![]() ![]() But if you follow those simple rules you’re unlikely to have a dangerous bear encounter. Make noise while you hike, carry bear spray, and hang your food if you’re camping. You have a pretty good chance of seeing one - and a virtually guaranteed chance of scaring it away. Many hikers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park worry about bears. They’re also based on the assumption that if you’re even considering these hikes, you’re a fairly fit and experienced trekker.įor any of these hikes, you’ll want a full day’s worth of food and gear (extra-important in winter where the temperature can drop 30 degrees between Asheville and Clingmans Dome). My difficulty ratings are relative to other trails in the area. If you’ve never hiked in the Carolina mountains before, consider warming up with a few easier trails before taking these on. However, any hikes in the Smokies will be difficult for inexperienced hikers or those coming from flatter areas. I’m listing these trails in the order of least-most difficult. The top NC Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails for experienced hikers Big Creek and Deep Creek are the easiest drives if you’re looking for a day-hike from the city. Drive up to the gravel parking lot (no restrooms, space for 3-4 cars) right at the entrance to the forest instead.Īll the parking areas are between 60-90 minutes from downtown Asheville. Fontana Dam: The Appalachian Trail trailhead has restrooms and lots of space, but if you park here, you’ll have to do a mile road-walk in the sun.Plenty of space, and a popular elk-viewing destination. Oconaluftee Visitor’s Center: The closest parking area to Cherokee.It has a good amount of space but it gets busy on weekends. The parking lot straddles the NC/TN border on the ridge. Newfound Gap: Right smack dab in the middle of Great Smoky Mountains, both east-west and north-south.Paved roads the whole way and plenty of space for everyone. Deep Creek: Just outside Bryson City, Deep Creek is the nicest parking area in the national park.Parking here is a bit of a mess - expect lots of mud and dodgy parking spaces unless you arrive very early on weekends. Big Creek: This parking lot is 3 miles off I-40, down a rough gravel road.There are a few main parking areas, all of which have restrooms: Unless we get a lot of snow in Western North Carolina - like, 6-10 inches - the roads to these trails are always open. How to get to the best hikes in the Smokies on the NC side The best trails in the Smokies are up on the ridge - making Newfound Gap a good parking area/base.īefore we get into the specific trails, let’s talk about a few practicalities for hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.įirst, the Smokies are a year-round hiking destination. If you decide to purchase through these links, I receive a percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you’re looking for difficult, long, steep hikes where you might only see one or two other people all day, these 10 Great Smoky Mountains hikes are worth a shot! It’s also where the most challenging trails in the park begin. The North Carolina side of the park is far quieter and offers tons of off-the-beaten-path areas to explore. But those trails tend to be extremely crowded. Most lists of the best hikes in the Smokies focus on trails on the Tennessee side, with an emphasis on family-friendly hikes. It’s the most biodiverse national park in the country. Straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, the park covers nearly 200,000 acres of forest and ridgeline in the Appalachian Mountains. ![]() Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the best hiking destinations in the U.S.
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