Staire Creek Trail
At A Glance
1.1 mi one-way
Difficulty Rating: 1.1 
Steepness: Climbs Steeply
Tread Condition: Some Obstacles
Blaze Color: Orange
Trail Number: 183
Description
Steep climb or descent mostly on eroded old roadbeds. Follows creek near the bottom; ascends to ridge near the top where it flattens out and passes through a clearing before ending on FS 74. Passes through a nice mature hardwood forest with a smattering of rhododendron in the lower sections. There are some cliffs & small rock caves along the trail - at one point the rushing water can be heard in stereo as it bounces off a rock face.
Intersecting Trails
This trail is located in the Big Ivy (Coleman Boundary) area. For a list of all the trails in that area, see the Big Ivy (Coleman Boundary) trails list page.
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GPS Map
Map Information
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Ratings
Average Rating: 4.5 (rated 2 times)
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Tyler K. said: This is a lovely little trail to take your time and soak in the good vibes down by creek. Staire creek is gently cascading over rounded mossy rocks and is lined with rhododendron and mountain dog hobble. There are lots of interesting eddies and pools to explore for aquatic life. About 1/2-3/4 of a mile in you get to a cool cave, which is apparently a climbing spot (chalk marks on holds) which has some sweet rock furniture and fire pit that someone made. There is a geocache there (make sure to leave a note) full of inspiration. Sadly, in the forest of this area, you can see the devastation left by the hemlock wooly adelgid, but you can also see the understory transitioning into heath shrubs, which is kind of neat. The trail past the cave becomes very very steep and tiring, so I opted to not go any further, however I was very pleased to spend an hour or so hanging out in the creek. If you are looking to put some miles in on a hike, this isn't the greatest trail for you (unless you connect to other trails) but it is well worth a walk because it is a beautiful rich cove. Plan your hike accordingly because it gets dark and very cool down in this holler earlier than other places. Maybe I'll see you there!