounding another broad shoulder on the west side of the ridge...

Little East Fork Trail -- 5,050'

Cutting a narrow swath through the forest...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,950'

Crossing another area of runoff...nothing that'll get the feet wet though...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,800'

This tight right-hand switchback is the start of the final steep drop the trail will now make to reach the Little East Fork...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,750'

Tunneling beneath the trees...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,700'

The trail is now descending along the hillside which rises to the east of the Little East Fork, which can easily be heard far below at this point...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,650'

Looking back gives a better feel for the grade along this stretch...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,600'

The sense of wilderness along this trail is palpable...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,550'

Despite being devoid of blazes, you might worry the seldom-used Little East Fork Trail might be difficult to follow in places. As it turns out, it's as easy to follow as any other marked trail you'll find in the District...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,500'

The Little East Fork Trail as it finally approaches its namesake...

Little East Fork Trail @ Little East Fork Pigeon River -- 4,450'

The Little East Fork Trail makes its one and only crossing of the Little East Fork Pigeon River here, at a point 2.5-miles below the Ivestor Gap Trail and/or just under 3-miles above Camp Daniel Boone...

Little East Fork Pigeon River -- 4,450'

This pretty little cascade offers a pleasant bit of scenery just upstream at the crossing...

Little East Fork Trail @ Little East Fork Pigeon River -- 4,450'

Don't be fooled by its appearance as an easy rock-hop in these photos. The water levels seen here are lower than average, so be prepared for a slightly more impressive stream should you visit...

Little East Fork Trail @ Little East Fork Pigeon River -- 4,450'

Looking back at the Little East Fork, from the trail, as it reaches the west bank...

Little East Fork Pigeon River -- 4,450'

This is a fantastically wonderful little stream...one that begs further exploration should you have time...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,400'

The Little East Fork Trail as it continues downstream from the crossing...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,350'

Every so often there are tiny little runoff streams to hop across, but nothing more significant than what you see here...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,300'

The Little East Fork is losing elevation a bit quicker than the trail at this point, as you can see...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,250'

Winding down the narrow valley...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,200'

Looking back up the valley, with the Little East Fork visible beneath the colors on the left...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,150'

This was a moderately steep stretch of trail, but an easy one to walk surprisingly...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,100'

Another shot of the neighboring Little East Fork...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,050'

The route remained quite open...it's obvious this lower section of the trail sees more foot traffic, as it's nearer the camp and stays right along the stream...

Little East Fork Trail -- 4,000'

The valley here is extremely deep and narrow, so expect shadows to stay late and arrive early when making your plans...

Little East Fork Trail -- 3,950'

Just under a mile below the crossing of the Little East Fork, the trail hops across the first of four major tributaries along its final three miles...as you can see, 'major' is a relative term...

Little East Fork Trail -- 3,900'

The valley narrows even more at this point, with the Little East Fork now cutting along the bluffs directly below the trail...

Little East Fork Trail -- 3,850'

With enough time (and energy) there are countless possibilities for cascade photos along this trail...

Waterfall on Little East Fork Pigeon River -- 3,800'

Looking down through the trees at one of the more impressive cascades seen from the trail along the Little East Fork...

Little East Fork Trail -- 3,760'

The downhill grade eases a bit by this point but the surface of the trail is still very uneven so watch your steps...

Little East Fork Trail -- 3,720'

The surrounding rhododendron become ever more dense and prolific the lower the trail descends...

Little East Fork Pigeon River -- 3,680'

A rare bump up alongside the Little East Fork...