Another trip idea thread

[Wanderlust77]

I need some help with some trip ideas. I am trying to introduce a couple of friends of mine to backpacking. They both agreed to go for a 5 day/4 night trip to GSMNP in October. Now, I want to take them places with great views. I have already completed the AT between the Boulevard Trail and Snake Den Ridge along with Alum up to LeConte. I would prefer a new section, but am willing to redo that if that is as good as it gets. I am thinking 10-12 mile days would be ideal since I am not sure how they are going to do in dealing with the inclines/declines. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[HikerMom58]

Are you limiting yourself to hike in the GSMNP? If not, I would suggest going on just a bit futher north. Starting at 1-40 just past Davenport Gap, you might be able to hike to Max Patch within your time frame, maybe more. That is a beautiful section with awesome views, IMHO. Hope that helps.

[HooKooDooKu]

My first thought is to include Gregory Bald. If you have two cars, there are all sorts of plans that could let you start as say the trail-head for Abram's falls, traverse Hannah Moutain, up to Gregory, and back down into Cades Cove Camp ground.

Mater-of fact, you could do this loop even if you only have one car and make for a grand Smokie Tour...
Day 1: Park as Cades Cove campground. Hike down Cades Cove loop road to Abram's falls trail head. Then hike down past Abram's falls on to camp site #17. Start hiking at least 1 before dawn (preferably more). That way you can hike ahead of the cars that are not allowed in Cades Cove before sunrise. You'll get to see a quiet Cades Cove, and likely see lots of deer coming out into the fields for their morning meal. You can get off the road as early as Cooper Rd Trail and follow Wet Bottoms to get to the trail head. The day's hike would be about 11 miles on relatively easy terrain.

Day 2: Continue towards Abrams's Creek campgrounds. Use the campgrounds to connect over to Rabbit Creek Trail. Use Rabbit Creek Trail to access Hannah Mountain trail and camp at site #14.

Day 3: Continue down Hannah Mountain trail until it crosses Parson's Branch and becomes Gregory Bald trail. Just before arriving at camp site 13, make sure to go ahead and get water (just so you don't have to hike back down the trail the 1/4ish mile to get water later). Setup camp at 13, then take your cooking gear with you and make dinner at Gregory's bald.

Day 4: Hike over to the AT and turn right. Hike down to Shuckstack tower for lunch. Turn around and hike back up the AT and travel on to Millies Ridge Shelter. Total distance will be 12+ miles with not quite a 1000ft elevation difference between Doe Know and Shuckstack tower.

Day 5: Hike back to your car in Cades Cove. For a short return trip, hike down Russell Field Trail. If you want more than just 6 miles that final day, hike over to Spence Field and down Bote Moutain & Anthoney Creek trails for the return trip.

That trip should meet your parameters, get your friends to see a quiet Cades Cove, a great water fall, Gregory Bald, and Shuckstack tower. Wow!

[Wanderlust77]

HM--I am really trying to keep it in the park. One of the things I am trying to do is open the eyes of my friends, not just to backpacking, but also to the National Parks. Also, I am actually trying to stay off the AT as much as possible. My better half and I are planning a thru when we retire and I really want to save as many of those memories for her and I.

Hookoo--I had to break out the map and scope this route out. It looks awesome. Much better than anything I have come up with so far. I don't have any experience hiking this part of the park so it even works for me trying to do something new. I am going to run this by the guys and see what they think. Another area I was looking at was Caaloochee. Another area I have no experience in so I really don't know how the hiking would compare with the rest of the park. Any experience in that area?

Thank you both for the advice and ideas, it is, as always, greatly appreciated!!

[HooKooDooKu]

One thing to watch and ask the Park for possible updates is the Hannah Moutian Trail. After the recent storms, this is one of the trails currently closed.

As for Cataloochee, I've hiked the single night loop that takes you by camp sites 40 and 41. The hiking is pretty easy, and the drive into the valley should give you a view of some elk. But not much else I can say. It's a relatively isolated section of the park, so dosn't look to be too many great loops. The 1st thing I can see is making a loop out of Little Cataloochee Trail to Long Bunk to Mount Sterling (camp at 38), then Mount Sterling Ridge to Balsam Mtn trail, camping at Tricorner Knob. Then head west on the AT towards Pecks Corner and push on Hughes Ridge and Enloe Creek camping at site 47 (that's about a 13 mile day). The follow Hyatt Ridge (direction of site 44) and pickup Beech Gap and head over to Laural Gap shelter for the 4th night. Then Balsam Mtn and Palmer Creek to get back to Cataloochee.

Never hiked any of that myself, but that's the 1st thing I can come up with meeting some of your parameters and starting in Cataloochee.