Hardest trails in the Southeast

[BrettHeadley]

I've got to disagree with the hardness of this trail (its the one signed ballbuster that ends at naked ground.. correct?). It does have steep sections that are a little tricky, but they are short, and the portions in between the steep sections are bad at all.

I will agree with all the other points though, it is a good trail (going up),down might be a bit annoying (haven't give down a try though)

My friend and I hung the sign BallBuster on the tree up on the left. It was originally carved into the official sign 25 years ago, but the sign rotted. Never heard it called NutBuster until now, but it's the same concept. It was tough when I was a young man and it's nearly a killer these days, but the pay-off at Bob Bald is worth the struggle.

[Dances with Mice]

Duncan Ridge Trail in GA. No question.

Someone mentioned the Coosa Backcountry Trail - the DRT includes a long portion of it and that's just a little warm-up before the kick-ass portion of the DRT..

I happen to know the DRT overseer for the section between Mulky Gap and the Benton Mac intersection. Don't hold your breath until switchbacks are installed on that portion.

[trouthunter]

In Tennessee:
Fiery Gizzard, if you don't wus out and take the detour around the boulder field via the Dog Hole Trail. (Grundy County I believe)

Stevenson Trail in North Chickamauga Pocket Wilderness Area (Hamilton,Sequatchie Counties)

North Carolina:
Nutbuster in Slickrock Creek (Nantahala area)
Summiting Grandfather Mountain in the dark, straight up the side, no trail!
It will kick your a**!

[trouthunter]

My son reminded me of Mt. Mitchell which I had forgot about, did years ago.
Tough!

[Mr. Parkay]

I would suggest the Benton Mackaye Trail though the smokies. This is a rugged trail, quite a bit more difficult than the AT through the smokies, IMHO. If you go southbound you'll have a 4000 foot climb on the first day.

[Summit]

Bly Gap to Muskrat shelter on the AT
Shining Creek Trail (up to Art Loeb) in Shining Rock Wilderness
Either direction out of Wesser for 5 miles on AT
Mt. Mitchell Trail

[modiyooch]

Back side of Grandfather Mt. Start from 105. Ten mile round trip to swinging bridge.

[Tennessee Viking]

Take a look at the South Beyond 6000 challenge hikes. http://www.carolinamtnclub.org/SB6K/SB6K%20Index.html

The TEHCC and Carolina Mountain Club sponser this program to all the southern peaks above 6000 feet. Some are trail, some are tough bush whack. The minimum requirements of some peaks only ask for 5 miles or a multiple summits in one day. While other ubber hikers take it from the actual bottom of the mountain.

From what I heard the MST route and some of the park trails are not all that difficult to the Mt Mitchell top. But the South Beyond challenge hike suggests the route from the Black Mtn Campground for the ultimate work out which is 3684 foot climb in 11 miles.

Then there is route doing Celo Knob & Mt Mitchell on the Black Mtn Crest Trail which is also highly difficult. 14 miles doing 4400+ feet.

Take in note, that the parkway is closed from Craggy Gardens Picnic area to Mt Mitchell. Only access to Mt Mitchell is NC 80.

[halibut15]

I echo Coosa Backcountry...but do it all in one day (and ignore the posted warnings against it). It's not the hands-down hardest trail around, but you'll be absolutely done by the time you finish the loop.

[OldStormcrow]

Joyce Kilmer in the summer, the Stecoah area in winter.

[Marta]

I agree. Going nobo up Roan is much tougher than sobo.

It depends. I much prefer climbing to descending (it's the knees), so I'd rather do it NOBO. (Just went down it Saturday. What a beautiful day!)

The Fires Creek Rim Trail is short but steep in places. There's also the interesting challenges of finding water and places flat enough to camp.

[MileMonster]

Porter's Creek Manway in GSMNP is a rough route. Not exactly a trail, though.

- MM.

[Berserker]

Most of the trails in Linville Gorge (NC).

[Summit]

Just did Roan Mt NOBO three days ago . . . they don't get any tougher in the SE US!

[Tipi Walter]

My friend and I hung the sign BallBuster on the tree up on the left. It was originally carved into the official sign 25 years ago, but the sign rotted. Never heard it called NutBuster until now, but it's the same concept. It was tough when I was a young man and it's nearly a killer these days, but the pay-off at Bob Bald is worth the struggle.

I was on the Nutbuster several months and noticed your nice polished "Ballbuster" sign on the tree. One month later I was on the same trail going up to Naked Ground and noticed the sign had been pulled off the nails and "souvineered" by some miscreant A-holes and it got me to fuming. Sorry to have to tell ya.

North Carolina:
Nutbuster in Slickrock Creek (Nantahala area)
Summiting Grandfather Mountain in the dark, straight up the side, no trail!
It will kick your a**!

Any mountain you climb-bushwack straight up the side of can/will be a terror, most especially when wearing a pack. Some become even downright dangerous, up or down. But since we're talking trails here, these bushwacks can't be categorized or even precisely located.

[Egads]

Then there is route doing Celo Knob & Mt Mitchell on the Black Mtn Crest Trail which is also highly difficult. 14 miles doing 4400+ feet.

The first climb out of Bowlens Creek was my first long climb just a few months after I started backpacking. It was a tough climb, but just a warmup for the scrambles that lied in wait ahead.

I echo Coosa Backcountry...but do it all in one day (and ignore the posted warnings against it). It's not the hands-down hardest trail around, but you'll be absolutely done by the time you finish the loop.

The Coosa is not that bad since none of the climbs last more than an hour.

Duncan Ridge Trail in GA. No question.

Someone mentioned the Coosa Backcountry Trail - the DRT includes a long portion of it and that's just a little warm-up before the kick-ass portion of the DRT...

I agree with DWM about the DRT NOBO. 25 miles of BLISS.

[trouthunter]

I was on the Nutbuster several months and noticed your nice polished "Ballbuster" sign on the tree. One month later I was on the same trail going up to Naked Ground and noticed the sign had been pulled off the nails and "souvineered" by some miscreant A-holes and it got me to fuming. Sorry to have to tell ya.



Any mountain you climb-bushwack straight up the side of can/will be a terror, most especially when wearing a pack. Some become even downright dangerous, up or down. But since we're talking trails here, these bushwacks can't be categorized or even precisely located.

Yes you are correct, it was a wash out more than a trail, and it was definitely not blazed.
I guess I was thinking in terms of areas I had hiked that were tough
.I have bagged a few peaks, but Grandfather, well...I almost did not make it.
It took a lot longer than planned, it got dark, and there was really no where to camp so I kept walking. But you are correct, I can not offer a trail name even though I do have the coords.

[gollwoods]

baxter creek trail in the smokies is quite a ramp, although not unpleasant to hike

[SassyWindsor]

This Hike will properly test your ability, toughest I've ever done. You also bag 6- 6000' peaks in the process.

"The trail is one of the hardest in the US and is regarded to be the hardest in the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Appalachian [COLOR=blue! important]Mountains[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]."

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trails/nc/trail_978.php

[Egads]

This Hike will properly test your ability, toughest I've ever done. You also bag 6- 6000' peaks in the process.

"The trail is one of the hardest in the US and is regarded to be the hardest in the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Appalachian [COLOR=blue! important]Mountains[/color][/color][/color]."

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trails/nc/trail_978.php

The Black Mountain Crest Trail is the same trail I was talking about in post #36.

The DRT is tougher IMO.