Eastern Smokies

The eastern part of the Smokies is one of the quieter sides of the park, partly due to its inaccessibility. There are few roads through this part of park, and those that exist are mostly unpaved, and often closed. However, I 40 runs just outside the park boundary, so getting to the trailheads is relatively easy, even when Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are packed.

A number of nice day hikes are possible from Cosby Campground, and also some longer backpacking loops. An excellent choice is the hike to Mt. Camerer, one of the park's finest viewpoints. An interesting ground-level fire tower is perched at the summit, and extremely steep cliffs drop off toward Cosby below.

Another spectacular viewpoint is Mt. Sterling. A campsite at the top is very popular, but can be windy and cold. A tall metal fire tower provides excellent views for those not easily frightened by heights. The hike up Baxter Creek trail is one of the most difficult in the park, climbing over 4000 feet in about 6 miles. An easier 2 mile approach is possible from the unpaved road along the park boundary.

Mt. Sterling is also accessible from Cataloochie Cove, a historic area of the park similar to Cades Cove, but on a smaller scale. Its relative inaccessibility, requiring a long drive on unpaved roads, keeps it relatively uncrowded. This is a favorite location for horse riders. Over the ridge is Little Cataloochie, site of a pretty church and some remnants of an earlier settlement.

This is a favorite part of the park for backpacking, with numerous choices for multi-day loops. One of the finest loops in the parks begins and ends at Big Creek Campground. You can climb to the Appalachian trail, following it past Mt. Cammerer to Cosby Knob Shelter, and then continue around past Mt. Guyot, the park's second highest mountain (no trail to the top), to Tricorner Knob. From there, you can follow Mt. Sterling ridge (one of the park's flattest and highest trails) around to Mt. Sterling, then following Baxter Creek trail back to the starting point. This will take 3-5 days. You may find remnants of a plane that flew into the ridge near Mt. Guyot a few years ago. They are mostly tiny and scattered through the woods.

Near Cosby, behind the Jellystone Campground, is the trailhead leading to Maddron Bald and Albright Grove. Both are very nice hikes. Albright Grove is best known for one of the largest stands of virgin forest in the East. You can see a lot of really big trees here.

The Pigeon River follows I 40 near the boundary of the park, and offers some class 3 - 4 rapids for those interested in rafting or kayaking. Though some are still concerned about the water quality, improvements have been made in recent years, and commercial rafting has resumed.

Great Smoky Mountains