You may meet an AT southbound thru-hiker or two. Fallįall is an excellent time for this adventure. You will be sharing the trail with adventurers attempting to complete an Appalachian Trail thru-hike in its entirety, giving you the true AT “thru-hike” experience. This is the height of the AT thru-hiking season in the park. Springīe prepared for a crowded trail and jam-packed shelters if you are hiking in the spring. Air temperatures are cooler at this elevation, making this a wonderful option for a summer trek. SeasonsĪ large portion of this hike is above 4500 feet. The Civil Conservation Corps constructed this fire tower in the late 1930s out of hand-cut stone quarried only 100 yards down the mountain. The western-style fire lookout is unique in its octagonal design. The last “big” view will be on the last day of this trek. So take off your pack, snap a few photos, eat, and take a rest before continuing north along the AT. Once again, views are abundant from this vantage point. Charlie’s Bunion is a unique rock outcrop: it resulted from a massive logging fire followed by torrential rains. Charlies BunionĬontinuing north from Newfound Gap, you will soon pass Charlie’s Bunion. This dedication was televised on September 2, 1940. Roosevelt formally declared the Great Smoky Mountains a National Park. It is also the site where President Franklin D. Newfound Gap, the “halfway” point in your backpacking adventure, is located on the North Carolina and Tennessee border. This is an excellent place to have a friend meet you for a resupply. Newfound GapĪfter Clingman’s Dome, you will walk across the only road along your trek-Highway 441-at Newfound Gap. The peak of your 6,643-foot climb is Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Over the coming days, you will steadily climb to a max elevation of 6,643 feet. This hike starts at an elevation of 1800 feet. The climb up the rickety metal fire tower will get your heart pumping. Start off your thru-hike with an excellent view of Fontana Lake by taking the small detour to climb Shuckstack Fire Tower at mile 4 of your trek. Wildflowers bloom in abundance along this hike in all seasons except winter. When you are not in a forest, you will find yourself among heath or grassy balds. You will hike through five different types of forests: Cove Hardwood, Spruce Fir, Northern Hardwood, Pine and Oak, and Hemlock. There are over 1600 species of flowering plants and 50 ferns. The scenery is epic along the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and this thru-hike demonstrates the park’s vegetative diversity. Most backpackers follow the infamous AT 2×6 inch white blazes for seven days to complete this adventure. It is a 71.6-mile trek from Fontana Dam, North Carolina, to Davenport Gap, Tennessee. The AT is the classic hike through the park. When a Great Smoky Mountains National Park thru-hike is mentioned in conversation, one immediately thinks of the Appalachian Trail. The Classic: Appalachian Trail Image of Appalachian Trail Captured by R.S.Shelleyĭifficulty: Strenuous | Days: 7 | Mileage: 71
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has three thru-hike options. Come and lose (or find) yourself in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and achieve your goal of completing a thru-hike. Never fear, you can lose yourself in the woods and complete a thru-hike without devoting months and months to this goal. However, for various reasons, these thru-hikes may not attainable at this time in your life. You may dream of hiking trails like the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, or the Continental Divide Trail. So what about a Great Smoky Mountains National Park thru-hike?
The desire to walk for miles and miles deep in the woods is bubbling within you. You are itching to don your trusty backpack and favorite hiking shoes. The lure of conquering a thru-hike is calling.
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