View Full Version : Lakeshore Trail - GSNP
NCYankee
05-27-2009, 23:20
I am going to hike the Lakeshore Trail in June and was wondering if anyone has ever seen any sort of profile map for the trail. I picked up the Trails Illustrated Map but in attempting to convince my wife and our hiking partners of this trips accessibility a profile map would be of incredible assistance. I have tried searching online, numerous GSNP websites, and even the localhikes.com website, but can't come up with a thing. The closest I have been able to come up with is the small graphic in the book Trekking the Southern Appalachians, which shows no elevation change, versus the obvious climbs and falls on the topo.
Thanks for the help, it is greatly appreciated.
NCYankee
05-27-2009, 23:27
I know it is supposed to be GSMNP... it's late :)
The "Road to Nowhere" trailhead to Hazel Creek has only one notable climb of about 1 mile long and 500 ft. There are quite a few 50 to 100 foot climbs on this section. I heard the remaining section to 20 mile is pretty easy too.
The "Road to Nowhere" trailhead to Hazel Creek has only one notable climb of about 1 mile long and 500 ft. There are quite a few 50 to 100 foot climbs on this section. I heard the remaining section to 20 mile is pretty easy too.
I have hiked it twice. Easy is not a word I would use to describe the trail. There are lots of ups & downs. It ain't New England, but it does not follow the shoeline for very far. "Trekking the Southern Appalachians" by Jack Igelman has the best write-up of the trail. A great book!
Enjoy the hike! Jump in the lake a time or 2!
LockJaww
05-27-2009, 23:57
Ive walked most of this trail and its a beauty. Dont pass up a chance to hike the Eagle Creek Trail....without a doubt my favorite trail within the GSMNP.....Yes you will get your feet wet...but man is it worth it. Eagle creek offers the Smokey Mountain experience at its best. In June there will be lots of great little pools to dip in. Very easy to connect back down to the Lakeshore Trail....When I do my thru in 2011 I'll be blue blazin to rehike Eagle Creek for sure. I live in Arizona now and might never get a chance to return. All you really need is what used to be known as the " fifty cent " map of the Park. Contact the Park for a copy.....
elmotoots
05-28-2009, 00:02
Howdy
The book ( Hiking trails of the Smokies ) which can be purchased at the visitor centers has nice profiles of the trail broken up into segments.
We have hiked the trail and, loved the old homesites we saw by getting off the trail just a little.
I have an older copy of the book, if you have a map i could give you elevations for any campsite.
EAnderson
05-28-2009, 00:17
Howdy
The book ( Hiking trails of the Smokies ) which can be purchased at the visitor centers has nice profiles of the trail broken up into segments.
We have hiked the trail and, loved the old homesites we saw by getting off the trail just a little.
I have an older copy of the book, if you have a map i could give you elevations for any campsite.
That is the "Brown Book" and Elmotoots is correct that it has the best profile map for the trails in the GSMNP. I think it is about $18 or so, and you can find it online at www.SmokiesStore.org (http://www.SmokiesStore.org)
Hikerhead
05-28-2009, 00:46
Big climb starting off at 20 mile, big climb after Eagle Creek, lots of ups and downs before ending at the Road To Nowhere, some flat sections in between, cold cold water at the lake where the creeks flow in but nice and warm 20 yards farther out. Rattle Snake. That's what I remember. It's a fun hike.
Mother Nature
05-28-2009, 07:17
Just finished walking it last week. As said, "it aint easy" and it isn't the hardest thing I ever have done. It was beautiful with the water cascades and the sounds of flowing water nearly all day.. water was really up.
Long steady ups and downs. Several large new blowdowns but evidence that crews regularly keep clearing the trail but they just keep falling to maintain job security for the forest service.
Horses had really trashed several narrow section of the trail in the wet soggy areas.
Wonderful bear cables at every campsite made settling in at night nice.
I have no idea where people are getting "big climbs" on the Lakeshore trail. Frankly it's a cakewalk as far as easiness goes, but it is a really nice hike. My son and I, when he was 12, did the entire thing in 2 days hiking with an extra overnight in Proctor to fish and poke around and it was a blast.
There are lots of views and in the fall it's awsome.
...Horses had really trashed several narrow section of the trail in the wet soggy areas...
This is one of the reasons I'm hiking less and less in the smokies. Last month I endured miles and miles of trail destroyed by horses. :(
Mother Nature
05-28-2009, 08:27
"big climbs" on the Lakeshore trail.
I wouldn't call them "big" climbs just continuous. Overall the trail is in wonderful condition. I strongly support a fall or winter walk if you want to see wonderful views through the trees. The leaves had come out on our trip and we had rare views of the mountains.
Sadly horse traffic has really ripped up areas and the most campsites were littered with horse poo and potential tent sites chewed up from hoofs.
We stayed a one reserved campsite and it was covered with empty stove canisters, plastic tarps, empty large food cans and lines of wet cotton clothing left behind. Things I know hikers would never carry.
Easy is not a word I would use to describe the trail.
OK, not as easy as the Hazel Creek Trail, but definitely easier than 80% of the trails in North GA and Western North Carolina.
Campsite #83 was a friggin mess of horse poo. Glad I brought my hammock.
I wouldn't call them "big" climbs just continuous. Overall the trail is in wonderful condition. I strongly support a fall or winter walk if you want to see wonderful views through the trees. The leaves had come out on our trip and we had rare views of the mountains.
Sadly horse traffic has really ripped up areas and the most campsites were littered with horse poo and potential tent sites chewed up from hoofs.
We stayed a one reserved campsite and it was covered with empty stove canisters, plastic tarps, empty large food cans and lines of wet cotton clothing left behind. Things I know hikers would never carry.
Would that have been campsite #90? It's always been an eyesore when the horse campers have been through.
Mother Nature
05-28-2009, 13:12
Actully it was campsite #61 and another the number excapes me but closer to Smokemont.
If I recall there was no litter at 90 if memory serves me right... mud mud mud