Whats the Distance?

[blands38]

I know it's not far, but whats the distance between Clingsmans Dome and NewFound Gap? If you were going to hike this section which direction is best for middle aged rookies? Thanks in advance.

[swisscross]

http://www.atdist.com/

Cannot help with preferred direction.

[ChrisJackson]

I think it is 7.9 miles per: http://www.atdist.com/

[illabelle]

Start at Clingman's Dome, and walk downhill.

[Harrison Bergeron]

It might not be quite as easy as "walk down hill" if you're starting at the top and you got there in a car.

I hiked down to Newfound Gap last year with my two sons in law. The signs are very confusing and even after asking a ranger, we wound up hiking at least a mile the wrong way before we turned back. There are literally three signs on three different trails that all claim to be the "Appalachian Trail". Here's your clue -- if you suddenly realize you can't hear car sounds anymore, you're going the wrong way. The correct trail parallels the road, although not in sight of it for most of the way.

[wornoutboots]

Are you talking an overnight or a day hike? If an overnight to see what the AT is all about, you can reserve a night at the Mt. Collins Shelter to get the full shelter experience. IMO, that hike is an up & a down so it doesn't matter which direction unless you want to start early & catch a sunrise at Clingmans or end late & catch the sunset to make the most of the hike. Mt Collins shelter is 3.4 miles from Clingmans (after the .6 mile up hill CLIMB from the parking lot) & it is 4.5 from NFG to Mt Collins shelter. Enjoy!

[blands38]

This would be a day trip. Any ideas on how to get a ride back to our vehicle from which ever point we end up at?

[Starchild]

Park at Dome and ask people ready to leave the parking lot if they could give you a ride to NFG, should be easy, but don't get their too early as you want to catch them as they are leaving. All people will need to pass NFG (or get close enough) on their trip back. It is also nice to end the hike at a highpoint.

Alternatively if you are not into asking for a ride and would rather do it yourself their are 2 parking areas on the road to Dome which directly accesses the AT, this will allow you to divide up this hike into 3 segments. which each can be done as a out and back.

[HooKooDooKu]

I know it's not far, but whats the distance between Clingsmans Dome and NewFound Gap?
8.2 miles based no my Google Earth trail measurements.

You're going to get some up-n-down no mater which direction you hike, but with Clingman's Dome @ ~6,650' in elevation and NewFound Gap @ ~5,050', you have a net 1,600' elevation change. (Looking at a cross section, going down hill still has about a 1,000' total climb).

[blands38]

Thanks for all the answers, but I have another question. How long will this take us to do, 5hours, 8 hours or longer? Again, were rookies.

[HooKooDooKu]

Thanks for all the answers, but I have another question. How long will this take us to do, 5hours, 8 hours or longer? Again, were rookies.
A gross estimate to start with for an average hiker is 2 miles per hour plus an additional hour for every 1,000' of elevation gain.

I'm looking at an elevation profile of the AT thru GSMNP that I keep at my desk, and it looks like there is about 900' to 1,100' of accumulative elevation gain (with about 2,500' of accumulated elevation loss).

So you can expect the hike to take about 4 hours (to account for the 8 mile distance) plus 1 hour (to account for the 1,000' of climbing) for a total of about 5 hours. You should add a little bit to that to account for the fact that the distance is actually a little longer than 8 miles, that you've got 2,500' of decent (more difficult than level trail hiking, but no where close to the extra hour per 1,000' needed for climbing), rest breaks, and some buffer to account for the unknown of your abilities.

So I would allow for a total of about 6 hours.



Now if you are far from average (someone severely overweight, severely out of shape, very young, or very old) you can expect the hike to take longer.
From personal experience, inexperienced kids can easily slowdown to a 1mph pace, especially as the mileage gets closer to their age.

[wornoutboots]

If I were doing this, I would park at NFG early in the morning & make a sign on a pizza box top saying AT Hikers to Clingmans Dome & start walking the road towards Clingmans road, once you get to Clingmans Rd if you haven't gotten a ride yet, stay there & hitch with your sign, someone will give you a lift.

[FlyPaper]

The actual segment:
http://www.atdist.com/atdist?k1=BX&k2=BV&h=e468e051&year=2015

Keep in mind if you start at Clingman's Dome, from the parking lot it is probably about a 400' - 500' climb to the dome itself. Where as the parking lot at Newfound Gap is actually right off the trail at the same elevation.

So it is generally more down that up if you go from CD to NFG, just don't forgot to add at least 400' of additional elevation change for the walk between the parking lot at Clingman's Dome and the trail crossing.

[Trance]

It's not all downhill from clingmans to Newfound.

You go down immediately from Clingmans, then back up to Mount Love, which is a nice little ascent over tree roots and rocks. Then down to indian gap and then to newfound if I remember. You also pass through the birch preserve which is uphill a bit.