Best time to hike the smokys

[double j]

After the first of the year i get another vac.and im thinking of doin the smokys .i dont wanna go in when its 95 out or when the high for the day is 35. crowds dont concearn me either....would i have to resupply? just a little preplanning i guess.

[mts4602]

september is pretty much the best time to hike anywhere.

This year, the middle of october was perfect so you never know.

[Tennessee Viking]

I day hiked in a couples miles north of Newfound Gap one cold Valentines morning. About a mile in, I encountered a 100 foot section of foot thick ice on trail on a slight up hill grade. I was walking on any fresh snow or dirt to get some traction but ended up falling on my butt a couple times. On the way back out, I decided to take it easy, and sat on my butt and slid back to exposed trail. The up hill was bad, but the butt sliding was fun.

[Ramble~On]

Right Now this very minute !

Fresh snow and plenty of it.

[firedad]

I hiked for the first time ever in early October this year, and it was awesome. The first night at Double Springs Gap Shelter was pretty cold, but I wasn't prepared enough with it being my first hike. I'd say mid Sept. to early Oct. would be ideal. Hope that helps.

Firedad,

[Marta]

Right Now this very minute !

Fresh snow and plenty of it.

Yeah, baby! I just got back. Rained on us all afternoon, then turned to snow in the evening. Snowed all night and into the morning. Beautiful. Cold. When I got back home and dumped out my stuff several hours later, I still had enough snow to make a couple of snowballs.

[bigcranky]

I'm jealous. I was in the Smokies last week and got nothing but cold and wind. The clouds threatened snow one day, but nothing came of it.

[Plodderman]

We hiked it the first week of June 2006 and had a ball. We had water, the bugs weren't bad and we started on Monday ans came out Saturday.

[jafrost]

I wished that I'd ducked into Gatlinburg for a quick resupply instead of carrying all my food.

--Jack Frost

[The Solemates]

in my opinion the best time to hike the smokies is around christmas

[mts4602]

in my opinion the best time to hike the smokies is around christmas

Why's that?

[Just Plain Jim]

I always hike in May while the kids are still in school. I started at the northern end on Monday morning and finished Friday afternoon. There'e very little water up there other than springs. I did wash some at New Found Gap in the public bathrooms.You'll have to carry everything when you enter the park unless you're going to meet someone. This was before Memorial Day and the weather was very suitable for hiking.

[scope]

september is pretty much the best time to hike anywhere.

This year, the middle of october was perfect so you never know.

Not in GA, its still summer. I'd say October is the best month to hike anywhere in the south, including the Smokies.

[sliderule]

Not in GA, its still summer.

Wrong state. GSMNP is in TN/NC.

[sliderule]

Why's that?

Because there are no shopping malls in the park!!!

[scope]

Wrong state. GSMNP is in TN/NC.

Hmmm... having hiked there, you'd think I'd know that.

Did I misinterpret "anywhere"?

[Ramble~On]

Yeah, baby! I just got back. Rained on us all afternoon, then turned to snow in the evening. Snowed all night and into the morning. Beautiful. Cold. When I got back home and dumped out my stuff several hours later, I still had enough snow to make a couple of snowballs.

I went into Joyce Kilmer/Slickrock Creek Wilderness just south of the park.
I love winter weather...in the fall! I hope this was a sign of things to come. All four seasons have their own beauty but fresh snow offers a perspective to the same old scenery that keeps me happy.


I'm not sure that there's a bad time to hike in the GSMNP - even at the peak of tourist season there are still quiet trails and lonely backcountry campsites. The AT from Fontana to Newfound Gap (or vice versa) is sweet after some snow.

[Marta]

I'm not sure that there's a bad time to hike in the GSMNP - even at the peak of tourist season there are still quiet trails and lonely backcountry campsites. The AT from Fontana to Newfound Gap (or vice versa) is sweet after some snow.

I completely agree! Sometimes it's hard to find a parking space, but it's not at all hard to find a lonely trail and a quiet campsite. You just have to be willing to walk a bit...

[Ashepabst]

I agree that Sept and Oct are usually the best weatherwise: cooler temps, least chance of rain.

NOAA data shows the average number of days-of-precip falls steeply in Sept and Oct (8 or 9 days) and peaks Jan through March (12) and again in July (13).

East Tenn climate data:
http://www.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=mrx...has specific info for Clingman's Dome, Mt Leconte, Murphy, NC, Gatlinburg, TN, Lenoir City, and others

That being said, my favorite time to visit the Smokies is when the area's at its very beautifullest: late spring through summer. I do love some snow, but the smokies are all about the green, baby.

[The Solemates]

Why's that?

i like the winter scenes and snow and crowds are very low. ive gone for 4 day trips in the smokies around christmas and not seen a single person.