Smoky Mountains Hiking Club Meetup

To close out the year, we’ll hike to the Pulpit on the Bullhead Trail. Our hike starts down the Old Sugarlands trail for 3.5 miles, following the sounds of the river a good part of the way. We’ll pass old home sites, rock walls and CCC ruins before reaching the Bullhead trail. We’ll turn up Bullhead and climb 2.6 miles to the Pulpit, a stone cairn built by the CCC. Lunch will be on the ridge here (if it’s not too windy) while we enjoy the views and then return the same way.
* Total hike distance is 12.2 miles with 2900 ft total elevation gain; rated Difficult.
* For more information and to register for this event, go to the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club website HERE.
* Our Difficult hikes are: 10-14+ miles and/or elevation change of 1800-2500' or more, mostly on trail, some off-trail possible. Hikers should be regularly hiking 8+ miles with continuous elevation gains of 500+ feet per mile for a sustained 2 to 5 miles (or more), at a 2.0-3.0 mph pace.

This is a good out-and-back winter hike, in that the trailhead is accessible from Townsend and avoids any potential weather-related road closures within the park. From the trailhead, there is a gradual ascent of about 1200 feet through a mixed hardwood/pine forest, with some good views at this time of year toward Thunderhead Mountain and the crest of the Smokies. After reaching the high point at Chestnut Top, we have about a mile and a half of relatively level (for the Smokies) walking until our turnaround spot at the junction with Schoolhouse Gap Trail.
* Total hike distance is about 8.4 miles, rated Moderate.
* For more information and to register for this event, go to the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club website HERE.
* Our Moderate hikes are: 5-10 miles and/or elevation change of 1000-1800', on-trail hiking. Hikers should be regularly hiking 5+ miles with 400-500 feet of continuous elevation gain over a mile, at a 2.0-2.5 mph pace.

This is a favorite loop hike starting at the gate to Cades Cove Loop Road. We follow Rich Mountain Loop Trail clockwise, west to the John Oliver cabin, north along Martha's Branch, up Tater's Ridge to the junction with Indian Grave Gap Trail. From there we go east on the ridgeline, past the Rich Mountain Trail junction and Cerulean Knob, and on to the junction with Crooked Arm Ridge and Scott Mountain Trails. We’ll go a short ways down Scott Mountain to Campsite 6 for lunch. Then we descend Crooked Arm Ridge Trail, past two overlooks and the Falls on the way to the junction with Rich Mountain Loop Trail, and back to the trailhead.
* Total hike distance is 8.7 miles with 1958 ft elevation gain; rated Moderate.
* For more information and to register for this event, go to the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club website HERE.
* Our Moderate hikes are: 5-10 miles and/or elevation change of 1000-1800', on-trail hiking. Hikers should be regularly hiking 5+ miles with 400-500 feet of continuous elevation gain over a mile, at a 2.0-2.5 mph pace.

For this section of the Cumberland Trail State Park, we will hike from south to north, along Soak Creek and return the same way. We ascend and descend several steep bluff areas, and will see several waterfalls, including Stinging Fork Falls itself. The falls are part of the Stinging Fork Falls State Natural area and plunge 30 ft. into a fan shape. Dress for cold winter temperatures that make picturesque cliffside hanging ice formations and ice on the trail. Micro spikes are a must!
* Total round-trip hike distance is 11.6 miles; rated Difficult.
* For more information and to register for this event, go to the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club website HERE.
* Our Difficult hikes are: 10-14+ miles and/or elevation change of 1800-2500' or more, mostly on trail, some off-trail possible. Hikers should be regularly hiking 8+ miles with continuous elevation gains of 500+ feet per mile for a sustained 2 to 5 miles (or more), at a 2.0-3.0 mph pace.