A painted pedestrian crosswalk traverses the road at this location, making it easier to spot the parking area. In order to get the best parking space and have the most solitude, arrive at the trailhead very early in the morning. The Laurel Falls Trail is perhaps the most heavily used trail in the park. While I'm still doing some research, I believe the name Fighting Creek Gap might have been coined after someone saw two cars battle for a parking space on a summer afternoon. The Laurel Falls Trail begins as an easy climb on a paved trail.
Pavement is necessary to prevent erosion from the heavy amount of foot traffic the trail receives.
You'll soon see why this is such a popular route for day hikers. At just over one and a quarter miles, you'll see Laurel Falls, a beautiful seventy-five foot waterfall. Cross the footbridge over the clear, cool mountain pool and continue up the trail. You'll leave the pavement, as well as most of the hikers, behind you at the falls. The trail becomes a bit steeper as you move through a variety of virgin timber.