HK_GreatSMokyMts

Overview of the Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail (AT) needs no introduction to most people in the East. The nearly 2,200-mile trail stretches from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine, passing through myriad natural and modern communities and touching the lives of many people. The 72 miles of the trail that pass through the Smokies are considered by some to be a major highlight of the trail—both the most scenic and the most challenging. The Smokies portion has the highest elevation on the trail (Clingmans Dome, at 6,643 feet), and most of the trail follows high on the Smokies crest, along the state-line divide between North Carolina and Tennessee, where views abound.

It’s no wonder that the AT is immensely popular in the park, but it’s a shame that more people don’t seek out other hiking opportunities. Certain portions of the AT are very crowded. Many people who plan trips to the park start out with the idea that they want to hike the AT no matter what. If they did a little more research, they might find that another trail suited their desires a little better. This is not to discourage you from hiking the AT—just a reminder that of the more than 800 miles of trail in the park, the AT accounts for less than 10 percent.

If you do decide to hike the AT, you need to consider a few things. First, although spring is a great time to hike the trail, it’s not a good time to spend the night at an AT shelter because of all the northbound thru-hikers (people who attempt to hike the entire trail from Georgia to Maine). On any given night from March through early May, AT shelters in the park could be crammed with backpackers. You might be tempted to change the name from “Backcountry Shelter” to “Backcountry Snoratorium.” And that’s not even getting to the issue of trying to crawl over a dozen hikers to make a nature call, or the fact that none of them has had a bath in a while. If the park were located farther north, it wouldn’t be as big of a problem. As it is, the park is so close to the southern terminus of the AT that most of the people who attempt a thru-hike haven’t yet given up.

Reservations, which you must obtain to camp at any park shelter, don’t help much during this time of year. AT thru-hikers aren’t required to make specific shelter reservations because it’s so difficult to determine exact schedules. (See thru-hiker regulations below.) Park rules state that thru-hikers must give up bunk space to reservation holders, but who is going to wave a little piece of paper at a group of exhausted backpackers and tell them they have to get out? Furthermore, the park issues limited permits for AT shelters during April and May, so the likelihood of obtaining a permit in the first place is diminished. Your best bet is to plan overnight hikes on the AT for another season.

Another consideration for hiking the AT in the Smokies is the weather. Many parts of the trail are in high elevations, including some 34 continuous miles above 5,000 feet. You can leave warm, sunny skies in Cherokee or Gatlinburg and arrive at Newfound Gap in a snowstorm. Winter hiking on the AT, especially overnight hiking, requires a lot of planning and a frank evaluation of your abilities.

This guidebook doesn’t follow the route that thru-hikers use. Northbound thru-hikers start at Fontana Dam in spring and hike straight through to Davenport Gap, while southbound thru-hikers hike straight through from the opposite direction. Rather than beginning at the low elevations outside the park and hiking in, the two AT hikes in this guidebook start at Newfound Gap, at 5,046 feet, and head east and west to the park borders. Truth is, neither of these hikes is highly recommended. Unless your goal is simply to complete all of the AT within the park, you’ll probably have a better hiking experience by utilizing sections of the AT along with other park trails. Thirteen hikes in this book do just that.

The AT is the only trail in the park that has consistent blazes marking the route. Along its entire length, the official blaze for the AT is a white vertical stripe. Two vertical stripes indicate a trail junction or other situation that could cause confusion. You might see an occasional blue stripe, which indicates some feature of interest, such as a nearby spring. If you bring a good map, such as the Trails Illustrated maps, you’d have to work hard to get lost on the AT in the Smokies. Like all official park trails, signs mark all the trail junctions. Even when the bears chew them up, it’s a simple matter to determine the route. In most cases, simply remaining on the ridgeline will keep you on the AT, but there are a few junctions where that isn’t the case. In nearly all official trail junctions, however, the adjoining trails descend from the AT, either right away or after a short, level stretch. Confusion can come from some of the many side paths that lead to view points or other features. Bring a good map and use it.

The AT follows the Smokies crest line for most of its length through the park and, except for the section from Fontana Dam to Doe Knob, it roughly follows the boundary between North Carolina and Tennessee. Because it follows the crest line, it does not cross any creeks in the park and in only a few places does the trail cross or come within a few feet of a spring. However, there are numerous springs located a short walk down from the ridge. All of the shelters and Campsite 113 (the only backcountry campsite—not shelter—along the AT in the park) have water sources, although some of them are unreliable during dry periods. Before setting out it’s a good idea to call the park backcountry office at (865) 436-1231 and inquire about the current conditions of the springs. The rangers might not know whether a specific spring is running, but they can give you an idea of the general conditions. It’s also a good idea to ask the hikers you meet along the trail.

Regulations for Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers in the Smokies

Thru-hiker regulations apply to anyone who attempts to hike the entire length of the AT in a single trip, or anyone who begins hiking at least 50 miles from outside the park, hikes the entire AT through the park, and continues to hike at least 50 additional miles outside the park. Thru-hiker regulations do not apply to any hikes included in this book, including both Hikes 81 and 82.

Thru-hikers are required to obtain backcountry camping permits, the same as with any other person camping in the backcountry. However, instead of designating specific campsites or shelters, they should write “Thru-Hiker” in the space for the campsite name.
Thru-hikers must complete their journeys through the park in 7 nights, or else they must designate where they will spend the night.
Thru-hikers must sleep in the bunks at shelters if there is space, and in the immediate vicinity if the shelter is full. Hikers who have reservations for a shelter are supposed to have priority over bunk space.
Thru-hikers who camp at backcountry campsites or shelters that are not located along the AT forfeit their status as thru-hikers and must obtain permits the same as everyone else.
The general hiking regulations listed in the introduction apply to thru-hikers as well as everyone else.
Northbound thru-hikers can obtain permits at the self-registration station located at the restroom building at the top of the ramp leading to Fontana Marina. Southbound thru-hikers can obtain permits from the US Forest Service ranger station at Hot Springs.