by Julie Dodd

The ‘Trails Forever Hikes’ series launches the 2025 season on March 11, with the first of 20 group hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

hikers at Kephart Trail Shelter — *Hikers enjoy a break at Kephart Trail Shelter on their hike on the Kephart Trail, which will be one of the May hikes this year. Photo by Linda Spangler*

Led by experienced hike leaders, the hikes feature interpretation of the trail, history, ecology, and updates on park projects supported by Friends of the Smokies.

For just $25 per hike, the series helps Friends of the Smokies fund the Trails Forever crew that restores popular trails in the park.

‘Trails Forever Hikes’ are the second Tuesday and fourth Wednesday of the month, March through November, plus two Saturdays in May and October.

Tuesday hikes, intended for experienced hikers, average more than seven miles, with Wednesday hikes paced for less experienced and beginner hikers.

Hikers must register in advance. Sign up for six or more hikes to receive a ‘Trails Forever Hikes’ 2025 T-shirt.

March hikes

March 11, Tuesday – Chestnut Top & Schoolhouse Gap
6.4 miles | 1,400 ft elevation gain
wildflowers, group organized shuttle
Nearest Town: Townsend, TN
Hike Leader: Sam Curtis

Bradley Fork Bridge - photo by Linda Spangler — *Bradley Fork Bridge – photo by Linda Spangler*

March 26, Wednesday – Old Settlers Trail
7 miles | 800 ft elevation gain
wildflowers, historic structures, out & back
Nearest Town: Gatlinburg, TN
Hike Leader: Missy Kane & Ed Fleming

April hikes

April 8, Tuesday – Bradley Fork Trail
8.2 miles | 1,000 ft elevation gain
wildflowers, out & back
Nearest Town: Cherokee, NC
Hike Leader: Danny Bernstein

April 23, Wednesday – Cucumber Gap & Little River Trail
5.1 miles | 600 ft elevation gain
wildflowers, one-way loop, Forever Places
Nearest Town: Gatlinburg, TN
Hike Leader: Ed Fleming

FOTS hikers - March 2020 — *Hikers gather for a photo before starting to hike the Little River Trail in Elkmont. Photo by Linda Spangler*

May hikes

sign at CCC camp along Kephart Prong Trail — *Hikers view the reminders of the CCC camp along Kephart Prong. Photo by Linda Spanger*

May 3, Saturday – Meigs Creek & Curry Mountain Trail
8.7 miles | 1,900 ft elevation gain
creek crossings, group organized shuttle
Nearest Town: Townsend, TN
Hike Leader: Sam Curtis

May 13, Tuesday – A.T., Sweat Heifer Creek, Kephart Prong
7.4 miles | 900 ft elevation gain
shuttle provided, one-way, high elevation views
Nearest Town: Gatlinburg, TN or Cherokee, NC
Hike Leader: Steve Pierce

May 28, Wednesday – Middle Prong Trail
7 miles | 800 ft elevation gain
falls, out & back
Nearest Town: Townsend, TN
Hike Leader: Sam Curtis

Hikers hiking to Gregory Bald - photo by Linda Spangler — *Hikers crossing a log bridge as they hike to Gregory Bald. Photo by Linda Spangler*

June hikes

June 10, Tuesday – Gregory Bald
11.6 miles | 3,000 ft elevation gain
out & back, flame azaleas, grassy bald, views
Nearest Town: Townsend, TN
Hike Leader: Dolly McLean

June 25, Wednesday – Bull Head Trail
5.2 miles | 1,600 ft elevation gain
Trails Forever project, out & back
Nearest Town: Gatlinburg, TN
Hike Leader: Beth Ransom

July hikes

FOTS hikers at tunnel — *Hikers at the “Road to Nowhere” tunnel on the Lakeshore Trail. Photo by Linda Spangler*

July 8, Tuesday – Mt. Sterling & Baxter Creek Trail
8.8 miles | 3,000 ft elevation gain
shuttle provide, views
Nearest Town: Waterville, NC
Hike Leader: Steve Winchester

July 23, Wednesday – Lakeshore Trail
7.6 miles | 1,400 ft elevation gain
boat shuttle, one-way, historic structures
Nearest Town: Fontana Village, NC
Hike Leader: TBD

August hikes

Aug. 12, Tuesday – Purchase Knob, Hemphill Bald, Caldwell Fork, & McKee Branch Trail
11.3 miles | 2,800 ft elevation gain
one-way loop, high elevation views, Appalachian Highlands Learning Center
Nearest Town: Waynesville, NC
Hike Leader: Kevin Fitzgerald

Aug. 27, Wednesday – Albright Grove Loop Trail, Maddron Bald Trail
6.7 miles | 1,500 ft elevation gain
out & back old growth forest
Nearest Town: Gatlinburg, TN
Hike Leader: George & Nancy Dailey

FOTS hikers on Maddron Bald Trail - photo by Linda Spangler — *Hikers on the Maddron Bald Trail. Photo by Linda Spangler*

September hikes

Sept. 9, Tuesday – Twenty Mile Trail & AT
8.7 miles | 2,400 ft elevation gain
group organized shuttle, one-way, Appalachian Trail, Shuckstack Tower
Nearest Town: Fontana Village, NC
Hike Leader: Lynda Doucette

Sept. 24, Wednesday – Cades Cove Adventure
TBD miles | TBD ft elevation gain
Choose your own adventure: bike then hike to Abrams Falls, walk the full loop, or walk the half loop
Nearest Town: Townsend, TN
Hike Leader: Missy Kane

Abrams Falls - photo by Linda Spangler — *Hiking to Abrams Falls is one of the options for the Cades Cove Adventure in September. Photo by Linda Spangler*

October hikes

Oct. 14, Tuesday – Hyatt Ridge & Beech Gap Trail
8.2 miles | 2,200 ft elevation gain
group organized shuttle, one-way
Nearest Town: Cherokee, NC
Hike Leader: Dolly McLean

Oct. 18, Saturday – Noland Divide Trail
6.7 miles | 2,400 ft elevation gain
out & back, Lonesome Pine Overlook
Nearest Town: Bryson City, NC
Hike Leader: Karen Shultz

Deep Creek waterfall — *Hikers enjoy views of waterfalls along the Deep Creek Waterfall Trail.* *Photo by Linda Spangler*

October 22, Wednesday – Gabes Mountain Trail
4.2 miles | 800 ft elevation gain
Hen Wallow Falls, out & back
Nearest Town: Gatlinburg, TN
Hike Leader: George & Nancy Dailey

November hikes

Nov. 11, Tuesday – Little Cataloochee Trail
8 miles | 2,600 ft elevation gain
Trails Forever Restoration Project, Forever Places Highlight, Church, Palmer House, out & back
Nearest Town: Waynesville & Maggie Valley, NC
Hike Leader: Mike Knies

Nov. 26, Wednesday – Deep Creek Waterfall Loop
5.5 miles | 600 ft elevation gain
waterfalls, one-way loop, holiday potluck
Nearest Town: Bryson City, NC
Hike Leader: Danny Bernstein

Thanks to Linda Spangler for sharing her photographs from Friends of the Smokies hikes from previous years.

Hike registration details

Please sign up for hikes appropriate for your experience and capability. If you are unsure, contact us for more details about how strenuous a specific hike is. Registration for all hikes is limited to 25 participants.

$25 per hike (with exception of the Lakeshore Trail Hike, which will cost $45 to cover the boat shuttle)

You must read through the waiver prior to registering.

After completing registration, you will receive an email the Friday before the hike with directions and more information. The Tuesday hikes begin at 9 a.m. The Wednesday hikes begin at 10 a.m. All hikes are intended to be full-day experiences.

GSMNP Parking Tags: Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Park it Forward program requires visitors to buy and display a valid parking tag for any vehicle parking for more than 15 minutes. Participants of the Trails Forever Hikes are responsible for obtaining a parking tag prior to attending a hike. Annual passes are available through Smokies Life at smokiesinformation.org. Daily and weekly passes are available at recreation.gov. Read more about the Park it Forward program at https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fees.htm.

If you have any questions, email olivia@friendsofthesmokies.org

Special Thanks to our 2025 Trails Forever Sponsors!