Appalachian Trail Guide to TN-NC, published
by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, is the official guide for the AT from
Damascus, VA through the Smoky Mountains to Fontana Dam. Includes route
descriptions, elevation profiles, natural & cultural history. Detached shaded-relief
topo maps include a four-map set scaled at 1:63,600 with 100-foot contour
intervals for the stretch north of the park, and a 5-color, 2-sided map of
the Smokies.
| Appalachian Trail Guide for Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
This page of the Appalachian Trail Guide provides information on key points along the AT as it passes through the Smokies, such as shelters, water sources, points of interest, as well as mileage and elevation information. Towards the bottom of the page you'll find a list of key online resources, as well as an elevation profile of the AT in the Smokies.
In the table below, mileage is measured from the two Appalachian Trail entry points into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Fontana Dam from the southwest, and Davenport Gap from the northeast:
| Key Points | Fontana Dam | Davenport Gap | Elevation | Water | Notes |
| Fontana Dam | 0.0 | 71.6 | 1800 | Short side trail to the Shuckstack Fire Tower. | |
| Shuckstack Tower | 4.0 | 67.6 | 3800 | ||
| Birch Spring Gap | 5.3 | 66.3 | 3680 | Y | |
| Doe Knob | 7.6 | 64.0 | 4520 | Trail junction give you access to Gregory Bald. | |
| Ekaneetlee Gap | 8.9 | 62.7 | 3842 | Y | |
| Mollies Ridge Shelter | 10.6 | 61.0 | 4570 | Y | |
| Russell Field Shelter | 13.1 | 58.5 | 4360 | Y | |
| Spence Field Shelter | 16.0 | 55.6 | 4915 | Y | Travel 0.2 miles on Eagle Creek Trail to reach shelter. Awesome displays of mountain laurel at Spence Field in late spring. |
| Rocky Top | 17.2 | 54.4 | 5440 | Spectacular views atop Rocky Top. | |
| Thunderhead Mountain | 17.8 | 53.8 | 5527 | ||
| Beechnut Gap | 18.1 | 53.5 | 4920 | Y | |
| Derrick Knob Shelter | 22.3 | 49.3 | 4880 | Y | |
| Sam's Gap | 22.5 | 49.1 | 4995 | Y | |
| Buckeye Gap | 25.1 | 46.5 | 4817 | Y | |
| Siler's Bald Shelter | 27.8 | 43.8 | 5460 | Y | |
| Double Spring Gap Shelter | 29.5 | 42.1 | 5505 | Y | |
| Clingmans Dome | 32.0 | 39.6 | 6643 | Y | Highest point on AT, in the Smokies, and state of Tennessee. Emergency access, shuttles & restrooms. |
| Mt. Collins Shelter | 35.8 | 35.8 | 5870 | Y | Travel 0.5 miles north on Sugarland Mountain Trail to reach shelter. Access to Clingmans Dome Road. |
| Newfound Gap, US 441 | 30.3 | 41.3 | 5046 | Y | Only place where AT crosses a road in the Smokies. Restrooms, re-supply point, or catch a shuttle. |
| Icewater Spring Shelter | 43.3 | 28.3 | 5920 | Y | Because it's so close to Newfound Gap this is one of the most crowded shelters in the park. |
| Charlies Bunion | 44.1 | 27.5 | 5905 | Outstanding panoramic views from large rock out-cropping at Chalies Bunion. | |
| Pecks Corner Shelter | 50.7 | 20.9 | 5280 | Y | Must travel 0.5 miles south on the Hughes Ridge Trail to reach shelter. |
| Mt. Sequoyah | 53.4 | 18.2 | 6069 | ||
| Mt. Chapman | 54.9 | 16.7 | 6417 | ||
| Tri-Corner Knob Shelter | 55.9 | 15.7 | 5920 | Y | |
| Guyot Spring | 57.7 | 13.9 | 6150 | Y | |
| Mt. Guyot Side Trail | 57.8 | 13.8 | 6395 | ||
| Cosby Knob Shelter | 63.6 | 8.0 | 4700 | Y | |
| Mt. Cammerer Side Trail | 66.4 | 5.2 | 5000 | Excellent 0.6 mile side trip to a “western” style octagonal rock fire tower. | |
| natural spring | 66.9 | 4.7 | 4300 | Y | |
| natural spring | 68.5 | 3.1 | 3700 | Y | |
| Davenport Gap Shelter | 70.7 | 0.9 | 2600 | Y | |
| Davenport Gap | 71.6 | 0 | 1975 | TN 32, NC 284; eastern boundary of Smokies |
| Additional Resources |
General Information / Short History of the AT
National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map for the Smoky Mountains
Sectional Maps: Western Smokies / Eastern Smokies
Backcountry Rules and Regulations for the
Smokies
Campsite and Shelter information
(GPS
waypoints, maps, etc.)
Temporary road, campsite and shelter
closures, and water
issues
Appalachian
Trail Forum: info, articles,
tips, advice and
pictures
Appalachian Trail Shuttle Services
Appalachian Trail Guide to Tennessee-North Carolina
Elevation profile courtesy of Robert Lochbaum. The
cumulative elevation gain from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap is about 18,000 feet.
The mileage profile above is based on Robert Lochbaum's wheel-measured trail
data from 2007. Bob's data is also used in the "brown book", Hiking
Trails of the Smokies.