The Appalachian Trail follows the North Carolina-Tennessee State Line,
along the crest of the Smokies, for a total distance of approximately 70
miles in this park, from its eastern terminus at Davenport Gap to its
Western terminus at Deals Gap. The trans-mountain highway (Tenn. No. 71,
N. C. No. 107) intersects this trail at its approximate half-way point
at Newfound Gap.
The eastern section of the trail is a graded four-foot standard horse
trail. The western section is an ungraded, brushed-out, foot trail,
rather rough in places. It is marked with white blazes on trees; across
the mountain meadows ("balds") prominent boulders are marked with white
paint.
A new cut-off trail has been marked and brushed out leaving the state
line near Doe Knob and proceeding southward to Fontana Village by way of
Twentymile Ridge, Sassafras Gap, and Shuckstack. This trail is very
steep between Shuckstack and Fontana.
Trailside shelters are located at approximate nine-mile intervals along
this trail, at Cosby Knob, Tri-Corner Knob, Hughes Ridge, Ice-Water
Spring on Ft. Kephart, Little Indian Gap, Silers Bald, Spence Field, and
Moore Spring on Gregory Bald. These shelters are log and pole frame,
enclosed on three sides with one large opening on the front, long side.
In each shelter is a bunk made of a wooden frame with heavy wire screen
for the springs, raised off the ground about two feet; this should
accommodate six persons. Each shelter has a fireplace, water supply,
garbage pit, pit latrine, hitching rack, and watering trough for horses.
There are no means for heating the shelters; a fireplace is located
outside the roof line of the building.
In addition to these shelters, camping places along the trail have been
designated at approximately nine-tenths mile from Davenport Gap, and at
the Halls Cabin site between Silers Bald and Thunderhead, and at
Sassafras Gap, just north of Shuckstack on the State Line-Fontana
Village cut-off.
Camping or fire-building is permitted along this trail only at the
trailside shelters and designated camping sites except when some
unforeseen emergency may arise, and the stay at any one shelter is
limited to one night only unless inclement weather prevents the
resumption of the trip. A camping permit is required for camping along
this trail. Such a permit may be obtained from any of the rangers or
wardens or upon application to the office of the Superintendent, Great
Smokey Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
Because of the scarcity of fuel at the shelters, hikers are advised to
carry primus-type stoves.
All who use any park trail are urged to be extremely careful with fire
and to completely extinguish all fires before leaving them. SMOKERS, BE
CAREFUL!