Directory of Trails by Location within the Great Smoky Mountains
Trails in the directory below are grouped by general location within the Great Smoky Mountains, such as hiking trails near Gatlinburg or Cades Cove. A more precise location is listed in the tables below, with trailhead directions on each individual trail page. To get a general idea on the location of a particular trail, please visit our park map page.
By clicking on any trail name you'll find more detailed information, including trail descriptions, directions, key features, pictures, elevation profiles and maps.
Difficulty Rating Defined: Hiking trails near Gatlinburg, or anywhere in the Great Smoky Mountains, can be challenging. We've included a difficulty rating for each trail so that hikers can easily compare ratings against other trails, and find one that matches their abilities or fitness level. Here's how the numbers can be interpreted: a difficulty rating of less than 5 is considered to be an easy hike. Between 5 and 10 is moderate, and anything over 10 is considered to be strenuous. Please click here for a more detailed explanation on difficulty ratings for each trail.
R/T on the table heading below stands for total round trip mileage.
Gatlinburg & Mount LeConte Area
| Trail | Location | Trail Features | Roundtrip Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newfound Gap Road | Views / Interesting Geological Features | 4.4 | 1125 | 6.65 | |
| Baskins Creek Falls | Roaring Fork Motor Tr. | Waterfalls | 3 | 953 | 4.91 |
| Brushy Mountain (Trillium Gap) | Roaring Fork Motor Tr. | Views / Wildflowers / Falls | 6.8 | 1745 | 10.29 |
| Bullhead Trail | Roaring Fork Motor Tr. | Views / Interesting Geological Features | 5.9 | 1607 | 9.11 |
| Chimney Tops | Newfound Gap Rd | Panoramic Views | 3.3 | 1487 | 6.27 |
| Gatlinburg Trail | Gatlinburg | Stream / History | 3.9 | 235 | 4.37 |
| Grotto Falls | Roaring Fork Motor Tr. | Waterfalls | 2.6 | 585 | 3.77 |
| Huskey Gap (Newfound Gap Rd) | Newfound Gap Road | Quiet Forest Hike / Wildflowers | 4.2 | 1270 | 6.74 |
| Mt. LeConte (via Alum Cave) | Newfound Gap Road | Panoramic Views / Geological | 11 | 2763 | 16.53 |
| Mt. LeConte (via Bullhead) | Roaring Fork Motor Tr. | Panoramic Views | 14.4 | 3993 | 22.39 |
| Mt. LeConte (Rainbow Falls) | Roaring Fork Motor Tr. | Panoramic Views / Waterfalls | 13.8 | 3993 | 21.79 |
| Mt. LeConte (via Trillium Gap) | Roaring Fork Motor Tr. | Panoramic Views / Waterfalls | 13.9 | 3401 | 20.7 |
| Ogle Place | Cherokee Orchard Road | History / Stream | 0.8 | 90 | 0.98 |
| Rainbow Falls | Roaring Fork Motor Tr. | Waterfalls | 5.4 | 1685 | 8.77 |
Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome Area
| Trail | Location | Trail Features | Roundtrip Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrews Bald | Clingmans Dome Road | Panoramic Views | 3.5 | 899 | 5.3 |
| Charlies Bunion | Newfound Gap | Panoramic Views | 8.1 | 1640 | 11.38 |
| Jump Off, The | Newfound Gap | Panoramic Views | 6.5 | 1275 | 9.05 |
| Mt. LeConte (Boulevard Trail) | Newfound Gap | Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest | 15.6 | 3000 | 21.6 |
| Noland Divide | Clingmans Dome Road | Views / Forest Diversity | 7.2 | 1679 | 10.56 |
| Silers Bald | Clingmans Dome Road | Panoramic Views | 9.3 | 2152 | 13.6 |
| Spruce-Fir Trail | Clingmans Dome Road | Spruce-Fir Forest | 0.4 | 25 | 0.4 |
| Sugarland Mtn Trail (upper) | Clingmans Dome Road | Solitude / Views | 7 | 1090 | 9.18 |
Cades Cove / Townsend Area
| Trail | Location | Trail Features | Roundtrip Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abrams Falls | Cades Cove | Waterfalls | 5.2 | 675 | 6.55 |
| Chestnut Top | Townsend | Views / Wildflowers | 8.6 | 1486 | 11.57 |
| Gregory Bald (Gregory Ridge) | Cades Cove | Panoramic Views / Flame Azaleas / Old Growth Forest | 11.3 | 3020 | 17.34 |
| Gregory Bald (Parson Branch) | Parson Branch Road | Panoramic Views / Flame Azaleas / Old Growth Forest | 8.8 | 2300 | 13.4 |
| Lumber Ridge Trail | Townsend | Quiet Forest Hike / Solitude | 8.1 | 1524 | 11.15 |
| Middle Prong Trail | Townsend | Waterfalls / History | 8.3 | 1140 | 10.58 |
| Rich Mountain Loop | Cades Cove | Views / Wildflowers / Historical | 8.5 | 1736 | 11.97 |
| Rocky Top / Thunderhead | Cades Cove Picnic Area | Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel | 13.9 | 3665 | 21.23 |
| Schoolhouse Gap | Townsend | Quiet Forest Hike / Wildflowers | 3.8 | 513 | 4.83 |
| Spence Field (Anthony Creek) | Cades Cove Picnic Area | Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel | 10.3 | 2842 | 15.98 |
| Spence Field (via Lead Cove) | Cades Cove | Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel | 9.4 | 3100 | 15.6 |
| Spence / Russell Field Loop | Cades Cove Picnic Area | Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel | 13.3 | 3050 | 19.4 |
| Spruce Flats Falls | Townsend | Waterfall | 1.4 | 460 | 2.32 |
| West Prong Trail | Townsend | Quiet Forest Hike / Stream | 5.4 | 1375 | 8.15 |
Elkmont Area
| Trail | Location | Trail Features | Roundtrip Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avent Cabin | Elkmont | History / Quiet Forest Hike | 2 | 505 | 3.01 |
| Cove Mountain | Little River Road | Waterfalls / Old Growth Forest | 7.7 | 1776 | 11.25 |
| Cucumber Gap Loop | Elkmont | Stream / Wildflowers / Historical | 5.6 | 830 | 7.26 |
| Curry Mountain Trail | Little River Road | Quiet Forest Hike | 6.4 | 1164 | 8.73 |
| Huskey Gap (Little River Trail) | Elkmont | Stream / Wildflowers / Historical | 10 | 1080 | 12.16 |
| Laurel Falls | Little River Road | Waterfalls | 2.3 | 314 | 2.93 |
| Little Brier Gap | Elkmont | Walker Sisters Place | 2.6 | 285 | 3.17 |
| Little River Trail | Elkmont | Stream / Wildflowers / Historical | 4.9 | 412 | 5.72 |
| Meigs Creek Trail | Little River Road | Quiet Forest Hike | 7 | 1380 | 9.76 |
| Meigs Mountain Trail | Elkmont | Quiet Forest / History | 4.6 | 661 | 5.92 |
| Sugarland Mtn Trail (lower) | Little River Road | Quiet Forest Hike | 6 | 1500 | 9 |
Cherokee / Deep Creek Area
| Trail | Location | Trail Features | Roundtrip Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chasteen Creek Cascade | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Waterfall / Stream / Wildflowers | 3.6 | 340 | 4.28 |
| Deep Creek Loop | Deep Creek | Waterfalls / Wildflowers | 4.6 | 579 | 5.76 |
| Goldmine Loop | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Historical / Lake Views | 3.1 | 615 | 4.33 |
| Indian Creek Falls | Deep Creek | Waterfalls | 1.9 | 150 | 2.2 |
| Juney Whank Falls | Deep Creek | Waterfalls | 0.5 | 194 | 0.89 |
| Kanati Fork Trail | Newfound Gap Road | Wildflowers | 4 | 1495 | 6.99 |
| Kephart Prong Trail | Newfound Gap Road | Stream / Historical | 4.2 | 955 | 6.11 |
| Lonesome Pine Overlook | Deep Creek | Views | 6.7 | 2300 | 11.3 |
| Mingus Creek Trail | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Historic / Wildflowers / Stream | 5.8 | 1515 | 8.83 |
| Newton Bald | Smokemont | Quiet Forest Hike / Views | 10 | 2800 | 15.6 |
| Oconaluftee River Trail | Oconaluftee Visitor Center | Historical / Stream | 3 | 70 | 3.14 |
| Smokemont Loop | Smokemont | Stream / Wildflowers / Forest | 6.5 | 1441 | 9.38 |
| Toms Branch Falls | Deep Creek | Waterfalls | 0.6 | 47 | 0.69 |
Greenbrier / Cosby Area
| Trail | Location | Trail Features | Roundtrip Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albright Grove | Maddron Bald Trailhead | Old Growth Forest / History / Solitude | 6.7 | 1475 | 9.65 |
| Brushy Mountain (Greenbrier) | Greenbrier | Views | 11.7 | 3000 | 17.7 |
| Grapeyard Ridge Trail (Greenbrier) | Greenbrier | Historical / Injun Creek steam engine wreck | 5.8 | 980 | 7.76 |
| Hen Wallow Falls | Cosby | Waterfalls | 4.4 | 900 | 6.2 |
| Mt. Cammerer | Cosby | Panoramic Views / Historical | 11.1 | 3045 | 17.19 |
| Old Settlers Trail (Maddron Bald) | Maddron Bald Trailhead | Historical / Tyson McCarter Barn | 8.8 | 1650 | 12.1 |
| Porters Creek Trail | Greenbrier | Waterfalls / Stream / Flowers / Historical / Old Growth Forest | 4 | 699 | 5.4 |
| Ramsey Cascades | Greenbrier | Waterfalls / Old Growth Forest | 8 | 2190 | 12.38 |
Balsam Mountain / Big Creek / Cataloochee / Fontana Lake
| Trail | Location | Trail Features | Roundtrip Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balsam High Top | Balsam Mountain | Solitude / Quiet Forest Hike | 7.6 | 2535 | 12.67 |
| Flat Creek Falls | Balsam Mountain | Waterfalls | 4 | 600 | 5.2 |
| Hemphill Bald Loop | Balsam Mountain | Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest | 13.7 | 2170 | 18.04 |
| Rough Fork Trail | Balsam Mountain | Quiet Forest Hike | 5.2 | 600 | 6.4 |
| Big Creek / Mouse Creek Falls | Big Creek | Waterfalls | 4.2 | 605 | 5.41 |
| Mt. Sterling (via Baxter Creek) | Big Creek | Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest | 12.2 | 4200 | 20.6 |
| Mt. Sterling (Mt. Sterling Gap) | Mt. Sterling Gap | Panoramic Views | 5.6 | 2000 | 9.6 |
| Big Fork Ridge Loop | Cataloochee | Old Growth Forest / Historical | 9.3 | 1800 | 12.9 |
| Boogerman Loop | Cataloochee | Historical / Streams / Old Growth Forest | 7.4 | 1040 | 9.48 |
| Cataloochee Divide | Cove Creek Gap | Views / Historic / Wildflowers | 10 | 1250 | 12.5 |
| Shuckstack Fire Tower | Fontana Village | Views / Wildflowers | 7 | 2120 | 11.24 |