Smoky Mountains (Tennessee)
Hiking

• Groupings of Falls
  • Group 1: Laurel Falls, The Sinks, Meigs Falls.  Optional picnic at Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area.
  • Group 2: Rainbow Falls, Grotto Falls & Roaring Fork Trail.  (Note: Leave early morning. You'll be tired from the 2 hikes.)
• Abrams Falls
  • 5 mile round trip.
  • http://www.gsmnp.com/pages/abrams_falls.html
  • GPS Coordinates:  ??? N35.58640, W83.84100
  • Directions
    • To get to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from where you are, see directions to get to Gatlinburg or Townsend, Tennessee.
    • From Townsend take TN 321 to the Park entrance, turn right on Little River Road to Cades Cove.
    • From Gatlinburg, turn right at the Sugarlands Visitor Center onto Little River Road and on to Cades Cove, where you will travel nearly halfway around the 11-mile loop road to the parking area for the 5-mile round-trip hike to Abrams Falls.
  • Note:  While you are there you might want to do the "Cades Cove" drive.
• Mt. LeConte Inn (Lodging & Resturauant) -
  • Reservations: Wilderness Lodging at 865.429.5704 or write to 250 Apple Valley Road, Sevierville, TN  7862. $80.00 per night. Make your reservations 1 to 2 years in advance.
  • http://www.gsmnp.com/pages/mtleconte.html
  • No showers. There is a wash basin & toilet unless the weather is freezing then you use an out house.
    Very rustic accommodations.  Bed linens is provided.
  • You must hike to the lodge. (No transportation).  Shortest hike is Alum Cave Bluffs Trail which is 5 mi one way and steep.
  • Highest inn providing lodging for visitors in the East (elevation: 6,595 ). Max of 45 guests per night.
  • Mt. LeConte to accommodate visitors dates back to 1925
  • Dinner at the dining hall is served at 6 p.m., breakfast at 8 am.
  • A packtrain of llamas brings food, bed linens, and other supplies to and from the Lodge three times a week.
  • Sunrise is beautiful.
• Laurel Falls
  • 2.6 mile round trip.
  • GPS Coordinates: N35.67207, W83.58034
  • Signs from the road and a parking area.
  • On Hwy 73.
• Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area
  • N35.67866, W83.64761
  • picnic tables, grills, bathrooms
• The Sinks (Drive by)
  • GPS Coordinates: N35.66931, W83.66931
  • Has a parking area.
• Meigs Falls (Drive by)
  • GPS Coordinates: N35.66935, W83.67607
  • No signs for the falls. Has a pull off area.
• Roaring Fork Road (Trail)
  • Directions: To access Roaring Fork, turn off the main parkway in Gatlinburg, TN at traffic light #8 (going North - only direction) and follow Historic Nature Trail Road to the Cherokee Orchard entrance to the national park.
  • See the following:
    • Ogle farmstead
      • Before the "Roaring Fork Road Trail".
      • Marked very well.  You can't miss it.
      • Almost road side. Very short hike.
    • Rainbow Falls
      • Before the "Roaring Fork Road Trail".
      • Marked very well.  You can't miss it.
      • Bathrooms at the bottom with several parking area sections.
      • 5.4 miles roundtrip and is considered moderately strenuous. Bring water and snacks.
    • Grotto Falls
      • On the one way "Roaring Fork Road Trail".
      • Marked very well.  You can't miss it.
      • Bathrooms at the bottom with several parking area sections.
      • 2.7 miles roundtrip and is considered moderately strenuous. Bring water and snacks.
    • Place of a Thousand Drips - ???