Hidden Passage Trail
Pickett's signature 5.9-mile loop past sandstone bluffs, rock houses, the namesake stone arch, and Crystal Falls.
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- Length
- 5.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 575 ft
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Route
- loop
Trail conditions
No recent condition reports. Hiked it lately?
Report current conditions →Elevation
5.9 mi · 572 ft of climbing · high 1,632 ft · low 1,438 ft
Find the trailhead
Parking
Marked trailhead on TN-154 about half a mile north of the park office; free. Lower stretches grow thick with thorny vines in summer, so long pants help.
Directions to parkingWeather at the trailhead
75°FClear now
Sunrise 5:20 AM · Sunset 7:59 PM
- TodayOvercast75° / 55°F2% precip
- WedMainly clear83° / 64°F1% precip
- ThuThunderstorm77° / 68°F68% precip
Forecast from Open-Meteo. Mountain conditions change fast; check again before you go.
The blazed loop drops off TN-154 into hardwood ravines and runs for miles beneath overhanging sandstone bluff lines dotted with rock shelters. Highlights include the small natural arch the trail is named for, the double-tiered Crystal Falls, the Thompson Overlook, and an optional spur to an old railroad tunnel cut through the rock. It is the park's longer backcountry loop, distinct from the short Natural Bridge walk.