Spruce Mountain Trail

Hemphill Bald is a quintessential Smoky Mountains vantage point and this moderate loop trail leading to it takes you through beautiful forest and rolling hills. This area is incredible in all seasons - wildflowers in the spring, colorful leaves in the fall, and with bare trees in the winter, the vistas along the way open up for even more sweeping views. Start your hike at Polls Gap parking lot...

Your hike will start at the base of the Blue Ridge Parkway just a few miles from the start in Cherokee. The trail starts right off of the parkway in a very small easy to miss dirt road. There is a small area to park that then you start your hike up the dirt road right after the gate. The hike to the top is about a half mile. It is a small hike up is pretty steep. When you get to the top you can...

History, solitude and wildlife abound in this quiet corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but getting here is not easy. Take the scenic route via Cove Creek Road from Cosby, TN. Drive 40 miles along the twisting, gravel road to Cataloochee, NC. The scenery along the way is outstanding, but this drive is not for those who are sensitive to motion sickness.After bouncing over rocks and wi...

Although it is not much of a hike at just 0.3 miles, it is accessible to people of all fitness levels.  A climb up a series of stairs leads you to a trail overlooking Mingo creek.  You will then find a 20 foot wide bridge which serves as the viewing platform of the falls.   If you care to adventure further, feel free to hop your way over some timber and boulders to the base of the waterfall.  ...

This double waterfall is located a mile and half off of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Cherokee Indian Reservation. From the parking area, it's a short walk down a well-established trail to the viewing area of the falls. For an even closer view of the falls, you can follow a roped, steep path down to the base of the falls. This area can be slippery, so proceed with caution. In the winter months...

The pinpoint for this particular entrance starts just outside of Cherokee, North Carolina, following the Parkway North. They say the Blue Ridge Parkway is more than just a road, it's a beautiful journey. Start this journey and you will quickly find this to be true. This 469 mile gateway connects the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virgin...