Best 15 to 25 mile day hike in GSMNP

[Rasty]

Trying to stay on the Western side of the GSMNP. I can get dropped off at any trailhead and picked up later in the day. What would be the coolest 15 to 25 mile day hike in the Smokies? I have done the AT through the park already. Thanks for any suggestions.

[The Solemates]

roundtrip from Newfound to Leconte Via Blvd with a side trip to Charlies Bunion
cades cove to gregory bald to thunderhead and rocky top, back down to cades cove via anthony creek
big creek to mount sterling (i like this better than baxter creek) to laurel gap, up to AT at tricorner to mt cammerer back down chestnut branch
elkmont up to AT via miry ridge, past silers bald, up to clingmans, back down at mt collins via sugarland towards elkmont

these are my favorite loop hikes in the smokies

[illabelle]

Trying to stay on the Western side of the GSMNP. I can get dropped off at any trailhead and picked up later in the day. What would be the coolest 15 to 25 mile day hike in the Smokies? I have done the AT through the park already. Thanks for any suggestions.

Abram's Falls (off the Cades Cove Loop) is very popular with dayhikers and would likely be crowded (I've been there probably 15 times), BUT the water is COOL! You could put together a loop with the Cane Creek, Rabbit Creek, and Cooper Road trails, and come at Abram's Falls from the west (looks to be about 1.5 - 2 mile one-way), thereby avoiding most of the crowd (I've never been west of the falls). The loop may not be long enough to suit you, so just turn around and do it twice! :)

[HooKooDooKu]

roundtrip from Newfound to Leconte Via Blvd with a side trip to Charlies Bunion
1st of all, Boulevard Trail is my favorite trail to LeConte.
But if you have a shuttle available, I would suggest leaving LeConte on a different trail (Alum Cave and Rainbow Falls being my first two suggestions).
I would also suggest a side trip to The Jump Off (1/2 mile dead-end trial that starts on the Boulevard Trail about 1/10 of a mile from the AT junction).


I haven't hiked it myself, but I've read great things about Sugarland Mountain Trail. It's only about 12 miles long, so you could easily extend it several ways:
1) Start at Clingman's Dome, follow the AT to Sugarland Mountain, then down to Little River Road.
2) Start at Clingman's Dome Road (at junction with Fork Ridge Trail) and hike to Sugarlands Visitor Center via Sugarland Mountain, Laural Falls Trail, and Cove Mountain Trail (24 miles).
3) Start at Chimney Tops Trail. After hiking to Chimney Tops, hike Road Prong Trail and connect with Sugarland Mountain via the AT.

[Rasty]

1st of all, Boulevard Trail is my favorite trail to LeConte.
But if you have a shuttle available, I would suggest leaving LeConte on a different trail (Alum Cave and Rainbow Falls being my first two suggestions).
I would also suggest a side trip to The Jump Off (1/2 mile dead-end trial that starts on the Boulevard Trail about 1/10 of a mile from the AT junction).


I haven't hiked it myself, but I've read great things about Sugarland Mountain Trail. It's only about 12 miles long, so you could easily extend it several ways:
1) Start at Clingman's Dome, follow the AT to Sugarland Mountain, then down to Little River Road.
2) Start at Clingman's Dome Road (at junction with Fork Ridge Trail) and hike to Sugarlands Visitor Center via Sugarland Mountain, Laural Falls Trail, and Cove Mountain Trail (24 miles).
3) Start at Chimney Tops Trail. After hiking to Chimney Tops, hike Road Prong Trail and connect with Sugarland Mountain via the AT.

I was leaning towards taking the AT to the Boulevard trail to Rainbow Falls. Have you ever been on the Old Sugarlands trail?

[Rasty]

roundtrip from Newfound to Leconte Via Blvd with a side trip to Charlies Bunion
cades cove to gregory bald to thunderhead and rocky top, back down to cades cove via anthony creek
big creek to mount sterling (i like this better than baxter creek) to laurel gap, up to AT at tricorner to mt cammerer back down chestnut branch
elkmont up to AT via miry ridge, past silers bald, up to clingmans, back down at mt collins via sugarland towards elkmont

these are my favorite loop hikes in the smokies

The Big Creek trail looks interesting.

[Gray Blazer]

The Big Creek trail looks interesting.

That one is definitely the best. For a variation, take camel hump down to Walnut Bottoms and out. Big Creek gains like 4000 ft in 6 miles.

[HooKooDooKu]

I was leaning towards taking the AT to the Boulevard trail to Rainbow Falls. Have you ever been on the Old Sugarlands trail?
Sorry, not yet; and I don't have my GSMNP Brown Book with me to read about the trail's description. Off the top of my head, I don't recall reading about anything particularly special about Old Sugarlands trail, but hiking to Sugarlands Visitor Center would reduce the cost of a shuttle since the driver wouldn't have to deal with Cherokee Orchard Road.

[HooKooDooKu]

That one is definitely the best. For a variation, take camel hump down to Walnut Bottoms and out. Big Creek gains like 4000 ft in 6 miles.
If doing Big Creek, I would assume you would want to make a loop out of Big Creek, Swallow Fork, and Baxter Creek.

BTW, it's Baxter Creek Trail that rises about 4000' in about 6 miles (Big Creek Trail rises about 2000' in 5 miles). So it might be easier on the knees to climb Baxter Creek, and descent Swallow Fork and Big Creek trails.

This loop is definitely on my 'to do' short list. I've seen the view from the Shuckstack fire tower, and I'm now wanting a chance to see the view from the fire tower at camp site #38. I fear if I don't get this hike done some time soon, the tower will become so dilapidated that the GSMNP will tear it down or block access.
http://www.smokymountainnews.com/outdoors/item/9597-saving-shuckstack-age-weather-and-vandalism-take-their-toll-on-smokies%E2%80%99-firetower

[Gray Blazer]

If doing Big Creek, I would assume you would want to make a loop out of Big Creek, Swallow Fork, and Baxter Creek.

BTW, it's Baxter Creek Trail that rises about 4000' in about 6 miles (Big Creek Trail rises about 2000' in 5 miles). So it might be easier on the knees to climb Baxter Creek, and descent Swallow Fork and Big Creek trails.

This loop is definitely on my 'to do' short list. I've seen the view from the Shuckstack fire tower, and I'm now wanting a chance to see the view from the fire tower at camp site #38. I fear if I don't get this hike done some time soon, the tower will become so dilapidated that the GSMNP will tear it down or block access.
http://www.smokymountainnews.com/outdoors/item/9597-saving-shuckstack-age-weather-and-vandalism-take-their-toll-on-smokies%E2%80%99-firetower

Thanks for the correct info. There is a short cut to Sterling Tower from Mt Sterling Gap.

I believe Gunther Falls trail cuts from Balsam Mt Trail before Tri Corner over to Walnut Bottoms.

[HooKooDooKu]

Now if you want a "challenge", try hiking to the top of Mt Guyot and back in one day. The round trip is about 25 miles, and would include attempting to access the highest peak East of the Mississippi River without a trail to the top. You have to go off-trail for about 1/2 to reach the top of Mt. Guyot, where you won't find any views, but you will find a Geological Survey Marker. From what I understand, it gets to be a challenge trying to climb up and over and through lots of blow-downs (like I said, no maintained trail to the top). But because of the small number of people who have simply been to the top of Mt Guyot is the reason I want to try to get there one day. There isn't much, but you can find some information online concerning others who have attempted to this hike.