Hiking Trails / Smoky Mountain National Park!
The national park system in the Smoky Mountains has over eight hundred miles of trails! Many of the trail heads are located near roadways making finding and access them fairly easy to do. The trails range in difficulty from easy to very difficult. Care should be taken to check the difficulty rating of a trail before setting out for the first time.
Trails cover the park from one end to the other. Many follow streams and lead to waterfalls. Some lead to historical places or well known peaks! Many of the trails are open year round, but again, checking before you set out is highly recommended! Please wear proper clothing, good hiking shoes and bring along some bottled water to stay hydrated!
“Appalachian National Scenic Trail”. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
Shuckstack Tower Trail
The Shuckstack fire tower is just 1/10th of a mile from the Appalachian Trail and a 3.4 miles from the nearest road. The best way to access the tower is on the north side of Fontana Dam, which is on the N.C. side of the park.
Ramsays Cascades Trail
This is an eight mile round trip and can take a little over four hours, depending on the hikers skill level. This is a very popular hike through the highly prized Greenbrier section of the Park. A hike on the Ramsays Cascades trail not only reveals what has been called the best falls in the Smokies, but also old growth forest that has never suffered from the logger's saw or the settler's ax.
Rainbow Falls Trail
The Rainbow Falls Trail is one of several that will take you to the top of Mount Le Conte. The trail is quite challenging, but about 1/2 way up the trail offers a rest at the beautiful Rainbow Falls. From the fall up to Le Conte Lodge the trail is very challenging.
Old Settlers Trail
Old Settle trail is a hike through the parks area history. A seldom traveled trail, it is a good place to hike if you'd like to get away from the crowds on a moderate hike.
Mont LeConte Lodge • Great Smoky Mountains
LeConte's location in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has spurred the creation of 5 trails that lead to the LeConte Lodge. In addition to these there are spur trails that lead to each of the individual peaks. There are scenic overlooks and peaceful woodlands settings and every trail offers its own unique sights along the way to the location of the lodge.
Chimney Tops
The trail to Chimney Tops is only 2 miles in length but requires a good deal of strength and caution. The excellent views from the trail, abundant wildflowers and streams have many feeling a hike up "the chimneys" is well worth the effort and the risk.
Boogerman Trail • in North Carolina
A moderately challenging 7.4 mile (round-trip) hike. Travels through old growth forest, picturesque streams and falls, and the remains of early settler's homesites. Plan on roughly three hours, depending on your skill level.
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee includes a section 71 miles in length that serves as a boundary for Tennessee and North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains. One popular approach is to park at the Newfound Gap parking area.
Alum Cave Bluff Trail
This moderately difficult hike is 4.6 miles round-trip or 5.1 miles on to LeConte Lodge. The round-trip to the cave bluff takes about 2 and 1/2 hours, but allow about 3 and 1/2 hours to LeConte Lodge. The Alum Cave Trail is the most popular and well-known route to Mount Le Conte.
Abram Falls Trail | Cades Cove
A fairly easy 5-mile trek (round-trip) that is ideal for the beginner or a family. It will take about three hours, depending on your skill level. Since the departure point for this hike lies within Cades Cove the most visited "must see" area of the Smoky Mountains Nation Park, you will have plenty of company
