Why do they call it Stinking Creek?  Well, it turns out that there are at least a half-dozen streams named Stinking Creek across our country, with all of them arriving at their name due to some mishap in the past that caused a big stench. In the case of Stinking Creek in Campbell County, TN, it was long ago first called Sugar Creek due to the many Maple trees. The story of the name change as told by G. L. Ridenour in his book The Land of the Lake is:

“The winter of 1779-1780 was known as a cold winter. Snow began in late October. Intense cold followed for weeks. Streams froze over. Animals that had drifted to the cane breaks and timber perished in the bitter cold. When spring and summer came in the beautiful valley of cane and meadow, all the animals had perished from the cold. It was an animal charnel house. For months Indian and white hunters alike avoided the place by reason of the carrion stench. Turkey buzzards and animal scavengers that had dens in the cliffs gorged on the putrid flesh of the dead animals. From that time until the present the name of the creek and the beautiful valley has remained Stinking Creek.”