Bucket List Hikes in the Smoky Mountains
For active travelers, there can be few more exciting locations than the Smoky Mountains. Sounding like they belong in a J.R.R Tolkien fantasy novel, the Smoky Mountains are a mountain range along the Tennessee-North Carolina border and are a sub-range of the Appalachian Mountains. With a national park on its doorstep, the Smoky Mountains range offers not only challenging hikes but also some of the most stunning scenery; this unique place should be on any hiker’s bucket list.
A challenge for hikers
A person has to be more than reasonably fit if he or she wants to enjoy a day’s hiking here, and they also have to be prepared to contend with some awesome wildlife; the Smoky Mountains has the densest population of black bears. It is recommended that visitors pack a bear pepper spray to deter any bear that becomes a little too inquisitive.
Choosing a trail is the first challenge any hiker has to face; there are so many beautiful trails to choose from. Some trails are simply stunning at particular times of the year. For example, spring visits will reveal a host of wildflowers, and trees in flower; summer offers plenty of shade beneath spruce-fir forests, gentle mountain streams and powerful waterfalls; the fall produces a stunning color palette, and winter will reveal a hidden world of abandoned buildings and scenery obscured during other seasons. So those who appreciate flora may want to take the Gregory Bald trail in early summer to see a dazzling display of flame azaleas, ranging from fiery reds and oranges to more calming whites and pinks. The Rocky Top trail undertaken in late spring will feature beautiful mountain laurel as far as the eye can see, and the Alum Cave trail in winter will provide stunning but potentially dangerous scenery, with icicles up to 3-foot long and spectacular views from the cave.
An important part of a traveler’s plan will include booking suitable accommodation, and fortunately there are several lovely places to stay, such as the Westgate Smoky Mountain resort. The resort has cabin-style luxury accommodation, all with wonderful views of the mountains and national park. The hiking trails may be a challenge, but any visitor can relax back at this resort because it is also a spa complex, including heated outdoor pools in season and a water park, and it is just minutes away from Dollywood.
So just how challenging are the hikes in the Smoky Mountains? Well, on a scale of 1 to 25, anything above a 5 is considered moderate in difficulty, with any hike over 10 being strenuous and challenging. There is a wide range of trails with different difficulty levels, so finding one to suit an individual’s fitness level should be easy. The Alum Cave trail, for example, registers around the 6 mark, while the Gregory Bald trail registers between 13 and 14 – not for the fainthearted.
The Smoky Mountains offer hikers a chance to challenge their fitness and enjoy nature at its finest. The biggest challenge, though, will be choosing which stunning and hugely rewarding trail to take.
