6-7 day section hike NFG to Hot Springs

[nascarmikeb]

I'm in the early stages of planning a 6 to 7 day section hike beginning at Newfound Gap to Hot Springs in late may or early June 2017. I'll be hiking with my 18 y/o son for his Senior Trip. We have a done a few over night hikes in our geographic region of central/northern Louisiana. Neither of us have significant experience with back country hiking. Neither of us have overnight experience hiking the AT. We are both in good physical condition. I have done a few 15-20 mile hikes in Northern Arkansas Ozarks ( I realize they are not the Appalachians.)

we plan to stay in Gatlinburg the day we arrive, and take a shuttle to NFG. What hotels/motels are hiker friendly and that have a shuttle to NFG. We will get a shuttle back to our vehicle.


For section hiker novices, is this a realistic goal?
I know about Charlies Bunion, Jump-off, Max Patch, are there any other significant view points?
We want to experience a good hostel visit. Maybe at Davenport Gap or Hot Springs. What are good suggestions?

Like I said, I am in the early stages of planning so suggestions are welcome.
My initial shelter thoughts are :
NFG > Peck's Corner > Cosby Knob > Davenport Gap (Hostel) > Groundhog Creek > Walnut Mtn. > Hot Springs

Mike

[MuddyWaters]

If your in good shape, and not carrying too much weight, its easily doable in about 5 days hiking. 7 is plenty for most anyone.

Only hostel your gonna cross before hot springs is Standing Bear, and it may not be your kind of scene. It has a reputation for being lenient with hikers that want to party a bit, ,and some hikers take advantage of it. Laughing Heart Hostel in Hot Springs is good, right on trail, or the laughing heart lodge there is downright nice. Not much to pick from in that stretch.

Conventional wisdom...is hike to your vehicle if possible. do your shuttle on front end.

If I were doing it, Id park at laughing heart hostel, spend night there, get shuttle next morning to NFG and start hiking and not go to Gatlinburg. Send resupply to Standing bear and just hit it for resupply. Actually, I probably wouldnt bother with resupply for that stretch as Id do it a bit faster.

but Im sure you want to see Gatlinburg and take a little more time to soak in the whole experience. So you should.

Of course after you get back to hot springs, you could then go unwind in Gatlingurg for a day.

[nascarmikeb]

thanks for the advice. Actually, I don't have to visit gatlinburg, as we have been there before on vacation. I was using that as my starting spot. So thanks for the great idea of hiking to our vehicle. I take it that laughing hear hostel provides a shuttle service to NFG. I'm not sure our base weight, but I would think total weight we will be around 30-35 lbs

yeah, we don't do the partying scene, so thanks for that tip as well

Mike

[MuddyWaters]

Dont know that anyone at laughing heart shuttles, but Bluff Mtn Outfitters should be able to hook you up. Or check ATC shuttle page, or AWOLs guide.

[u.w.]

You may be able to resupply from Standing Bear Farm hostel just fine, with what they have on hand in their little store. Worth calling and checking in to before mailing yourself a box.
Also do bear (pun not intended) in mind that shelters can and do get shut down in GSMNP due to bear activity. Leave room in your schedule for adjusting, and check shelter closings with the park when the time gets closer.

u.w.

[bigcranky]

Based on your experience, I would plan for seven days for this section. If you do it faster, great.

You'll need to register with the Smokies and get a backcountry permit, with a reservation for each night on the trail. You might consider making the first night at Icewater Spring Shelter, which is only 3 miles up the trail, but it's a lovely view and you can walk to Charlie's Bunion for the sunset. It also takes any pressure off the first day when you'll be shuttling and driving, etc. I like to have a shorter first day when I have a longer shuttle. Then hit Tricorner Knob on day 2, and if you are up for a really long day you could get to Standing Bear on day 3, or pull up at Davenport Gap Shelter and go to the hostel for resupply the next morning.

Standing Bear is an interesting place and I would probably stay there, especially with my child. A good introduction to hiker life . You should be able to resupply there, or send a mail drop. Call first.

There have been bear issues along the trail south of Hot Springs, so you'll want to have a pretty solid bear hanging system.

This is a nice section to hike in late May or early June. The weather should be decent - though the last time we were there in early June they were having snow up high in the Smokies. Starting at NFG means that your first few days are on the ridgeline, with gradual ups and downs, no huge climbs. Then the long steep downhill to Davenport Gap, and the steep hike back out, and some good up and down before Hot Springs. HS is a nice town to end, you could stay at one of the hostels and enjoy dinner before the drive back.

Have a great trip!

[nascarmikeb]

Thanks for these great tips BigCranky. We want to experience a trail hostel, so definitely going to plan on Standing Bear. I was looking at the pictures from their website of their little resupply store. I will consider that as well. I also appreciate the advice on Ice water Spring on the 1st day, as we do want to have great views of the sunset. Can you tell me if camping is allowed on max patch?

[-Rush-]

I'm not a fan of Peck's Corner, especially not on my first day in the Smokies. It's about .5 off the trail with no views. I'd personally start at Clingman's Dome.

Clingman's Dome <10.9> Icewater Spring <12.6> TriCorner Knob <15.7> Standing Bear Hostel <13.3> Max Patch (if weather permits) <10.0> Tent Camp <10.0> Hot Springs

As far as other things to enjoy on that section.

AT Mile Markers (From AWOL 2016)
199 - Clingman's Dome
200 - Mt. Love
207 - Newfound Gap
210 - Icewater Spring Shelter
211 - Charlie's Bunion (I prefer the Jumpoff, but Charlie's is easier.)
212 - The Sawteeth
212 - Porter's Gap
216 - Bradley's View
217 - Peck's Corner Shelter
218 - Eagle Rocks
219 - Mt. Sequoyah
222 - TriCorner Knob Shelter
223 - Mt. Guyot
225 - Plane Wreckage
229 - Cosby Knob Shelter (Leave before sunrise)
232 - Mt. Cammerer Fire Toweer (Be here for sunrise)
237 - Davenport Gap (GSMNP Exit)
239 - Pigeon River Bridge
242 - Standing Bear Hostel
245 - Snowbird Mountain
253 - Max Patch Summit

[bigcranky]

Thanks for these great tips BigCranky. We want to experience a trail hostel, so definitely going to plan on Standing Bear. I was looking at the pictures from their website of their little resupply store. I will consider that as well. I also appreciate the advice on Ice water Spring on the 1st day, as we do want to have great views of the sunset. Can you tell me if camping is allowed on max patch?

Yes, you can camp on Max Patch. Be careful about late afternoon thunderstorms

[HooKooDooKu]

Just to expand on Ken's note about permits and GSMNP...

Unlike most places along the AT, in GSMNP, you can only camp at designated backcountry camp grounds and shelters, and you must have a reservation for each site.
You can attempt to make reservations at this website about 30 days before the start of your trip.

You might hear something about a GSMNP thru hiker permit where reservations for specific dates are not required, but that's only for thru hikers that start and end their hikes outside the limits of GSMNP.



I don't know much regarding shuttles outside of the GSMNP area... but I can say that a drive from the edge of Gatlinburg to New Found Gap is 30 minutes one-way. I don't know of a hotel that will do such a shuttle for you for free, as locally based shuttle services charge something in the ballpark of $50 to $80 for such a trip.

[nascarmikeb]

all excellent info. thanks to everyone. This is much appreciated. I really want this to be an awesome experience for my son and I before he begins College. Thanks again.

I was actually planning on incorporating Clingsman dome into our trip, Thanks for the itinerary ideas.

[Venchka]

Don't miss the Smoky Mountain Diner in Hot Springs.
http://hotspringsnc.org/business-dir...ountain-diner/
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nascarmikeb]

I'm in the early stages of planning a 6 to 7 day section hike beginning at Newfound Gap to Hot Springs in late may or early June 2017.

My initial shelter thoughts are :
NFG > Peck's Corner > Cosby Knob > Davenport Gap (Hostel) > Groundhog Creek > Walnut Mtn. > Hot Springs

Mike

SO frustratingly, I was away from my computer and I missed the date that I wanted to get my permit to start at NFG. I have reserved a start date a couple days after my intended start date of May 20 in the smokies. Since I am bound to some very hard dates now with my work schedule, I am considering starting at laughing hear hostel and going SOBO to NFG. Just wondering if there is any considerable difference between NOBO & SOBO in this section. I'm frustrated that I missed my pre-planned reservation date!!!!! on May 20 at Ice water Spring shelter.

Mike

[ScareBear]

Going SOBO from Hot Springs down to Standing Bear Hostel/I-40 saves a bunch of uphill vertical elevation. I haven't looked at SBH to NFG to figure that section out...

You can camp atop Max Patch and I certainly would. However, besides afternoon thunderstorms you should be prepared for very windy overnight conditions. Stake your tent accordingly.

If you are going NOBO, the climb up from I-40 to Snowbird is a 5 mile grinder. Nice place to grab lunch, though. Get a very early start that day and an accurate read on the water situation between SBH and HS for the rest of your hike. It can get depressing dry...

[illabelle]

NOBO:
The distance on the Appalachian Trail between

US441-Newfound Gap, TN and

I40 Crossing, TN

is 32.7 miles.

Estimated ascent in section is 6,660'

Estimated descent in section is 10,240'
(from atdist.com)

I assume you could reverse for SOBO, so 3600' more uphill climbing than NOBO.

What if you did the section from Standing Bear to Hot Springs first, SOBO as Scarebear recommended, then shuttle to NFG for the May 20-something reservation. Would that work? Point is, you don't have to do the entire 6-7 day hike in a continuous end-to-end path. If you break it into two pieces, you get a little advantage because you can leave fresh clothes and food resupply in your vehicle. Check out the ATC shuttle list if you don't have that worked out.

[bayview]

Actually from what I understand, camping on the summit of Max Patch is against Forest Service rules. There is a ridge close to it that might be good and also a wooded area north of the trail that is a camping spot. LNT is one reason for not camping up there as it damages the grass cover.

[ScareBear]

Actually from what I understand, camping on the summit of Max Patch is against Forest Service rules. There is a ridge close to it that might be good and also a wooded area north of the trail that is a camping spot. LNT is one reason for not camping up there as it damages the grass cover.

No. It is allowed. And, USFS brings MECHANICAL MOWERS to the top of Max Patch a few times every summer TO MOW THE THING FLAT. So that everyone can enjoy the view. No, I am not making this up. Without the mechanical mowers or a herd of 300 goats(approximately 1 goat per acre) in 5 or 6 years Max Patch will be overgrown and all you will see is the trail at your feet. In about 100 years, it will return to looking just like all the other peaks. Please don't worry about damaging the grass cover. The only thing that damages the grass cover up there is fire pits/rings. And there the damage is done by the ph change from the wood ash preventing seedlings from taking root. The thing used to be an aircraft landing field, for goodness sakes. Before that it was pasture. Before that(1870 or so) it looked just like all the other peaks in all of Appalachia....I hate to break the news to you bayview, but Max Patch is a fairly recent, completely man-made invention that solely exists in it's current state because of man's continual intervention with nature.

[scope]

...I'm frustrated that I missed my pre-planned reservation date!!!!! on May 20 at Ice water Spring shelter.

Mike

Just checked and there were 2 spots available. Is it just you? There's spot left at Leconte as an alternative, and plenty at Mt Collins if you did want to start from Clingmans.

...There is a ridge close to it that might be good and also a wooded area north of the trail that is a camping spot. LNT is one reason for not camping up there as it damages the grass cover.

Buckeye Ridge can be seen from Max Patch and is actually right off the AT - the trail Nobo from MP goes down and curves around and flattens out where there is a large campsite with a view of MP (can see camp from MP once there's a tent, etc. on there to define it). At the campsite, there is a trail that goes up to MP (easier than taking the AT back up to it) and while on that trail, you can take a left over to Buckeye Ridge. A shorter route is to continue Nobo on the AT where you go around a bend and wind up coming to an obvious alt trail up to a grassy area, and that is the other end of Buckeye Ridge. Haven't camped there, but I have to think its a lot more sheltered, while still being wide open for stargazing.

[bayview]

No. It is allowed. And, USFS brings MECHANICAL MOWERS to the top of Max Patch a few times every summer TO MOW THE THING FLAT. So that everyone can enjoy the view. No, I am not making this up. Without the mechanical mowers or a herd of 300 goats(approximately 1 goat per acre) in 5 or 6 years Max Patch will be overgrown and all you will see is the trail at your feet. In about 100 years, it will return to looking just like all the other peaks. Please don't worry about damaging the grass cover. The only thing that damages the grass cover up there is fire pits/rings. And there the damage is done by the ph change from the wood ash preventing seedlings from taking root. The thing used to be an aircraft landing field, for goodness sakes. Before that it was pasture. Before that(1870 or so) it looked just like all the other peaks in all of Appalachia....I hate to break the news to you bayview, but Max Patch is a fairly recent, completely man-made invention that solely exists in it's current state because of man's continual intervention with nature.

I know that Max Patch is maintained. I am aware and not stupid as implied. The concept of LNT is to allow others to enjoy the views and vistas and respect everyone. Some people do not want to see someone's tent set up on the area when there are a great many campsites very close. If one can't camp in the region that is less then 1/4 of a mile away that is an already established campsite and walk up to enjoy the vista, maybe they should not be out there. I have seen too much damage to that location, people using the "easy" access that has clearly been blocked and marked. There is too much traffic following the wrong trails and many with the ideology their footprint will not affect anything are wrong.

[nascarmikeb]

If one can't camp in the region that is less then 1/4 of a mile away that is an already established campsite and walk up to enjoy the vista, maybe they should not be out there.

I like the idea of camping at this established campsite, vs. ground hog creek or roaring fork shelters. I will be hammock camping, I assume there is a wood line for me to attach to at this established site? Also, how difficult would it be to hike from Standing Bear to this campsite in one day? I hate to add an extra night after standing bear. I think camping near MP would be fabulous as long as the weather is cooperative. Thoughts?