GSMNP

We plan to hike the AT through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in late May, so we have started our training again.  Our plan is the same as it was last July when we had to cancel our trip due to the heat wave. 

Here is our projected itinerary (subject to change). We have decided to hike south-bound on the first leg because the the incline going up Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT, doesn't seem to be as bad as north-bound.

Travel Day - Drive from home to Fontana Dam. Leave the car at the dam and have Donna shuttle us up to Cherokee or Gatlinburg to spend the night.

Day One - Newfound Gap to Silers Bald Shelter, 12.5 miles
Day Two - Silers Bald Shelter to Russell Field Shelter, 14.7 miles
Day Three - Russell Field Shelter to Fontana Dam, 13.5 miles

Drive the car up to Gatlinburg, stay at Carr's Northside Cottages and Motel (good reviews on Trip Advisor).

Day Four - Suttle to Newfound Gap, hike northbound to Tri-Corner Knob Shelter, 15.6 miles
Day Five - Tri-Corner Knob Shelter to Davenport Gap, 15.7
Shuttle back to Gatlinburg to our car and spend another night at Carr's before heading home the next morning.

These last two days will be the longest days we have done so far, but we have read that this section is not too hard and many people get their first 20 mile days here.  It's a far cry from the 8 to 11 miles we were doing when we first started hiking in GA!!


**The AT runs 72.371 miles in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The cumulative climb from Fontana to Davenport Gap is about 20,000 feet (about 278 feet per mile).

The highest point on the AT is 6613' just NE of Clingman's Dome at Smokies mile 32.9