View Full Version : Need loop ideas
A friend and I are headed out on Sunday for a 3 day loop in GSMNP and I need ideas of where to go. Here is what is what I would like to find:
A loop, as we plan to park and return to the same spot
Low traveled backcountry campsites that do not require reservations
2 nights of camping as we HAVE to be back in Knoxville on Tuesday evening.
anyone have any ideas?
HeartFire
05-03-2012, 12:21
I"m not home to look at maps, but I think the best would be to drive to Cataloochee and and do a loop there - you could drive up to the Mt Sterling rd and hike up in there.
flemdawg1
05-03-2012, 16:18
Wow thats a tough one. Almost any place you can string together 2 non-reserved campsites requires a road walk (cattaloochee, lakeshore dr, Twentmile)or is not a loop(BMT, Old Settlers Trail) . The closest I found to meeting your req'ts was leaving Smokemont CG, going to campsites 48 & 49.
flemdawg1
05-03-2012, 17:51
Scratch that last one. I'd make a loop from Polls Gap, on Heintooga Ridge Rd staying at sites 41 and 40.
So I caved and chose a loop with a reservation site, because it'll knock Clingman's dome off of my SB6k. Starting at Clingmans dome, hiking south on the AT to Miry Ridge trail, staying night one at 27. Day 2 is a short hike down miry ridge to cucumber gap to little river and staying night 2 at 24. day three is up sugarlands trail and back to clingman's dome. Should be pretty fun.
So I caved and chose a loop with a reservation site, because it'll knock Clingman's dome off of my SB6k. Starting at Clingmans dome, hiking south on the AT to Miry Ridge trail, staying night one at 27. Day 2 is a short hike down miry ridge to cucumber gap to little river and staying night 2 at 24. day three is up sugarlands trail and back to clingman's dome. Should be pretty fun.
How did it go?
How did it go?
Pretty well. It was tough, but now that I just went from Springer to Fontana, I think I could do it again with ease.
How did it go?
We actually skipped the reservation site because we got there at 9 AM and finished the hike in 2 days. Went into Gatlinburg and got beer, pizza and a hotel on day 3