In the Snowbird Creek basin near the convergence of the Snowbird and Unicoi mountain ranges lies one of the richest areas for world class hiking and fishing. For centuries the area was hunted by the Cherokee, and due to its steep and rugged terrain, it was one of the last areas in Western North Carolina to be settled by European pioneers.
The early Cherokee called this area “Titiyi,” the “snowbird place,” and some Cherokee found a haven here from the forced march called “The Trail of Tears.” White pioneers prospected for minerals and established farmsteads here. Later, loggers came and stripped the land of its virgin chestnut, poplar and hemlock. Most of the scars have healed, and except for scattered campsites below the wild trout section of the stream, the area shows few signs of ever having been settled.
In 1943, the federal government acquired the Snowbird area as part of the Nantahala National Forest. Seven hiking trails covering 37 miles ascend the surrounding ranges and follow the Snowbird and Sassafras creeks. These trails are purposely kept primitive and rugged; they are rated “easiest,” “more difficult,” and “most difficult” on the forest service map of the area. Big Snowbird Trail, for example, crosses the stream numerous times without the aid of bridges or footlogs. Other trails in the area include Burntrock Ridge, King Meadows, Middle Falls, Mitchell Lick, Sassafras Creek, and Snowbird Mountain.
From its headwaters in the Snowbird Mountains, Big Snowbird Creek tumbles over a jumbled, unruly mass of boulders and rocks, forms three scenic waterfalls and passes through a remote and rugged section of the Nantahala National Forest on its way to Lake Santeetlah. Big Snowbird is divided into three distinct fisheries. The lower section from an old logging railroad junction to the stream’s confluence with Lake Santeetlah is hatchery-supported waters. Some sections of the lower stream pass through a mixture of private and public lands, but all but a few miles of the creek can be accessed either from a gravel road on the upper part or a paved road on the lower section.
The wild trout section, from the Junction parking lot to the stream’s headwaters, covers approximately twelve miles, and the only access is by foot. The middle section, from the Junction to Lower Falls, has good populations of rainbow and brown trout, with rainbows outnumbering browns about ten to one. With a high tree canopy and wide stream bed, this five mile section offers excellent fly-fishing. Numerous mid-sized rocks make hopping from run to run fairly easy. Huge boulders provide good cover for casting to the numerous deep pools, long runs, and pocket water. Rhododendron overhangs provide ideal hiding places for trout during hot weather, and if you skip a dry fly under those low branches, you are almost certain to get a strike.
Brook-trout country begins at Lower Falls, and from there to the stream’s headwaters, a distance of about 7 miles, is some of the best brook trout fishing in the state. From Lower Falls to Middle Falls, the stream is fed by numerous tributaries, providing a continuous supply of brook trout. The stream is surprisingly large below Middle Falls, but it gets smaller from Middle Falls to Upper Falls. Brook trout at the upper section average about 7 inches, but anglers who frequently fish the stream say they’ve occasionally caught brook trout in the 12-inch range, especially from the waterfall-created pools.
The primary food source in the upper section of Snowbird is Mayflies, followed by caddisflies, with midges running a distant third. Mayflies also are the primary food source in the middle section, with caddisflies and midges about evenly divided.
Much of the stream can be accessed from a well-maintained trail from the Junction to Lower Falls. There are sections, though, where the stream is far below the trail. Once one reaches the stream, anglers usually remain in the water unless they want to crawl through thick rhododendron growth.