While exploring the Little River Trail in the Elkmont section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll come across a 20-foot cascade known as Huskey Branch Falls. Although the waterfall is not marked with official signage, it is about 2.1 miles from the trailhead and easily recognizable as the trail crosses directly over it via a small wooden footbridge. The falls are named after Sam and Alice Huskey, a couple who owned and operated a historic establishment in the Sugarlands called the Skyuka Inn. Keep reading for a fascinating, nearly forgotten family history behind Skyuka Inn and Huskey Branch Falls:
Background of the Huskey Family
Many people who visit Huskey Branch Falls don’t realize that the name belongs to a family that was significant in the history of the Smoky Mountains! Sam Huskey was the son of James Miller Huskey, and his wife Alice was the daughter of David Newman and Nancy Elizabeth Ogle, a descendant of Martha Huskey Ogle, and granddaughter of Vance Newman. The couple raised 8 children together, 4 girls and 4 boys, and many of the descendants still live in the Smokies today! Sam died in 1932 and was one of the last to be buried in the Burton Ogle Cemetery along Old Sugarlands Trail before it closed. Alice never remarried and lived to be 104 years old!
The Skyuka Inn Becomes a Well-Known Destination in the Smokies
In the early years of the 20th century, Sam and Alice Huskey owned a hotel in the Sugarlands near the river along the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River. This hotel, which was called the Skyuka Inn, became well known as a stopping place for food, rest, and supplies in a valley where making a living was never easy.
When the National Park Service informed the family that the land was being purchased for what would become Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the hotel was eventually torn down and rebuilt as a house in Middle Creek near Pigeon Forge. The house stood there for decades until the property was purchased by Dollywood in the late 1980s, and the remaining structure was burned a short time after the acquisition.
Hotel is Long Gone, But the Husky Name Remains in the Park
While the Skyuka Inn may be long gone and has faded into the history of the Smokies, the Huskey name remains in the National Park! In addition to the Little River Trail that leads to Huskey Branch Falls, you can explore the Huskey Gap Trail for a moderately challenging hike that is about 4.1 miles roundtrip.
The most direct starting point is just 1.6 miles south of the Sugarlands Visitor Center along Newfound Gap Road, and you’ll find a small parking area with space for about 6 vehicles along the side of the road. The Huskey Gap Trail is known for its spring wildflowers, views of Mount LeConte, and historical significance as a former route for early settlers.
Huskey Branch Falls are just one of the many beautiful cascades that you can see while exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park! If you’re interested in seeing the most impressive falls in the Smokies, here’s our list of the best waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains!
