Directory of Hiking Trails in the Smokies by Difficulty Rating
Hiking in the Smokies can be quite challenging, and hiking any trail above your fitness level can make for a less than enjoyable day while out on the trail. Below is a list of trails based on a difficulty rating, and ranked from easiest to hardest hikes. This list is intended to help hikers find a trail that's best suited towards their abilities. By clicking on any trail name you'll find more detailed information, including trail descriptions, directions, key features, photographs, elevation profiles and maps.
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. Please click here for a more detailed explanation of difficulty ratings while hiking in the Smokies.
R/T on the table heading below stands for total round trip mileage.
To get a general idea on the location of any trail, please check out our park map page.
Trails by Difficulty Level
| Trail | Location | Trail Features | Roundtrip Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spruce-Fir Trail | Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome | Spruce-Fir Forest | 0.4 | 25 | 0.40 |
| Toms Branch Falls | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Waterfalls | 0.6 | 47 | 0.69 |
| Juney Whank Falls | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Waterfalls | 0.5 | 194 | 0.89 |
| Ogle Place | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | History / Stream | 0.8 | 90 | 0.98 |
| Indian Creek Falls | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Waterfalls | 1.9 | 150 | 2.2 |
| Spruce Flats Falls | Cades Cove / Townsend | Waterfall | 1.4 | 460 | 2.32 |
| Laurel Falls | Elkmont | Waterfalls | 2.3 | 314 | 2.93 |
| Avent Cabin | Elkmont | History / Quiet Forest Hike | 2 | 501 | 3.01 |
| Oconaluftee River Trail | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Historical / Stream | 3 | 70 | 3.14 |
| Little Brier Gap | Elkmont | Walker Sisters Place | 2.6 | 285 | 3.17 |
| Grotto Falls | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Waterfalls | 2.6 | 585 | 3.77 |
| Chasteen Creek Cascade | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Waterfall / Stream / Wildflowers | 3.6 | 340 | 4.28 |
| Goldmine Loop | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Historical / Lake Views | 3.1 | 615 | 4.33 |
| Gatlinburg Trail | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Stream / History | 3.9 | 235 | 4.37 |
| Schoolhouse Gap | Cades Cove / Townsend | Quiet Forest Hike / Wildflowers | 3.8 | 513 | 4.83 |
| Baskins Creek Falls | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Waterfalls | 3 | 953 | 4.91 |
| Flat Creek Falls | Balsam Mountain | Waterfalls | 4 | 600 | 5.2 |
| Andrews Bald | Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome | Panoramic Views | 3.5 | 899 | 5.3 |
| Porters Creek Trail | Greenbrier / Cosby | Waterfalls / Stream / Flowers / Historical / Old Growth Forest | 4 | 699 | 5.4 |
| Big Creek / Mouse Creek Falls | Big Creek | Waterfalls | 4.2 | 605 | 5.41 |
| Little River Trail | Elkmont | Stream / Wildflowers / Historical | 4.9 | 412 | 5.72 |
| Deep Creek Loop | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Waterfalls / Wildflowers | 4.6 | 579 | 5.76 |
| Meigs Mountain Trail | Elkmont | Quiet Forest / History | 4.6 | 661 | 5.92 |
| Kephart Prong Trail | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Stream / Historical | 4.2 | 955 | 6.11 |
| Hen Wallow Falls | Greenbrier / Cosby | Waterfalls | 4.4 | 900 | 6.2 |
| Chimney Tops | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Panoramic Views | 3.3 | 1487 | 6.27 |
| Rough Fork Trail | Balsam Mountain | Quiet Forest Hike | 5.2 | 600 | 6.4 |
| Abrams Falls | Cades Cove / Townsend | Waterfalls | 5.2 | 675 | 6.55 |
| Alum Cave | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Views / Interesting Geological Features | 4.4 | 1125 | 6.65 |
| Huskey Gap (Newfound Gap Rd) | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Quiet Forest Hike / Wildflowers | 4.2 | 1270 | 6.74 |
| Kanati Fork Trail | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Wildflowers | 4 | 1495 | 6.99 |
| Cucumber Gap Loop | Elkmont | Stream / Wildflowers / Historical | 5.6 | 830 | 7.26 |
| Grapeyard Ridge Trail (Greenbrier) | Greenbrier / Cosby | Historical / Injun Creek steam engine wreck | 5.8 | 980 | 7.76 |
| West Prong Trail | Cades Cove / Townsend | Quiet Forest Hike / Stream | 5.4 | 1375 | 8.15 |
| Curry Mountain Trail | Elkmont | Quiet Forest Hike | 6.4 | 1164 | 8.73 |
| Rainbow Falls | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Waterfalls | 5.4 | 1685 | 8.77 |
| Mingus Creek Trail | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Historic / Wildflowers / Stream | 5.8 | 1515 | 8.83 |
| Sugarland Mtn Trail (lower) | Elkmont | Quiet Forest Hike | 6 | 1500 | 9 |
| Jump Off, The | Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome | Panoramic Views | 6.5 | 1275 | 9.05 |
| Bullhead Trail | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Views / Interesting Geological Features | 5.9 | 1607 | 9.11 |
| Sugarland Mtn Trail (upper) | Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome | Solitude / Views | 7 | 1090 | 9.18 |
| Smokemont Loop | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Stream / Wildflowers / Forest | 6.5 | 1441 | 9.38 |
| Boogerman Loop | Cataloochee | Historical / Streams / Old Growth Forest | 7.4 | 1040 | 9.48 |
| Mt. Sterling (Mt. Sterling Gap) | Big Creek | Panoramic Views | 5.6 | 2000 | 9.6 |
| Albright Grove | Greenbrier / Cosby | Old Growth Forest / History / Solitude | 6.7 | 1475 | 9.65 |
| Meigs Creek Trail | Elkmont | Quiet Forest Hike | 7 | 1380 | 9.76 |
| Brushy Mountain (Trillium Gap) | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Views / Wildflowers / Falls | 6.8 | 1745 | 10.29 |
| Noland Divide | Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome | Views / Forest Diversity | 7.2 | 1679 | 10.56 |
| Middle Prong Trail | Cades Cove / Townsend | Waterfalls / History | 8.3 | 1140 | 10.58 |
| Lumber Ridge Trail | Cades Cove / Townsend | Quiet Forest Hike / Solitude | 8.1 | 1524 | 11.15 |
| Shuckstack Fire Tower | Fontana Village | Views / Wildflowers | 7 | 2120 | 11.24 |
| Cove Mountain | Elkmont | Waterfalls / Old Growth Forest | 7.7 | 1776 | 11.25 |
| Lonesome Pine Overlook | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Views | 6.7 | 2300 | 11.3 |
| 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 |
| Rich Mountain Loop | Cades Cove / Townsend | Views / Wildflowers / Historical | 8.5 | 1736 | 11.97 |
| Old Settlers Trail (Maddron Bald) | Greenbrier / Cosby | Historical / Tyson McCarter Barn | 8.8 | 1650 | 12.1 |
| Huskey Gap (Little River Trail) | Elkmont | Stream / Wildflowers / Historical | 10 | 1080 | 12.16 |
| Ramsey Cascades | Greenbrier / Cosby | Waterfalls / Old Growth Forest | 8 | 2190 | 12.38 |
| Cataloochee Divide | Cataloochee | Views / Historic / Wildflowers | 10 | 1250 | 12.5 |
| Balsam High Top | Balsam Mountain | Solitude / Quiet Forest Hike | 7.6 | 2535 | 12.67 |
| Big Fork Ridge Loop | Cataloochee | Old Growth Forest / Historical | 9.3 | 1800 | 12.9 |
| Gregory Bald (Parson Branch) | Cades Cove / Townsend | Panoramic Views / Flame Azaleas / Old Growth Forest | 8.8 | 2300 | 13.4 |
| Silers Bald | Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome | Panoramic Views | 9.3 | 2152 | 13.6 |
| Newton Bald | Cherokee / Deep Creek | Quiet Forest Hike / Views | 10 | 2800 | 15.6 |
| Spence Field (via Lead Cove) | Cades Cove / Townsend | Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel | 9.4 | 3100 | 15.6 |
| Spence Field (Anthony Creek) | Cades Cove / Townsend | Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel | 10.3 | 2842 | 15.98 |
| Mt. LeConte (via Alum Cave) | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Panoramic Views / Geological | 11 | 2763 | 16.53 |
| Mt. Cammerer | Greenbrier / Cosby | Panoramic Views / Historical | 11.1 | 3045 | 17.19 |
| Gregory Bald (Gregory Ridge) | Cades Cove / Townsend | Panoramic Views / Flame Azaleas / Old Growth Forest | 11.3 | 3020 | 17.34 |
| Brushy Mountain (Greenbrier) | Greenbrier / Cosby | Views | 11.7 | 3000 | 17.7 |
| Hemphill Bald Loop | Balsam Mountain | Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest | 13.7 | 2170 | 18.04 |
| Spence / Russell Field Loop | Cades Cove / Townsend | Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel | 13.3 | 3050 | 19.4 |
| Mt. Sterling (via Baxter Creek) | Big Creek | Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest | 12.2 | 4200 | 20.6 |
| Mt. LeConte (via Trillium Gap) | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Panoramic Views / Waterfalls | 13.9 | 3401 | 20.7 |
| Rocky Top / Thunderhead | Cades Cove / Townsend | Panoramic Views / Mtn Laurel | 13.9 | 3665 | 21.23 |
| Mt. LeConte (Boulevard Trail) | Newfound Gap / Clingmans Dome | Panoramic Views / Old Growth Forest | 15.6 | 3000 | 21.6 |
| Mt. LeConte (Rainbow Falls) | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Panoramic Views / Waterfalls | 13.8 | 3993 | 21.79 |
| Mt. LeConte (via Bullhead) | Gatlinburg / Mt. LeConte | Panoramic Views | 14.4 | 3993 | 22.39 |
| Benton MacKaye Trail | Great Smoky Mountains | Long Distance Hiking | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Mountains-to-Sea Trail | Great Smoky Mountains | Long Distance Hiking | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Appalachian Trail | Great Smoky Mountains | Long Distance Hiking | n/a | n/a | n/a |