Best leg in the Smokies to do?
Im going to do a portion of the trail this summer,can anyone offer their opinion on which leg to do,I have about 1 week to do it in.Thanks
Originally Posted by smknjo
If you could hike 10-11 miles a day, you can do all of the AT in the Smokies in 7 days. Much of the trail is ridge walking. The toughest day is usually the first day, regardless of the direction you hike the trail. That's not to say there isn't any climbing on days 2-7. Well, day 7 will usually involve a long descent.
Since you're planning on a summer hike, the days are long, so 10-11 miles shouldn't be a problem on a day with 14 hours of sunlight.
Good luck!
'All my lies are always wishes" ~Jeff Tweedy~
I think you have to reserve your stay in the shelters in advance and get a backcountry permit. GSMNP get pretty crowded with hikers in the summer. Some others on this forum can probably give you more specific info than I. Have a great time!
4EyedB is right on. All overnight camping at shelters, rationed campsites, and unrationed campsites require reservations. Deciding on a route and getting your reservations in are real important for a summer weeklong hike in the Smokys. It's always busy that time of year. I'd recommend some sort of loop hike with part of the AT involved. Logistics are quite a bit easier plus you'll see more of the Park.
That's my dog, Echo. He's a fine young dog.
Here's a link to the reservation site. As Mowgli says, you can do the roughly 70 miles of the AT that goes thru the GSMNP in a week. The Park is crowded during the summer so make your reservations early. There are links to maps on the site above to help you plan your trip. You can start at Fontana Dam in NC (southern end) or Davenport Gap in Waterville, NC (northern end).
I haven't personally found the backcountry in GSMNP crowded in the summer. The shelters might be full, as well as the trailheads, but my experience tells me that once you are 3-4 miles away from the trailhead, you have a good shot at a fair amount of solitude.
Good point, I was refering to the shelters on the AT. Stringing together 6 or 7 campsites you want could be tough if you wait too long for reservations.
That's my dog, Echo. He's a fine young dog.
best section clingmans or newfound gap and head north....
this section will have U at the most altitude and cooler temps inthe summer also the springs are more reliable in the summer inthis end of the park.
"I'd rather kill a man than a snake. Not because I love snakes or hate men. It is a question, rather, of proportion." Edward Abbey
I was also referring to the shelter situation with crowding -- there is plenty of solitude on the trail 2+ miles from road crossings. However, many scout troops, church groups and such take tens on hiking adventures in the summer -- and shelter space is often hard to get. By reserving early, you can be assured of a spot.
Since this is an El Nino year, I don't think lack of water will be a problem on either side of Newfound Gap. Too much water may be....
With approximately a 70 mile segment of the AT going thru the Smokies it is possible to hike the section in one week, but don't plan on doing 10 - 11 mile days. Camping in the Smokies is restricted to designated areas and along the AT, with the exception of Birch Springs, it must be at the shelters. The shelters are not evenly spaced out and cannot always be linked together in the 10 mile distances.
I agree with smokymtnsteve. I think the best section for you to hike would be the section north of Newfound Gap. This section of the trail is more remote than the southern section. Additionally, all of the shelters in that stretch of the AT have been remodeled (some of the shelters on the southern half are getting pretty rough). I am not sure of the current situation, but in the past there has been a vandalism problem at Davenport Gap. I would recommend adding an extra day to your hike by parking a vehicle at the Cosby Campgrounds instead of at Davenport Gap. This would require you to backtrack about two miles from Davenport Gap Shelter to Lower Mount Cammerer Trail and hiking 7.4 miles to Cosby Campground.
Go the first week of June, while school is still in session, the weekdays won't be as crowded as say mid-July. Good advice above about being able to traverse the entire AT, and regarding the need for reservations.
Teej
"[ATers] represent three percent of our use and about twenty percent of our effort," retired Baxter Park Director Jensen Bissell.
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