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Directory of Trails by Trail Feature

Each of the Great Smoky Mountain hiking trails below have been grouped by the predominate feature of each trail, based on the following criteria: trails that lead to views, waterfalls, trails along streams, and various/other features. An additional table at the bottom of this page lists Great Smoky Mountain hiking trails that are known for spectacular wildflower displays. Please note that although there may be flowers present within the park throughout most of the year, individual varieties are only in bloom for a couple weeks at a time. Bloom times will vary according to plant variety, weather and elevation. You can check with the national park to inquire about current conditions by calling (865) 436-1200.

By clicking on a trail name you can get more in-depth information, including hiking trail descriptions, key features, directions, pictures, elevation profiles and maps. At this point, nearly 80% of all the Great Smoky Mountain hiking trails in this directory have been posted. The remainder of these trails will be added as I hike them.

Difficulty Rating Defined:  a difficulty rating of less than 5 is generally considered to be an easy hike. Between 5 and 10 is moderate and anything over 10 is considered to be strenuous. Click here for a more detailed explanation on difficulty ratings for the Great Smoky Mountain hiking trails listed here.

R/T on the table heading below stands for total round trip mileage.

To get a general idea on the location of each of the Great Smoky Mountain hiking trails, check out our park map.

National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map for the Smoky Mountains

Waterfalls & Cascades 
of the Great Smoky Mountains is your guide to more than 30 of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Smokies. Includes maps and photographs.
Hiking Great Smoky Mountains  covers 80 hikes in the Smokies,
and includes photos, trail maps, elevation profiles, and quick reference trail highlights.
Trails With Views
                   Trail           Location         Trail Features  R/T Miles  Elevation
   Gain		  Difficulty
  Rating
  Alum Cave   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Views / Interesting Geological Features   4.4   1125   6.65
  Andrews Bald   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Panoramic Views   3.5   899   5.30
  Balsam High Point   Balsam Mountain   Views   7.0   1217   9.43
  Brushy Mountain (Greenbrier)   Greenbrier / Cosby   Views   11.7   3000   17.70
  Brushy Mountain (Trillium Gap)   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Views / Wildflowers / Falls   6.8   1745   10.29
  Bullhead Trail   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Views / Interesting Geological Features   5.9   1607   9.11
  Cataloochee Divide   Cataloochee   Views / Historic / Wildflowers   10.0   1250   12.50
  Charlies Bunion   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Panoramic Views   8.1   1640   11.38
  Chestnut Top   Cades Cove / Townsend   Views / Wildflowers   8.6   1486   11.57
  Chimney Tops   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Panoramic Views   4.0   1350   6.70
  Gregory Bald (Gregory Ridge)   Cades Cove / Townsend   Panoramic Views / Flame Azaleas / Old Growth Forest   11.3   3020   17.34
  Gregory Bald (Parson Branch)   Cades Cove / Townsend   Panoramic Views / Flame Azaleas / Old Growth Forest   8.8   2300   13.40
  Hemphill Bald Loop   Balsam Mountain   Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest   13.7   2170   18.04
  Jump Off, The   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Panoramic Views   6.5   1275   9.05
  Lonesome Pine Overlook   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Views   6.7   2300   11.30
  Mt. Cammerer   Greenbrier / Cosby   Panoramic Views / Historical   12.0   2470   16.94
  Mt. LeConte (via Alum Cave)   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Panoramic Views / Geological   11.0   2763   16.53
  Mt. LeConte (Boulevard Trail)   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest   15.6   3000   21.60
  Mt. LeConte (via Bullhead)   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Panoramic Views   14.4   3993   22.39
  Mt. LeConte (Rainbow Falls)   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Panoramic Views / Waterfalls   13.8   3993   21.79
  Mt. LeConte (via Trillium Gap)   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Panoramic Views / Waterfalls   13.9   3401   20.70
  Mt. Sterling (via Baxter Creek)   Big Creek   Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest   12.2   4200   20.60
  Mt. Sterling (Mt. Sterling Gap)   Big Creek   Panoramic Views   5.6   2000   9.60
  Noland Divide   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Views / Forest Diversity   7.2   1679   10.56
  Rich Mountain Loop   Cades Cove / Townsend   Views / Wildflowers / Historical   8.5   1736   11.97
  Rocky Top / Thunderhead   Cades Cove / Townsend   Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel   13.9   3665   21.23
  Shuckstack Fire Tower   Fontana Village   Views / Wildflowers   7.0   2120   11.24
  Silers Bald   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Panoramic Views   9.3   2152   13.60
  Spence Field (Anthony Creek)   Cades Cove / Townsend   Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel   10.3   2842   15.98
  Spence Field (via Lead Cove)   Cades Cove / Townsend   Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel   9.4   3100   15.60
  Spence / Russell Field Loop   Cades Cove / Townsend   Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel   13.3   3050   19.40
Waterfalls Trails  
                   Trail           Location         Trail Features  R/T Miles Elevation
   Gain		 Difficulty
  Rating
  Abrams Falls   Cades Cove / Townsend   Waterfalls   5.0   340   5.68
  Baskins Creek Falls   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Waterfalls   3.0   953   4.91
  Big Creek / Mouse Creek Falls   Big Creek   Waterfalls   4.0   580   5.16
  Cove Mountain   Elkmont   Waterfalls / Old Growth Forest   7.7   1776   11.25
  Deep Creek Loop   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Waterfalls / Wildflowers   4.6   579   5.76
  Flat Creek Falls    Balsam Mountain   Waterfalls   4.0   600   5.20
  Grotto Falls   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Waterfalls   2.6   585   3.77
  Hen Wallow Falls   Greenbrier / Cosby   Waterfalls   4.4   900   6.20
  Indian Creek Falls   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Waterfalls   1.9   150   2.20
  Juney Whank Falls   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Waterfalls   0.5   194   0.89
  Laurel Falls   Elkmont   Waterfalls   2.3   314   2.93
  Porters Creek Trail   Greenbrier / Cosby   Waterfalls / Stream / Flowers / Historical / Old Growth Forest   4.0   699   5.40
  Rainbow Falls   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Waterfalls   5.4   1685   8.77
  Ramsey Cascades   Greenbrier / Cosby   Waterfalls / Old Growth Forest   8.0   2375   12.75
  Toms Branch Falls   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Waterfalls   0.6   47   0.69
Trails Along Streams
                   Trail           Location         Trail Features  R/T Miles Elevation
   Gain		 Difficulty
  Rating
  Chasteen Creek   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Stream / Waterfalls   10.0   2499   15.00
  Cucumber Gap Loop   Elkmont   Stream / Wildflowers / Historical   5.6   830   7.26
  Deep Creek Headwaters   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Stream   5.0   1480   7.96
  Huskey Gap (Little River Trail)   Elkmont   Stream / Wildflowers / Historical   10.0   1080   12.16
  Kephart Prong Trail   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Stream / Historical   4.2   955   6.11
  Little River Trail   Elkmont   Stream / Wildflowers / Historical   4.9   412   5.72
  Middle Prong   Cades Cove / Townsend   Cascading Stream   8.2   2074   12.35
  Meigs Creek   Elkmont   Stream   7.0   800   8.60
  Oconaluftee River Trail   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Stream   3.0   70   3.14
  Smokemont Loop   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Stream / Wildflowers / Forest   6.5   1441   9.38
  Twentymile Loop   Fontana Village   Stream   7.5   900   9.30
Trails With Various Features
                   Trail           Location         Trail Features  R/T Miles Elevation
   Gain		 Difficulty
  Rating
  Ace Gap   Cades Cove / Townsend   Quiet Forest / Wildflowers   11.0   400   11.80
  Albright Grove   Greenbrier / Cosby   Old Growth Forest / Wildflowers / Historical   7.0   1500   10.00
  Big Fork Ridge Loop   Cataloochee   Old Growth Forest / Historical   9.3   1800   12.90
  Boogerman Loop   Cataloochee   Historical / Streams / Flowers / Old Growth Forest   7.4   1040   9.48
  Curry Mountain Trail   Elkmont   Quiet Forest Hike   6.4   1164   8.73
  Fork Ridge Trail   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Old Growth Spruce-Fir Forest / Wildflowers   8.0   1500   11.00
  Goldmine Loop   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Lake Views / Historical   3.1   460   4.02
  Grapeyard Trail (Greenbrier)   Greenbrier / Cosby   Historical / Injun Creek steam engine wreckage   6.0   850   7.70
  Huskey Gap (Newfound Gap Rd)   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Quiet Forest Hike   4.2   1240   6.68
  Kanati Fork Trail   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Wildflowers   4.0   1495   6.99
  Little Brier Gap   Elkmont   Walker Sisters Homesite    2.4   240   2.88
  Lumber Ridge Trail   Cades Cove / Townsend   Quiet Forest Hike / Solitude   8.1   1524   11.15
  Meigs Mountain Trail   Elkmont   Quiet Forest Hike   4.6   661   5.92
  Mingus Creek   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Historical   4.5   748   6.00
  Newton Bald   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Quiet Forest Hike / Views   10.0   2800   15.60
  Old Settlers Trail (Maddron Bald)   Greenbrier / Cosby   Historical / Tyson McCarter Barn   8.8   1650   12.10
  Rough Fork Trail   Balsam Mountain   Quiet Forest Hike   5.2   600   6.40
  Schoolhouse Gap   Cades Cove / Townsend   Quiet Forest Hike / Wildflowers   3.8   513   4.83
  Spruce-Fir Trail   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Spruce-Fir Forest   0.4   25   0.40
  Sugerland Mtn Trail (lower)   Elkmont   Quiet Forest Hike   6.0   800   7.60
  Sugarland Mtn Trail (upper)   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Solitude / Views   7.0   1090   9.18
  West Prong Trail   Cades Cove / Townsend   Quiet Forest Hike / Stream   5.4   1375   8.15
Trails Known for Wildflowers
                   Trail           Location         Trail Features  R/T Miles Elevation
   Gain		 Difficulty
  Rating
  Ace Gap   Cades Cove / Townsend   Quiet Forest / Wildflowers   11.0   400   11.80
  Albright Grove   Greenbrier / Cosby   Old Growth Forest / Wildflowers / Historical   7.0   1500   10.00
  Boogerman Loop   Cataloochee   Historical / Streams / Flowers / Old Growth Forest   7.4   1040   9.48
  Brushy Mountain (Trillium Gap)   Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte   Views / Wildflowers   6.8   1745   10.29
  Chestnut Top   Cades Cove / Townsend   Views / Wildflowers   8.6   1486   11.57
  Cucumber Gap Loop   Elkmont   Stream / Wildflowers / Historical   5.6   830   7.26
  Deep Creek Loop   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Waterfalls / Wildflowers   4.0   420   4.84
  Fork Ridge Trail   Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome   Old Growth Spruce-Fir Forest / Wildflowers   8.0   1500   11.00
  Gregory Bald (Gregory Ridge)   Cades Cove / Townsend   Panoramic Views / Flame Azaleas / Old Growth Forest   11.3   3020   17.34
  Gregory Bald (Parson Branch)   Cades Cove / Townsend   Panoramic Views / Flame Azaleas / Old Growth Forest   8.8   2300   13.40
  Huskey Gap (Little River Trail)   Elkmont   Stream / Wildflowers / Historical   10.0   1080   12.16
  Kanati Fork Trail   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Wildflowers   4.0   1495   6.99
  Little River Trail   Elkmont   Stream / Wildflowers / Historical   4.9   412   5.72
  Porters Creek Trail   Greenbrier / Cosby   Waterfalls / Stream / Flowers / Historical / Old Growth Forest   4.0   699   5.40
  Rich Mountain Loop   Cades Cove / Townsend   Views / Wildflowers / Historical   8.5   1736   11.97
  Schoolhouse Gap   Cades Cove / Townsend   Quiet Forest Hike / Wildflowers   3.8   513   4.83
  Shuckstack Fire Tower   Fontana Village   Views / Wildflowers   7.0   2120   11.24
  Smokemont Loop   Cherokee / Deep Creek   Stream / Wildflowers / Forest   6.5   1441   9.38