2-Day Hike

[RestTomorrow]

Hello,

First trip to the Smoky Mountains and looking at a two day hike. I am planning on starting at the Alum Cave Trailhead off Newfound Gap Road. Traveling up to Mt Le Conte and down The Boulevard to Icewater Spring Shelter. Stay the night at the shelter and travel up to Charles Bunion for sunrise. From here, I am thinking of either backtracking to Sweat Heifer Cr Trail or continueing on from Charles Bunion down the Grassy Branch trail. But either path will end up at Kephart Prong Trail and end at NewFound Gap road. Any suggestions on which of those paths would be more scenic? Ill be making the hike the first or second week of June.

Thanks!

[sliderule]

Grassy Branch would be my choice.

[SGT Rock]

Good luck getting a spot at icewater.

[madgoat]

Ahhh that sounds like a great trip. One of my favorite stretches of trail in the park is that 1.3 mile segment of Dry Sluice Gap between the AT and Grassy Branch. The Boulevard Trail is wonderful, along with the AT from the Boulevard out to Charlie's Bunion. It sounds to me like you have a first class trip planned there. Be sure to start early in the morning so you have plenty of time to enjoy the views from Mt. Leconte.

I agree with Sgt. Rock, Icewater Springs is a busy shelter. Be sure to make your reservations as soon as they become available. You can make them up to one month ahead of the day your trip starts at https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/.

I'm not really fond of crowded shelters, so if I were planning this trip I would plan on doing it on a weekday to avoid as many crowds as possible..... but that is just me.

[chelko]

I second the grassy branch route. Sweat heifer is hard on the knees.

[RestTomorrow]

Thanks for the replys! Yes Ill be doing the trip on a weekday. Probably a Tuesday-Wednesday in the first week of June. I am keeping an eye on the reservation for the Icewater Shelter. I know it is probably the most crowded shelter in the park, but the reservation page doesn't look bad. Plenty of open spots during the week for reservations periods available right now.

Really appreciate the input. Looking forward to this one! I will do Grassy Branch. I am not a fan of back tracking anyway.

[gollwoods]

nice views back accross stateline divide to leconte on dry sluice gap trail.

[HooKooDooKu]

Don't forget the side trip to the Jump Off (trail head is about 0.1 miles from the Boulevard/AT intersection). It's about a 2/3 mile round trip to the view.