Hiking the Appalachian Trail through the Great Smoky Mountains--Things you will WANT to know! Part One: Fontana to Newfound Gap

The Appalachian Trail through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park sends shivers of dread through the minds of some thru-hikers as they sit at the Fontana Hilton and map out the days ahead. But it doesn't have to! By this time in your thru hike, you are stronger, mentally and physically. You are NOT one of the 45-50% who have already dropped off the trail, and you can SO do this! This stretch of the AT offers exquisite views, opportunities to commune a bit differently with your fellow hikers, the potential sightings of various wildlife you may not have yet encountered, and depending on the time of year, some of the most delicate and beautiful trail companions you will happen upon anywhere along your journey as you lower your gaze to the trail itself to make it up that next climb. Just don't forget to look a little to either side of the trail for the wildflowers that often grace its boundaries.

This post will not address things such as permits and regulations of the Smokies. Those can be found here. Instead, let's go through what to expect from the trail itself, what NOT to miss, and a bit about the specific shelters along the way. My hope is to help you plan this part of your trek with a little more insight than can be gathered from the AT Guide, to help you enjoy and experience the Smokies in all their grandeur, not to simply make it through them and get them behind you. You may never be back to this astonishingly beautiful place, and my hope is that you will savor your time here.

The Trail, Its Sights, and Its Shelters (from South to North)

Fontana Dam to Mollie's Ridge
The AT through the Smokies is impossible to get to from anywhere in the Park without a significant climb, and that certainly holds true for those who will enter the Smokies along the AT from Fontana Dam. The first three and a half miles is a slog up a 2000' elevation gain, but a relic-from-the-past metal fire tower rewards you for your efforts. Shuckstack Fire Tower, up a path to your right a scant 1/10 of a mile off the AT, provides the brave-at-heart with incredible views of the Nantahala range from which you have just come, looking down onto Fontana Lake with breathtaking fervor. Warning: Shuckstack "shimmies" in the winds that are prevalent on this ridge, but, take heart, it does not fall! It was designed to give a little in the winds that are seemingly always blowing here. The bottom section of the switchback stairs you will use to scale this tower is missing one handrail, but once you come to the first landing, both handrails are intact the rest of the way up.

If you are unable to make yourself climb the entire 80-ft height of the tower, you will benefit from just going up to the second landing. Even at this landing the vistas will take your breath away, and you may find yourself pressed to continue climbing. Another warning about Shuckstack: do NOT leave your packs unattended at the bottom of the tower. Either leave someone at the bottom, or take packs with you to the first landing. Do not tempt any wandering bears with the goodies you have stowed in your pack to get you through to the first resupply opportunity in Gatlinburg. Our bears are smart! I've never encountered a bear there, but I have heard about packs left at the bottom being raided. Once you return to the AT from the tower, you will find large boulders on which I've seen many thru-hikers resting and taking a snack or lunch break before continuing on up the ridgeline.


The next section of trail takes out and up past the only tent-friendly campsite along the AT in the Smokies, Backcountry Campsite #113, or the Birch Spring Gap campsite. As is true of other sites close to a road, this site is used frequently by not-so-serious hikers and is often misused, trashed, and therefore, often closed due to bear activity. If you are hiking through the Smokies in the summer, this site is almost always closed.


The first shelter you will come to from the South is Mollie's Ridge, which sits at approximately 4600' and 10.1 miles from the Park boundary. This picture of the Mollie's Ridge shelter shows the tarps that are put up by the Park Service in the winter to protect hikers from the elements which can become severe. Inside, there are two levels of wood flooring on which hikers can lay out sleeping pads and bags. As you can see, there is a covered cooking/eating area outside the sleeping quarters. Please do NOT take food into the sleeping area so that bears are not tempted to enter because of the residual scent of the goodies they smell. Do all your food prep and eating outside under the cover if weather dictates it, or sitting on the logs by the fire if weather is good. This shelter has a nice, flat area where tents can be pitched if, and only if, the shelter is full. Ridgerunners do monitor the trail through the Smokies to make sure rules are followed and hikers are safe, and I have met a ridgerunner at Mollie's before. Ridgerunners are very nice folks full of insights and information about the area and good to have around in the event of a problem or emergency. You will also find bear cables at each of the shelters in the Smokies which make hanging your food and other items which give off scent easily at a high perch away from bears, raccoons, etc. One hint though: hang your WHOLE pack, leaving it open so mice don't chew through it to get to whatever goodies you might have inside. If possible, put your food into an Ursack or similar non-porous bag which eliminates odors so that mice are not attracted to your food. Also, every shelter is situated along a water source, and Mollie's is no exception with a good water source just a bit down a side trail from the shelter. There is, however, no privy at Mollie's.

Thru-hikers often complain about having to sleep in the shelters in the Smokies, but I can attest that some of the most fun I've had hiking has been meeting and socializing with other hikers in the shelters along the AT. Keep an open mind, have earplugs available, try to enjoy it, and pat yourself on the back for doing what it takes to keep the most visited National Park from being trampled to death under the overuse of tenting in undesignated areas. Short-term hikers are never allowed to camp outside of a shelter, so many do not carry tents at all. That is why thru-hikers are asked to make room for overnight hikers if the shelter fills up late in the day.

Mollie's Ridge to Spence Field
One of the main problems thru-hikers run into in the Smokies is that the shelters are not placed at
ideal distances from one another. By this time in your hike, you've increased mileage per day to 12 to 15 probably. Within less than 3.5 miles you will come to Russell Field shelter, pictured to the right. Most NOBO thru-hikers do not end up staying here, but if you left Mollie's early it does make for a nice stop for breakfast. Again, there is no privy at this shelter, but usually you will find a shovel and a sign to the bathroom area.

In only a little less than 3 more miles, you will come to the intersection with Eagle Creek trail and only .1 mile down Eagle Creek is a shelter with a privy and a nice water source except in the driest of summer situations. If that source does dry up, you can hike further down Eagle Creek trail approximately .7 miles to the first crossing of Eagle Creek itself which will never go dry. It is a tough climb back up to the shelter if you find yourself in that situation. However, in months of extreme drought, which do happen up here some years, that is an option.

Spence Field shelter is a favorite destination for short-term hikers who will stay here to climb up to Rocky Top and Thunderhead Mountain on their second day. However, they have had a pretty tough 5-miles of significant elevation gain to get here, so their schedules often closely mimic those of thru-hikers with a bedtime of the typical hiker midnight.

Spence Field itself lies .1 miles north on the AT from the intersection with Eagle Creek Trail, and is what is left of a much larger bald area once used by the early homesteaders of the Cades Cove area to graze cattle. Today, it is characterized by short serviceberry trees and long, luxuriant grasses swaying amiably in the breeze. Views here are wonderful and I suggest you take just a moment to soak them up if you are lucky enough to be here on a clear day.

This is the time for an important decision. The toughest climb in the Smokies lies ahead of you--up and over Rocky Top and Thunderhead Mountain. This climb, to me, is more difficult than the final ascent of Clingman's Dome. You must now decide whether to hike from here to Derrick's Knob or wait until tomorrow and start fresh. The choice is yours.

Spence Field to Silers Bald

The trail across Thunderhead Mountain is ripe with spectacular vistas to give that adrenaline rush that can help you up that next incline, provided of course that you are blessed to be here on a bluebird sky kind of day. If not, Thunderhead Mountain is not a place to be caught in a storm. They don't call it Thunderhead Mountain for no reason. (In all honesty, I think it gets its name from the Thunderhead sandstone of which the mountain is made.) Weather here is unpredictable and can turn vicious in a short period of time. Just keep that in mind, and if hiking in summer, I recommend you do that section early in the day before thunderstorms have time to build in the heat.


The real "Rocky Top, Tennessee"(made famous by the song played repeatedly on football Saturdays by the Pride of the Southland Marching Band of the University of Tennessee) is an outcropping of rock on Thunderhead Mountain. This particular rock has engravings made by the herders who once grazed their herds they had gathered from as far away as Maryville, Tennessee on these mountain peaks during the summer months of the late 1800s to early 1900s. Stop at that rock and enjoy the view, but also take a moment to ponder the history of this place as you read the etchings.

Once you drop off of Thunderhead Mountain, you enter a forested area which rolls up and down repeatedly while slowly rising back up to Derrick Knob Shelter, another wonderful place to stay the night or just stop and rest. There is a freely flowing water source again, just a short distance down a path from the shelter, but you will find no privy here. If you started at Spence Field shelter, you can probably make the next shelter at Silers Bald, about 5.5 miles north, with little problem. Those miles that separate Derrick Knob from Silers Bald are, as far as the Smokies goes, a rolling, fairly gentle climb with the exception of one short stretch up and then back down Cold Spring Knob.

Silers Bald shelter is pretty typical with one important exception: I do not like its water source even in wet months. The times I've stayed there it seems you are drinking rainwater runoff, as opposed to a springlike source of water found at most of the other shelters. In the hot and dry months of summer, the water source can dry up to little more than a drip. The better water source lies ahead at the next shelter at Double Springs Gap.

Silers Bald to Newfound Gap
Only about 1.5 miles north of Silers Bald you will come to Double Springs Gap Shelter, an absolute delight in summer when the coneflowers and bee balm in the field between the shelter and the privy bloom prolifically. This is a lovely spot to stay or just to take lunch or a snack break. Enjoy your time here because from here to Clingman's Dome, the highest spot on the Appalachian Trail in any state, it is nothing but UP! A tough 2.8 miles separates you from the views which await you at Clingman's Dome, so eat something here that will give you the energy for the final difficult climb.

As you ascend the Dome, if you want to actually go up on the iconic spiral-shaped tower, you will have to look for a short side trail to the paved path. The overlook is only a short walk on the paved path from there. Go up on the paved path to get to the tower. The AT itself goes along underneath the tower and you might miss it altogether if you aren't careful. If it's a clear day, you will probably hear voices from the throngs who visit here daily and will definitely want to go up onto the overlook. If the weather isn't clear, you might as well walk on because you will be IN the clouds at this elevation. If you wish to get off the trail at Clingman's Dome to hitch a ride into Gatlinburg, look for the signs to the Parking Lot. On a fair weather day between April 1 and November 30, you should be able to catch a ride easily, but the road closes in the winter and you will have to hike on to Newfound Gap in order to hitchhike to Gatlinburg between December 1 and March 31, sometimes even a few days one way or the other of those dates if the weather is bad.

During the 7.9 miles between Clingman's Dome and Newfound Gap, there will be some ups and downs, but overall, you will be losing total elevation of about 1600 feet. This is a stretch of trail that proceeds primarily through forest with very few vistas, especially once you leave the flanks of Clingman's Dome. At one point along the trail, you will pass over a fence, on a switchbacked metal walkway, and into an "exclosure" built to keep wild hogs out of this pristine field of protected wildflowers.  Wild non-native hogs can do irreparable damage to the biodiversity of the Park, and this section has been protected from their furrowing, digging, and devouring of the native wildflower populations found here. If you happen through this area in April or May, you will be blessed by millions of spring beauties, trout lilies, and other minute ephemeral lovelies. Count your blessings if you are here at the perfect time. Near the Newfound Gap end of this section, you will come to a stone wall which can also be lined with wildflowers later in the year, but this time the flower is jewelweed or touch-me-not. When you see that old wall, you will know you are nearing Newfound Gap.

There is one final option for a shelter stay before arriving at Newfound Gap, but it is .5 miles off of the AT. Sugarland Mountain Trail intersects with the AT 3.3 miles north of Clingman's Dome Tower. As of this writing, Sugarland Mountain Trail is open from the AT to the Mt. Collins shelter, but is closed beyond it due to the wildfires that devastated the slopes on and around Chimney Tops. But if you are not planning to get off the trail at Newfound Gap, this is a nice place to stay for the night.

Newfound Gap is another easy place to procure a ride to Gatlinburg as long as there has not been snow (the road closes at the first sign of snow because it becomes treacherous very quickly). Locals who frequent this road are used to seeing thru-hikers in spring and summer and many are happy to provide you a ride just to listen to the stories you have to tell. Many thru-hikers choose to leave the trail here to resupply and eat town food for a day or so. I will say that the hitch to Gatlinburg is easier to come by than the hitch back up to Newfound Gap or Clingman's Dome if you got off there. You may have to arrange a shuttle to get you back to the trail.

If you have found this information helpful, come back soon for Part Two: From Newfound Gap to Davenport Gap and read about my very favorite parts of the trail system within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In my opinion, the BEST of the AT in the Smokies still lies ahead!


***One thing I would be remiss if I failed to discuss would be the highly-variable winter weather that can slam into the Smokies at a moments' notice and later in the spring and earlier in the fall than one might think. Please be aware of the weather before entering the Smokies, but if you find yourself in the Smokies with weather presenting hazards that you cannot overcome, you might benefit from the trail map that you can find here. If things get rough and Newfound Gap Road is closed, this map will allow you to find a way down out of the highest elevations onto trails that can lead to roads where you can get help or at least find respite from the highest winds and coldest temperatures. Another good website to consult while you still have signal before entering the Smokies is here where you will find road and facility closures. Have a plan B if you are coming through this Park at a time of year when weather can take a nasty turn very quickly. This last site will also tell you which shelters are closed due to bear activity if you happen to traverse this Park in summer.

A Beginner's Guide to Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Centennial Celebration's "Find Your Park" logo, encourages everyone to get involved in National or State Parks.

I was talking today with a long time volunteer with the Smokies who is helping organize the National Parks Centennial Celebration at our local level. We discussed what I had heard for many years, that a staggeringly high percentage of visitors never venture far from their vehicles while visiting this special place. Some never leave their car and see the Park only through their windshields. How sad!

In this year of the Centennial Celebration, a focus of the efforts and vision of Superintendent Cassius Cash is to reach out to the younger generations, the millennials and younger, as well as diverse populations to encourage them to experience the Park on a personal level. It is these individuals who will carry the torch into the future and help make sure the National and State Parks' futures are secure. It is vital that they become involved at a higher level than they currently are or the passion that protects these amazing places may dwindle. Those of us who love Great Smoky Mountains National Park (or any other park for that matter) need to carry the banner and begin the process of handing it off to the younger generations. I can think of no better way than to get folks out of their cars and onto the trails where they can experience the magic for themselves.

Honestly, to some visitors and even some local folks, hiking in the Smokies can be an intimidating prospect, but it certainly doesn't have to be. Three-fourths of the year, during tourist season, a newbie can find a wide, well-travelled trail and thrill to the gurgle of a creek, the roar of a waterfall, or the silence of the forest--an experience that will undoubtedly soothe even the most savage beast of our modern, stress-laden world--with a minimal amount of preparation.

So, for our visitors who might otherwise stay in their cars and never truly "see" the Park, let me make some recommendations on gear and also on some trails you will LOVE, some of which you may not hear of otherwise.

GEAR for a First Hike in the Smokies    

The single most important piece of equipment you need to have with you will cost you a whopping $1.00--a MAP. These dollar maps can be purchased at any Visitor Center and at some other locations in dispensers where you simply put a dollar in and get out a map. It can be ordered before your trip HERE. It's absolutely essential that you purchase one! It will make a great souvenir anyway and might keep you from becoming disoriented in the woods.

Shoes or boots--You do not have to have hiking boots or hiking shoes to do the trails I am listing here in this post. Some of them could possibly be enjoyed in less for short distances, but do yourself a favor and use tennis shoes or better. Enjoying the trail will be easier if your feet are protected by a solid shoe. Just remember, the Smokies are a temperate rainforest, so there will often be muddy sections on most any trail. Flip flops (or dare I say it because I've seen it--high heels) can be downright dangerous on a muddy, rocky, or root-strewn trail.

Water--Always carry water with you when you venture out for a hike. If you're planning on hiking more than a mile or two, especially in hot weather, carry at least a quart of water with you. It is not recommended that you drink the water in the streams and rivers, tempting as that might be, so be sure to carry some with you.

Food--It's always a good idea to have a little bit of food with you on any hike, even a short one like we are going to talk about in a minute. Stick a protein bar or a bag of nuts in your pocket to help fuel your body as you walk in our woods. The further you plan to hike, the more food you'll want to pack. Just please remember to pack the wrapper or any other trash back out with you to protect our wildlife and the experience of others who do not want to see trails littered with orange peels or food packaging. Food scraps left in the woods KILL our bears, so if you pack it in, please, pack it out!

Camera--I wouldn't send you into the Smokies without a way to capture the treasures you will find along its trails. You have no idea what awaits you! You WILL want to remember it, and since you cannot remove anything (no rocks, plants, leaves, sticks, nothing!), a camera provides you with a record of the special sights you will enjoy. Remember, "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints."

A Careful Eye on the Sun or your Watch--As a novice hiker, you do not want to be caught in the woods at nightfall, so please allow yourself plenty of time to enjoy your hike, yet complete it before the sun gets too low in the sky. These deep woods get dark more quickly than you might think (and when they get dark the temperatures drop surprisingly quickly), so unless you've packed flashlights or headlamps for everyone in your party, start early in the day. Allot yourself about one hour for each mile you will hike. This should allow ample time for taking in the sights, snapping lots of pictures, stopping to rest and snack, and still get you back to your car before sunset.

Realistically, for a short hike of only a few miles on the trails I list here, these are the essentials. Other items are a good idea: compass (if you know how to use one), a whistle, rain gear (vital if the weather is cool in fall or spring; potentially life-saving in winter) and a light backpack to contain it all. If after sampling some of these trails, you become hooked on hiking as many have, you will want to invest in more gear before venturing off the well-travelled trails or for longer hikes. But this will get you started. Take the time to get off the pavement and onto the trails below. You may never be the same!

FAVORITE TRAILS for Beginners

The trails I list here are a delight for the beginning hiker. There is little to no risk of getting lost if you simply stay on the trail, and they offer sights and sounds uniquely engaging for those who take the time to enjoy a walk in the woods. They are well-travelled which will make even the most novice hiker feel safe knowing that others are not too far away in case anything unexpected does happen.

ON THE TENNESSEE SIDE:

Little River Trail--near Elkmont--This is a wide, almost level trail that was once a road. It follows along Little River amid old vacation homes of the village of Elkmont. These homes, for the most part, are now condemned and should not be entered. It is nice to observe these old homes and think about what it must have been like to stay here. Some were occupied as late as 1992 due to leases that were negotiated before the Park took ownership of the land. To me, though, the biggest draw for this trail is the river itself. Numerous small cascades are worth stopping to see and photograph. There are many places along the trail where you can stop with a picnic lunch and let kids play in the river. I used to do it all the time when my own children were young. There are some huge boulders along the river which make excellent picnic tables. This trail goes on for over 6 miles, but a new hiker will enjoy a stroll up Little River for any distance that is comfortable and then can simply turn around and return to the car.

Meigs Creek Trail--trailhead is located at the Sinks--I recommend doing this trail in the summer because there are 18 water crossings on the entire length (3.5 miles one way) of the trail. I also recommend NOT doing it after heavy rains as the crossings may become dangerous. But on a warm summer day when rains have been minimal, in shoes you don't mind getting wet, this trail is a real joy! Most of the crossings occur after the first mile, but this section of forest is just lovely. I have seen bear, turkey, ruffed grouse and even a black racer snake along this trail. Upper Meigs Falls can be seen from the trail at about 1.75 miles and this is a good place for the novice hiker to turn around, after enjoying the falls, making your total hiking distance about 3.5 miles.

Middle Prong Trail--in Tremont--Another wide path which follows a river on a trail which once was a railroad bed. This trail has a little more elevation change than Little River, but also has a dramatic waterfall a little less than 3/4 of a mile out. There is a bench located at the falls for resting and reveling in the sights, sounds, and smells of the Park. You can hike further up Middle Prong if you wish, again turning around whenever you need to and simply return to your vehicle. Something you are sure to find on any of these in and out hikes is this: even though you've just walked up the trail, when you turn around and go back, it's like you're on a different trail. You will see things you didn't notice on your way up; perspective changes and so will the scenery.

CCC Camp Clock Tower and the men who worked there

Old Sugarlands Trail--right across from Sugarlands Visitor Center--This is a HISTORY hike! This delightful trail takes you through the heart of a once vibrant community of hard-working individuals who eeked out their livelihood by farming and raising livestock to support their families. Untold numbers of relics from their homeplaces remain in this area and many can be seen from the trail. Look for stone walls and remnants of chimneys. If you're here in the spring, know that daffodils mark some of the homesites to this day. There are a couple places where other trails (horse trails primarily) intersect with Old Sugarlands but the trail is well-marked. Just be sure to check the signage (and that MAP you're carrying) and make sure you remain on the main trail. One of my favorite historical sites in the Park can be found at about 1.5 miles. Where the trail takes a hard, dog-legged right turn, look up and into the woods. Depending on the season in which you make this trip, you will be able to see (sometimes very easily) the old clock tower that once marked the entrance to a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) camp which was the working home to the men who built much of the infrastructure of our Park. There is also a stone circle which surrounded the flag pole and many other pieces of evidence of this earlier time in history. It is definitely worth a few minutes of your time!

Andrews Bald offers spectacular views of the NC side of the Smokies

Forney Ridge to Andrews Bald--off Clingman's Dome Parking Area--Of all the hikes listed here on the Tennessee side of the Smokies, this may have the biggest payoff with incredible views of the surrounding Smoky Mountains from an elevation of approximately 5800 ft. You can see equally inspiring views from the parking lot, but remember, my goal is to get you off the pavement and into the backcountry so you can REALLY experience this national treasure. Your sense of accomplishment after having hiked to these vistas will more than make up for the time you spend. The memories will remain with you always, so get onto Forney Ridge Trail and walk to Andrews Bald. The trail courses through forests and is often lined with wildflowers in the spring or with wild blackberries and wild blueberries in the summer, but at 1.8 miles from the trailhead, you step out onto Andrews Bald. The vistas here will take your breath away! Plan to spend some time or maybe pack a lunch. You will want to tarry, I promise! However, this hike is not as level as the trails mentioned in this post that were once roads or even railroads, so be prepared for some minor climbs. Do be careful at an intersection about one mile into your hike that you stay on Forney Ridge trail. Forney Creek Trail goes off to the right and down away from your destination. Andrews Bald is on Forney Ridge, so stay straight at that intersection.

Porter's Creek--in Greenbrier--If you come to the Park in April or early May, do NOT miss this trail! Porter's Creek is world-renowned among wildflower enthusiasts and offers a delightful array of tiny gems blooming along the path and into the woods. You will be blown away by the variety and delicate intricacies on display in the Spring. But this trail is also a gem other times of the year. Many homesites were located along this trail so you will see stone walls, remnants of chimneys, and a cemetery. The old Smoky Mountain Hiking Club Cabin is located along this trail at approximately a mile. Take some time to explore it. You will not want to leave! Then if you decide to go further, you can hike to Fern Branch Falls at approximately 1.7 miles by continuing to follow Porter's Creek Trail.

Hen Wallow Falls on Gabes Mountain Trail

Gabes Mountain Trail--in Cosby--If you visit the Cosby area, there is one short hike that rates high on my list for beginners--Gabes Mountain Trail, if you feel like you can do about 4.25 miles round trip. This trail is a bit of a climb up to Hen Wallow Falls, but my children have done it as have many others. Many of the hikes in the Cosby area have much more significant elevation gains, so this trail is easier than some of those, again with a big payoff. Hen Wallow Falls is definitely worth the trip. You will see a small sign that sends you off on a short side trail down to the base of the falls at 2.1 miles into your hike. There are large boulders at the bottom that make a perfect spot for a picnic lunch. Just be sure to pack out any trash (even "natural" trash like orange or banana peels). Enjoy!










ON THE NORTH CAROLINA SIDE:

Big Creek Trail--in Big Creek--This trail offers a little something for everyone--wildflowers in the spring, a delightful walk along a gorgeous river complete with numerous cascades, a chance to watch kayakers navigate chutes and eddies, large rock formations that echo the sounds of the river, intensifying the experience, and much more, all along another roadbed hike with little elevation change. There are two major destinations on this hike within the first two miles of trail. A popular swimming hole, Midnight Hole, is at the bottom of a chute of river between two massive boulders located at 1.4 miles from the trailhead. A little further up the trail, at 2.0 miles, Mouse Creek Falls plummets into Big Creek. Many a family photo have been taken from that spot!

Mt. Sterling Fire Tower

Mt. Sterling Trail to the Fire Tower--half way between Big Creek and Cataloochee on dirt road NC Hwy 264--Not only is this trail hard to get to, it is a short but STEEP climb of almost 2000 ft over 2.7 one-way miles. If you are in the physical condition to do it though, this is one of those places in the Park where you can get life-changing vistas, this time at the top of the Mt. Sterling Fire Tower (not for the faint of heart or if you have a fear of heights). For this hike, though, I would recommend a backpack with plenty of water and some extra food. Your body will need the support on this hike. I almost didn't include this hike here, but it is such a breathtaking experience (both literally and figuratively), I thought I would include it with the caveats I have mentioned. If you are unsure about your physical abilities, pick a different hike. This is definitely the most difficult hike in this list.

Bradley Fork--at Smokemont Campground--At the very back of the Smokemont Campground lies one of the most picturesque "easy" hikes in the Park, and most folks never see it. This is a long trail that eventually climbs high up toward the Appalachian Trail, but the beginning section is truly beautiful, and almost flat, as it follows the course of the Bradley Fork of the Oconaluftee River. Perhaps I love this trail so much because the Bradley Fork is also a nice trout stream, but I remember the first time I hiked it, it simply felt magical! I encourage you to meander along as far as you like and then turn around and head back to the campground. You can spend as little or as much time as you have available, and it will all be well spent.

Kephart Prong Shelter

Kephart Prong Trail--off of Newfound Gap Road above Smokemont Campground--An adventure through history awaits you if you take this 4-mile round trip through another old CCC Camp area and out to the Kephart Shelter, named for Horace Kephart, a man instrumental in the creation of this Park. Abundant historical remains can be found on either side of this trail including old chimneys, rock walls, an old fishery, and then of course, this wonderful shelter--another perfect spot for a picnic.


Deep Creek Trail--near Deep Creek Campground--This is a much beloved trail by those who visit the Deep Creek area of the Smokies, and for good reason. Another old roadbed trail, this trek will take you to Tom Branch Falls within the first quarter of a mile. Families love this hike because there are many spots along the trail to launch inner tubes for an easy float down the river back to the campground. I must admit my own personal memories of Deep Creek Trail are blurred by exhaustion because every time I've been on it, we've hiked long, arduous miles down from the Clingman's Dome area to get to it, but I had to include it here because so many folks hold such fond feelings for it. If you are in the Deep Creek area, by all means venture up this fine and easy trail and see for yourself.

Intentional Omissions--There are a few well-known trails that I have intentionally left off my list, primarily because they are the ones everyone knows about. Therefore, they are so highly travelled, I personally do not find them very enjoyable except during winter, and as such, I could not, in good conscience, include them among my favorites. If you don't mind the crowds, then by all means, consider Laurel Falls, Abrams Falls, and Chimney Tops. If crowds are not your thing, hopefully, you have found some other options here.

Since my goal in writing this post is to get you out of your car and into the woods, please feel free to ask questions in the comments below. I'll be happy to either get you an answer or direct you to someone who can. Happy Trails!

If you are someone who has hiked in the Smokies before, what trails would you have included that I left off? I'd love to hear your recommendations as well.

A Glorious Three Days in the Backcountry of the Smokies--Day One

I have done a lot of hiking this year, but not a lot of blogging, but this trip just has to be recorded! Our first, but hopefully not our last, backpacking trip of the summer happened this weekend. There were interior trails in the Cataloochee and Big Creek areas of the Smokies to which we had not gotten yet. Those interior trails are difficult to reach! You really need a helicopter and parachute to get to them easily, but alas, those aren't in my hiking gear box. Instead, we began this trip by parking one vehicle at the Big Creek Campground parking lot and were shuttled from there to the Mt. Sterling trailhead by the nice folks at Standing Bear Hostel, located just a few miles from Big Creek. We have done the Mt. Sterling Trail several times on our way to various other trails in the area, but never with a fully loaded three-day backpack on our backs. I must say, I was a bit nervous about that! Over the past few months though, I had been purposefully working on my conditioning by making sure that, no matter what, I got in at least 10,000 steps using my Fitbit to monitor my progress. Many normal days I'd have way more than that, but 10,000 was my minimum. It paid off more than I could have imagined that it would.

Flame Azalea--this one light in color

 The pitch of the Mt. Sterling Trail is steep, but some switchbacks make it bearable. Scattered along the trail were various summertime wildflowers and many of the flowering shrubs famous in the Smokies this time of year.  Flame azaleas, mountain laurel, and rhododendron rewarded our efforts giving us something to ohh and ahh over as we climbed the mountain. In no time, we were at the top.

Mountain Laurel

Rhododendron

 After resting for a bit at the top of Mt. Sterling, we made our way down another trail we had already done a stretch of in the past--Mt. Sterling Ridge Trail. This is a very nice trail which does what it sounds like it would do; it follows along the ridgeline, offering a few glimpses of the surrounding mountains, although those are usually seen through the branches of many trees and shrubs along the way. It is not a difficult trail though and is well traveled, so isn't overgrown. When we finally came to the intersection of this trail and Pretty Hollow Gap and Swallowfork, we were getting "new miles." We continued on Mt. Sterling Ridge Trail until it intersected with Balsam Mountain Trail. This part of Mt. Sterling Ridge is less traveled and therefore was a little more overgrown, but primarily with grasses, not many briars or brush.

We sat to have lunch at the intersection with Balsam Mountain Trail. Lunch for me that day was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made from a "light" wheat English muffin. I have found that an English muffin makes a great backcountry sandwich because the bread doesn't get mushy even amid the rigors of trail life. Another trick I use with that sandwich is to put peanut butter on each half of the split muffin and then put the jelly in the middle. Again, that helps the bread hold up to the pressures inside a backpack.

After our lunch break, we set out on Balsam Mountain Trail toward our destination for the night. This trail provided us with some nice views and elevation changes were minimal. Really, by the time we had climbed Mt. Sterling, we were done with any huge elevation changes. Balsam Mountain trail also runs along the ridgeline for the most part and was an enjoyable trail with several snippets of vistas.

Balsam Mountain trail runs 5.8 miles from where we had stopped to enjoy our lunch to the Appalachian Trail, but it is such a nice trail, we made that distance in really good time for us, especially considering the amount of weight we were carrying in our packs. We did the almost 6 miles in a little less than 2.5 hours--not bad, all things considered!











My favorite part about this trail, though, was the destination to which it led us--Tricorner Knob Shelter! We had stayed at this shelter on our Appalachian Trail trip two years ago and enjoyed it so much, that I was really looking forward to staying there again. I was not disappointed!

This quaint shelter, three-sided (which is typical in the Smokies), is nestled up again a hillside just a 100 yards or so below the Appalachian Trail. It has a picnic table type area with benches on both sides, a nice water source (drips from a pipe into only a small pool), and a backcountry privy which is always a nice amenity to have at a shelter!

The privy at Tricorner Knob

Bear cables are present for you to hang your packs and food bags since bears are ever-present in these mountains. We had never hung our packs on the bear cables before, but had always hung our food bags. This trip, we hung our packs because bears have been so active in the Smokies in the last few weeks. A quick call to the backcountry office right before our trip resulted in this new technique (new for us anyway) to prevent an unpleasant run-in with a bear who might be becoming to accustomed to the presence of humans and their food.

Tricorner Knob Shelter is in one of the most remote regions of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but with a fireplace inside, a fire pit outside, the comforts of being able to sit at a table while preparing and eating your food, and the typical company of a few thru-hikers, this shelter is one of my many "favorite spots" in this park. It was a privilege to be able to spend the evening of our first day at this serene location.

We did have a bit of natural entertainment during our stay at Tricorner Knob, too. If you look closely in the photo above, you can see the comedian sitting on a rock. We were kept on our toes by a personable little squirrel, a "boomer," who had moments of bravado, approaching very close to our table area, but who would then scamper back off as if his wild side finally won out. He was really cute, but we took care not to feed him or even drop scraps, tempting as that might have been. All of us knew that he was better off allowing his wild side to rule and keep his distance from the hikers and their food.

To read about Day 2, CLICK HERE

Wintertime hiking---my favorite!

I absolutely love hiking in the winter for so many reasons! A little over a week ago, my hiking buddy and I took out on a Saturday morning to get in a short hike, starting a little later than usual because of the questionable weather predicted on Friday night and Saturday morning. We had decided to let the sun get up good and make sure the roads were open before leaving our homes. The hike of choice was Curry Mountain, a nice 3.3 mile trek up to Meigs Mountain Trail which runs from Elkmont to Tremont. This was going to just be an in and out for a round trip of 6.6 miles, only 3.3 of which were going to be new miles for me. Jennifer had already done the trail, so for her it was strictly spending time in the woods and leaving the stresses of the work week behind.

The weather was nice as we left Knoxville, and we were surprised when it started to snow pretty hard as we were making our way through Townsend. We chose to drive up Little River Road so we could stop in at the Sinks to see what damage had been done by vandals earlier the week before. Thankfully, when we got to the Sinks, no sign of damage was evident to us. I suppose park officials had already sand-blasted the graffiti off the rock surfaces which had been tagged by some nincompoop who must have thought it cool to destroy one of the most beautiful places in the world.

As we made our way from the Sinks to Metcalf Bottoms picnic area where we parked our car before heading up to the trailhead, snow peppered around us, beginning to stick to the ground, but not to the road. We debated not hiking, but honestly, not for long. So far, this snow was very different from the conditions on the AT the previous Saturday which turned us around in search of less ice in lower elevations. This snow, light and dry, simply enticed us further as opposed to making the path more difficult. Even as we moved higher up the mountain and the snow began to really cover the trail, it never became treacherous--just gorgeous!

I love wintertime hiking for several important reasons. Most importantly, probably, is utter lack of snakes! I detest snakes with the fervor God intended when He cursed the serpent in the Garden of Eden. And in weather like this I don't even have to worry about them at all. That's always a plus!

Another favorite aspect of wintertime hiking that appeals to me is the lack of other people on the trails. It is rare that we see more than one or two people on any trail we do this time of year. Don't get me wrong; I don't have anything against people in general, but I do love the solitude and quiet that pervades the mountains and trails this time of year. On this hike, we only saw one other hiker--a young man who had hiked out of the campsite he and his wife had set up when it had started to snow the night before. They had hiked down off the mountain not knowing what to expect from the weather. I got the feeling he would have stayed, but instead he carried out his wife's backpack, leaving his own gear on the mountain. That's how we saw him coming down Curry Mountain as we were going up. He'd already been back to the campsite to retrieve his pack and was about half way back down when we were making our way up the trail.

And, then there's the views! In winter, views seem to stretch on forever, unimpeded by the foliage of the deciduous trees in the forest. Surrounding mountaintops covered in snow and oncoming clouds threatening to drop more snow on both you and those mountains make for an exhilarating sight. I do have a healthy respect for the unpredictability of winter in the Smokies, but we always hike prepared for weather conditions that may deteriorate. We are also smart about things, staying on the trail and fairly close to a trailhead when conditions are iffy. But there's no quiet as quiet as these mountains covered in snow which seems to insulate from all sounds even those made by the wildlife. If you stand amid a few inches of snow and hold your breath, it's as close as I've ever been to silence. Literally the only thing you can hear is the beating of your own heart. Now that's silence!

It also seems to me that when the clouds break after or during a winter snow event, the sky is more blue than I've ever seen it on other occasions. I'm sure there's something scientific at work here, but I remain oblivious to those reasons. I just am enamored by the sight. There was one such moment of crystal clear blue sky peeking out amidst snowstorm clouds noted in the photo below:

If you look carefully at the mountains just below the storm clouds you can see that they are literally being dusted with snow as the blue sky breaks out just above them. It was a spectacular sight.

I know as spring approaches, it will hold beauty and excitement of its own. It too, is one of my favorite times to be in the mountains. However, a part of me holds onto these special wintertime hiking days as the rest of the year marches on. To be honest, I suppose whatever season I'm in at the time is one of my favorites--each season holds its own unique advantages and surprises.
I suppose it's ok to adapt a popular bumper sticker here: A bad day in the mountains is better than a good day at work! Not surprisingly, I haven't had many "bad days" in the mountains!