Paint Mountain Trail
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Trail Overview
Several good views from along Paint Mountain of the French Broad River valley.
How to get there
From Greeneville to eastern trailhead at campground:
- Head south on TN-70 (Asheville Highway) for 11 miles.
- Turn right onto Rollins Chapel Road for just over a mile.
- Turn left onto Lower Paint Creek Road for just under couple of miles.
- Park outside campground in lot next to creek.
- Trailhead for Paint Creek Trail is across the bridge, which leads to Paint Mountain Trail in 0.2 miles.
From Greeneville to western trailhead:
- Head south on TN-70 (Asheville Highway) for 9 miles.
- Turn right/west on TN-107 for 8.5 miles.
- Turn left/south on unpaved Brushy Creek Road. Warning: a narrow, winding, one lane road.
- Turn left/east on unpaved Weaver’s Bend Road.
- Travel quarter mile on this narrow dirt road to a pull-off parking lot.
- Find trailhead sign nearby to Paint Mountain Trail.
Route Description
The general route for the Paint Mountain Trail is described as:
| Distance (mi) | Elevation (ft) | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| -0.2 | 1800 | Start on Paint Creek Trail climbing the hillside. Take left onto Paint Mountain Trail. |
| 0.2 | 1830 | Cross Lower Paint Creek Road (FS Road 41) |
| 1.9 | Climb up steeply through switchbacks | |
| 2.7 | Veer around marked private property | |
| 3.0 | Rock outcropping with view | |
| 4.7 | Fork in trail – take lower left path | |
| 5.0 | Lone Pine Gap at Forest Service Road 54 | |
| 6.1 | Small pond | |
| 6.8 | 2540 | Intersect Chimney Rocks Trail. Cross mountain to Brushy Creek valley. |
| 9.6 | 1290 | Down many switchbacks to reach Weavers Bend Road. |
The trail is marked with blue or yellow blazes in different sections.
Typical Conditions
Path varies between old logging roads, narrow single-track paths. Some briars and other growth can be seen to encroach on the trail if FS maintenance crew has not been through. The trail is now designated dual use for hikers and horse riders.
More views are available in winter with less leaves on the trees, but recommend early spring.
Fees, Permits, etc.
No fees or permits required.
After the Hike
Misc. Information
Paint Mountain Trail is Forest Service Trail #7.
Camping is allowed along the trail. Some water sources are available.
Maps
<googlemap lat="35.9585" lon="-82.881" type="terrain" zoom="13" scale="yes" icons="http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/marker{label}.png"> http://tehcc.org/clubwiki/kml/placeholder.kml
(A) 35.94158, -82.92487 Trailhead on Weavers Bend Road (FS Road 209C) (A) 35.9675, -82.8920 Trailhead at Lone Pine Gap on Paint Mountain Road (FS Road 54) (H) 35.96462, -82.90445 Camping spot (A) 35.97677, -82.84212 Trailhead at Paint Creek Campground </googlemap>
Photos
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