UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
North Caroline—Tennessee
THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
The Appalachian Trail follows the North Carolina-Tennessee State Line, along the crest of the Smokies, for a total distance of approximately 70 miles in this park, from its eastern terminus at Davenport Gap to its Western terminus at Deals Gap. The trans-mountain highway (Tenn. No. 71, N. C. No. 107) intersects this trail at its approximate half-way point at Newfound Gap.
The eastern section of the trail is a graded four-foot standard horse trail. The western section is an ungraded, brushed-out, foot trail, rather rough in places. It is marked with white blazes on trees; across the mountain meadows (“balds”) prominent boulders are marked with white paint.
A new cut-off trail has been marked and brushed out leaving the state line near Doe Knob and proceeding southward to Fontana Village by way of Twentymile Ridge, Sassafras Gap, and Shuckstack. This trail is very steep between Shuckstack and Fontana.
Trailside shelters are located at approximate nine-mile intervals along this trail, at Cosby Knob, Tri-Corner Knob, Hughes Ridge, Ice-Water Spring on Ft. Kephart, Little Indian Gap, Silers Bald, Spence Field, and Moore Spring on Gregory Bald. These shelters are log and pole frame, enclosed on three sides with one large opening on the front, long side. In each shelter is a bunk made of a wooden frame with heavy wire screen for the springs, raised off the ground about two feet; this should accommodate six persons. Each shelter has a fireplace, water supply, garbage pit, pit latrine, hitching rack, and watering trough for horses. There are no means for heating the shelters; a fireplace is located outside the roof line of the building.
In addition to these shelters, camping places along the trail have been designated at approximately nine-tenths mile from Davenport Gap, and at the Halls Cabin site between Silers Bald and Thunderhead, and at Sassafras Gap, just north of Shuckstack on the State Line-Fontana Village cut-off.
Camping or fire-building is permitted along this trail only at the trailside shelters and designated camping sites except when some unforeseen emergency may arise, and the stay at any one shelter is limited to one night only unless inclement weather prevents the resumption of the trip. A camping permit is required for camping along this trail. Such a permit may be obtained from any of the rangers or wardens or upon application to the office of the Superintendent, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Because of the scarcity of fuel at the shelters, hikers are advised to carry primus-type stoves.
All who use any park trail are urged to be extremely careful with fire and to completely extinguish all fires before leaving them. SMOKERS, BE CAREFUL!