Hiking In The Smokies - Top Five Trails

What can you expect to find in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Let's start with a few examples of what to see when you are hiking along some of the trails in the Smokies.

A good place to start is the Appalachian Trail, twenty-one miles southeast of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where you can hike for as long or as little as you want. Why not escape - from all that hustle and bustle? Whether alone or with another avid hiker - this trail can be a great way to see the Smokies. If you hike south toward Fontana Dam you will cross Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Smokies, with an elevation of 6,643 feet. Northbound in the direction of Big Creek you will see Mount Le Conte, and why not visit Hen Wallow Falls, Albright Grove, or Laurel Falls while you're there? Among the wildlife you frequently encounter are the American Black Bear and the White-Tailed Deer.

Newfound Gap at the intersection of the AT and the Oconaluftee River, with an elevation of 5,046 feet, is one the highest peaks in the park founded in 1934, and it is where you can truly acknowledge the beauty of this region with almost nine hundred miles of hiking trails. The AT is the longest of the trails in the Smokies and bisects the centre of the park along the Tennessee - North Carolina state line for about seventy miles.

This trail is strenuous and can present a number of challenges. You need to be well prepared before you set out for your hike. There are a few things to consider, though, if you want to reap the benefits of hiking through this region.

First, determine what your limitations are. Always check local maps and select a trail appropriate to your age and ability. Don't forget to check on expected climate conditions. You must look after your health by bringing sunscreen, insect repellent, and tick protection; stretch your leg muscles regularly, carry a first-aid kit and begin with relatively flat terrain with altitudes no higher than five thousand feet.