South Mills River Trail Map

Route map of the South Mills River Trail as tracked (over numerous visits) by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...

South Mills River Trail Map

Route map of the South Mills River Trail as tracked (over numerous visits) by the Gaia GPS app...

F.R. 476 Trailhead (Pink Beds Connector/Gauging Station Trail) -- 3,160'

This is the end of Forest Service Road 476, where parking is available for both hikers and campers. In this shot on the left is the start/end of the Pink Beds Connector/Gauging Station Trail. The South Mills River Trail begins behind the camera from this spot (see next photo)...

F.R. 476 Trailhead (South Mills River Trail) -- 3,160'

This is the F.R. 476 Trailhead for the South Mills River Trail, which begins past the metal gate seen ahead...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,150'

Right from the get go the South Mills River Trail pulls up alongside its namesake...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,140'

There are a couple of backcountry campsites, like this one, to be found along this stretch of the trail...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,130'

After the initial stretch alongside the river, the scenery begins to look mostly like this...

South Mills River Trail @ The Otter Hole -- 3,120'

About 2/3-mile south of F.R. 476 the trail hops over an open rocky area...this is the access point for the Otter Hole, a popular summertime swimming spot you'll see in the next couple of pics...

The Otter Hole -- 3,110'

The Otter Hole...it's easy to see why this large natural pool is popular with swimmers, though F.R. 476 being closed for the foreseeable future will likely put a crimp on that for a while...

The Otter Hole -- 3,110'

The South Fork Mills River spills into the Otter Hole over this series of low ledges, creating a pretty little cluster of cascades...

The Otter Hole -- 3,110'

The South Fork Mills River spills into the Otter Hole over this series of low ledges, creating a pretty little cluster of cascades...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,110'

Back on the main trail heading east...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,100'

There's nothing like a brisk, clear late fall morning on the trail...

South Mills River Trail @ Concrete Bridge -- 3,100'

Around a mile south of the F.R. 476 trailhead the path comes to this bridged crossing of the South Fork Mills River...as you can see, this sturdy concrete structure was constructed with something a bit heavier than hikers or bikers in mind...

South Mills River Trail/Billy Branch Spur Path Junction -- 3,100'

Immediately before crossing to the south side of the bridge you may notice a faint unmarked path entering the woods (seen on the right here looking back). This is the unofficial trail to both Billy Branch Falls and High Falls on the South Fork Mills River, both destinations of which you can find in a couple of my other albums...

South Fork Mills River -- 3,100'

Looking upstream along the South Fork Mills River from the bridge...

South Fork Mills River -- 3,100'

Looking downstream along the South Fork Mills River from the bridge. You can see Billy Branch spilling into the South Fork on the bottom left...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,110'

Now past the concrete bridge the trail continues on, flat as before...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,130'

The river remains a close companion but the thick foliage all but hides it from view on this stretch...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,150'

Perhaps 1/3-mile past the concrete bridge the trail begins it's first sustained uphill climb...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,220'

A glance back over your shoulder reveals nearby Funneltop Mountain (4,265'), showing off its silhouette through the trees...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,240'

Believe it or not this is the longest extended climb you'll encounter, eastbound, until the end of the trail...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,270'

Before long the top of the ridge, which the trail is seeking out, appears ahead...

South Mills River Trail -- 3,300'

Cresting the ridge through a deep cut...