Oconaluftee River Trail

The pinpoint for this particular entrance starts just outside of Cherokee, North Carolina, following the Parkway North. They say the Blue Ridge Parkway is more than just a road, it's a beautiful journey. Start this journey and you will quickly find this to be true. This 469 mile gateway connects the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virgin...

Although it is not much of a hike at just 0.3 miles, it is accessible to people of all fitness levels.  A climb up a series of stairs leads you to a trail overlooking Mingo creek.  You will then find a 20 foot wide bridge which serves as the viewing platform of the falls.   If you care to adventure further, feel free to hop your way over some timber and boulders to the base of the waterfall.  ...

Your hike will start at the base of the Blue Ridge Parkway just a few miles from the start in Cherokee. The trail starts right off of the parkway in a very small easy to miss dirt road. There is a small area to park that then you start your hike up the dirt road right after the gate. The hike to the top is about a half mile. It is a small hike up is pretty steep. When you get to the top you can...

Charlies Bunion via Kephart Loop is a loop trail located near Cherokee, North Carolina. This is a longer version of the Charlies Bunion hike starting from the Newfound Gap parking lot. The added benefit of this longer loop is the opportunity to see more of the Great Smokey Mountains! You'll pass between the Lower and Upper Grassy Branch and criss cross between North Carolina and Tennessee. 

Kephart Prong is a pretty easy hike in close proximity to the Visitor Center on the North Carolina Side of GSMNP. 2 miles up the trail, you'll arrive at Kephart Shelter, where you can rest and enjoy vies of the Kephart Prong. Once you've had your fill, head back down the way you came.  During the rainy months, you'll see small streams form near the trail that flow into the Kephart Prong. You m...

This is a ~36 mile loop that goes up Clingman's Dome (the tallest point in Tennessee). Pretty challenging, not for the novice backpacker. Park at Deep Creek campground in Bryson City, NC. We did it as a 3-day, 2-night camping at sites 53 and 61. As it is a loop it could easily be done in reverse. You need to obtain camping permits from the Smokies website. The campground is a very popular one, ...