HomeTennesseeAllardt › Honey Creek Loop National Recreation Trail

Honey Creek Loop National Recreation Trail

4.9 ★★★★★ 51 Google reviews · Running trail in Allardt, Tennessee · Hours vary

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Mixed
Loop distance
7.1 mi
Shape
Loop
Shade
Not reported
Access
Not reported

Confirmed from Honey Creek Loop National Recreation Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

Mixed7.1 miLoopScenicHillyTrailhead parking

Rocky loop trail along cliffs, caves and creeks featuring waterfalls and scenic views, plus spots for camping.

What runners say about Honey Creek Loop National Recreation Trail

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (51 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 9 mentions

“The Honey Creek Loop Trail is a 6 Mile Trail that takes you along beautiful rock formations, small creeks, and caves.”

This loop trail is definitely tough when you decend into the canyon. There is some small climbing involved including a very steep ladder/staircase. You also have to squeeze through boulders and small cave like areas.

★★★★★ — Tim , Mar 2022

We hiked Honey Creek Loop trail at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. It was absolutely amazing! We hiked about 6.8 miles, including the loop, the short spur trail up to Honey Creek Overlook (and back), and a little bit of off trail wandering (slightly lost).

★★★★★ — Chris , Mar 2025

This trail was a blast! Best to go in the spring or after a rain to see all the waterfalls! The loop ended up being about 7 miles instead of the posted 5 miles at the trailhead.

★★★★★ — Willie , Jul 2024

One of my favorite trails. I rate the trail as hard as I don't know the audience reading but if you aren't new to hiking east TN terrain then I rate the trail as moderate. 5.5 mile loop with rock outcroppings to cross, 'fat-man squeezes' to go through, creeks to walk through and many other obstacles and scenes to see.

★★★★★ — Brent , May 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 51 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 23 mentions

“8 miles, including the loop, the short spur trail up to Honey Creek Overlook (and back), and a little bit of off trail wandering (slightly lost).”

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🏃 Long-run distance (5mi+) 11 mentions

“We hiked about 6.8 miles, including the loop, the short spur trail up to Honey Creek Overlook (and back), and a little bit of off trail wandering (slightly lost).”

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🔁 Loop trail 10 mentions

“5 mile loop with rock outcroppings to cross, 'fat-man squeezes' to go through, creeks to walk through and many other obstacles and scenes to see.”

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🌲 Natural surface / singletrack 5 mentions

“I prefer more cascades or a better waterfall destination hike and more greenery less dark rocky areas.”

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⛰️ Hills / elevation 3 mentions

“Be prepared to climb rocks, squeeze threw tight spots & if it's rained your feet will get wet.”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 2 mentions

“There was no one there the parking lot was empty and parked right next to the lookout.”

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🛣️ Paved surface

“Very short trail to the spot to look at the beautiful river below,well maintained and paved to take a mobility scooter up.”

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Plan your run at Honey Creek Loop National Recreation Trail

The practical stuff

  • AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
  • SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
  • Loop distance7.1 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • Websitenps.gov
  • Social Instagram · Facebook

Where to find Honey Creek Loop National Recreation Trail

Allardt, Tennessee

Get directions

Running trails near Allardt

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Pickett CCC Memorial State Park

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Frozen Head State Park

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24,000-acre park with a scenic observation deck, dense forest areas, hiking & tent campsites.

22.1 miles away

Trailhead for Hemlock Trail

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Maintained area with more than 15 different paths for hiking, plus elevation changes and deer.

30.0 miles away

Trailhead for Stonehenge Trail

4.5 ★★★★★ 72 reviews

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Rolling trail through the woods and residential areas featuring a golf course.

30.7 miles away

Seven Bridges Trailhead

4.6 ★★★★★ 51 reviews

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2 miLoopMixedScenic

Scenic loop trail of around 2 miles featuring several bridges over rocky terrain.

31.7 miles away

St. George Trail

5 ★★★★★ 1 reviews

Crossville, TN

32.4 miles away

All running trails in Allardt, TN →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.