Summer was made for hiking, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the perfect place to lace up your boots and hit the trails. Here is the list of our staff’s top 3 Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails.
Top 3 Hiking Trails
1. Laurel Falls
https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/laurel-falls.htm
If you are looking to experience the thrill of a mountain cascade, look no further than Laurel Falls. Flanked by ‘mountain laurel’ (aka wild rhododendron), this hiking trail in the Great Smoky Mountains provides a truly stunning experience. The trail that leads to Laurel Falls is completely paved making it great for young families and those who are not accustomed to hiking in the mountains.
2. Alum Cave
https://www.smokiesadventure.com/smokymountains/explorations/alum-cave-bluff.htm
The hiking trail to Alum Cave is more difficult than the paved path to Laurel Falls. Nevertheless, this hike leads to a geologically intriguing landmark. The giant (yet shallow) cave is all that remains of a massive limestone deposit that slowly dissolved over millions of years of rainfall. This is a prime example of chemistry in action in nature. For families that home school or that want to extend their children’s learning outside the walls of the classroom, Alum Cave could be an amazing research opportunity for your kiddos this summer.
3. Roundtop Trail
https://hikinginthesmokies.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/roundtop-trail-sept-20-2012/
Our final recommendation on the Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails top 3 is Roundtop Trail. This hike begins near the Wears Valley community which makes it a great option if you stay in one of our mountain cabins. While this trail is the most difficult of the three, it also the least well-known ensuring your hike is quiet and enjoyable. This trail ends at the Little River in Townsend which is an added bonus in hot summer weather. For more information on the Roundtop Trail, check out this description of the trail .
