Hiking In The Smokies

If hiking is you’re thing, you’ve found heaven. There are easy hikes, long hikes, the longest hike (The Appalachian Trail), waterfall hikes, history hikes, lakeside hikes, hard hikes, even technical rock climbing hikes. Below are a few, but here are a few of our favorites within easy drive of Maggie Valley.

Smokemont Loop Trail. This is a moderately easy trail the does not change elevation that much, but what’s special about the trail is its seclusion. Just off the Smokemont Campground in Cherokee, you can hike the entire 6+ miles of trail and never see another soul. Peace and quiet and some stream side hiking.

Andrews Bald Trail. This is a high elevation trail that is often covered in a cloud cover making it a cool place to escape the summer heat. You can access the trail head just off the Clignams Dome parking area. Pack a picnic because at the end of the trail is a classic “bald” with a clear view in every direction. This is not a loop trail so the hike is out to the bald and back. Moderate climbs involved.

Silers Bald Trail. This is a segmant of the Applachian Trail. From the Cligmons Dome parking area, take the trail head and head south on the AT. You will decend along the spine of the North Carolina and Tennessee mountain divide with views into each state, especially when the leaves have dropped. Its a moderate hike and will take 4-5 hours to reach the bald and return. The actual bald has grown over so dont expect “views” from the destination.

Milepost numbers increase as you go South on the Parkway. *Mileage indicated length of trail one-way unless otherwise note
Name of Trail	Milepost	Miles*	Difficulty
Cumberland Knob Trail (ideal lazy-day walk) MAP	217.5	0.5
Gully Creek Trail (rewarding loop that meanders by stream) MAP	217.5	2
Fox Hunters Paradise Trail (view)	218.6	0.2
Little Glade Millpons (easy loop stroll around pond)	230.1	0.4
Cedar Ridge Trail (great for day hike; vistas and forests)MAP	238.5	4.2
Bluff Mountain Trail (parallels Parkway to Milepost 244.7)MAP	238.5	7.5
Fodder Stack Trail great variety of plants) MAP	241	1
Bluff Ridge Trail (primitive trail with steep slopes) MAP	241	2.89
Grassy Gap Fire Road (wide enough for side-by-side hiking) MAP	243.7	6.5
Basin Creek Trail (access from back-country campground)MAP	243.7	3.3
Flat Rock Ridge Trail (forest path with vistas) MAP	244.7	5
Jumpingoff Rocks Trail (forest path to vista)	260.3	1
The Lump Trail (to hilltop view)	264.4	0.3
Cascades Trail (self-guiding loop to view of falls)	271.9	0.5
Tompkins Knob Trail (to Jesse Brown Cabin)	272.5	0.6
Rich Mountain Carriage, Horse, & Hiking Trail MAP	294	3
Flat Top Mountain Carriage, Horse & Hiking Trail MAP	294	3
Watkins Carriage, Horse & Hiking Trail MAP	294	3.3
Black Bottom Carriage, Horse, & Hiking Trail MAP	294	0.5
Bass Lake Carriage, Horse & Hiking Trail MAP	294	1.7
Deer Park Carriage, Horse, & Hiking Trail MAP	294	0.8
Maze Carriage Horse & Hiking Trail MAP	294	2.3
Duncan Carriage, Horse, & Hiking Trail MAP	294	2.5
Rock Creek Bridge Carriage, Horse, & Hiking Trail	294	1
Figure 8 Trail (short, self-guiding loop nature trail) MAP	294.1	0.7
Trout Lake Hiking & Horse Trail (loop)	294.6	1
Green Knob Trail (to Green Knob) MAP	295.9	2.3
Boone Fork Trail (stream, forest, and meadows) MAP	296.5	4.9
Price Lake Loop Trail (loop around Price Lake) MAP	297	2.3
Linn Cove Viaduct Access Trail	304.4	0.16
Beacon Heights Trail (10 minutes to view) MAP	305.2	0.22
Tanawha Trail (diverse biological & geological features)MAP 1, MAP 2	305.5	13.5
Flat Rock Trail (self-guidling loop)	308.2	0.63
Camp Creek Trail (leg stretcher throught laurel and rhododendron)	315.5	0.1
Linville Falls Trail (view of upper Falls) MAP	316.4	0.8
Linville Gorge Trail (view of lower Falls) MAP	316.4	0.5
Duggers Creek Trail (loop to view of Duggers Falls) MAP	316.4	0.25
Linville River Bridge Trail (leg stretcher to view of unusual bridge)	316.5	0.1
Chestoa View Trail (30-minute loop to vista)	320.8	0.63
Crabtree Falls Loop Trail (loop to view of Falls) MAP	339.5	2
Woods Mountain Trail (USFS)	344.1	2
Lost Cove Ridge Trail (USFS)	350.4	0.6
Deep Gap Trail (USFS)	351.9	0.2
Bald Knob Ridge Trail (USFS)	355	0.1
Big Butt Trail (USFS) (trail continues on USFS lands)	359.8	0.2
Glassmine Falls (view of Falls)	361.2	0.05
Craggy Pinnacle Trail (to panoramic view) MAP	364.2	0.73
Craggy Gardens Trail (first portion is self-guiding nature trail)	364.2	0.84
Rattlesnake Lodge Trail (woodland walk)	374.4	0.5
Mountain-to-Sea Trail/MTS Trail (from Folk Art Center to Milepost 365; spring wildflowers and views; parallels parkway; many accesses)	382	7.5
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Bent Creek-Walnut Cove)	393.7	3.1
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Walnut Cove-Sleepy Gap)	396.4	1.7
Grassy Knob Trail (steep trail to USFS area)	397.3	0.9
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Sleepy Gap-Chestnut Cove)	397.3	0.7
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Chestnut Cove-Bent Creek Gap)	398.3	2.8
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Bent Creek Gap-Beaver Dam Gap)	400.3	1.9
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Beaver Dam Gap-Stoney Bald)	401.7	0.9
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Stoney Bald-Big Ridge)	402.6	1.2
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Big Ridge-Mills River Valley)	403.6	1.2
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Mills River Valley-Elk Pasture Gap)	404.5	1.2
Shut-In Trail/MTS Trail (Elk Pasture Gap-Mt. Pisgah)	405.5	1.7
Mt. Pisgah Trail (summit view) MAP	407.6	1.26
Buck Springs Trail (Pisgah Lodge to view)	407.6	1.06
Frying Pan Mountain Trail MAP	408.5	1.65
East Fork Trail (USFS, access to Shining Rock Trail System)	417	0.1
Graveyard Fields Loop Trail (loop by a stream)	418.8	2.29
John Rock Trail (leg stretcher to view)	419.4	0.1
Devil’s Courthouse Trail (panoramic summit view)	422.4	0.42
Bear Pen Gap Trail (access to Mountains-to-Sea Trail)	427.6	0.22
Richland Balsam Trail (self-guiding loop through spruce-fir forest)	431	1.47
Toy Taylor Overlook Trail (paved trail to overlook)	433.8	0.1
Waterrock Knob Trail (summit view)	451.2	1.18