Charlies Bunion via Kephart Loop

Kephart Prong is a pretty easy hike in close proximity to the Visitor Center on the North Carolina Side of GSMNP. 2 miles up the trail, you'll arrive at Kephart Shelter, where you can rest and enjoy vies of the Kephart Prong. Once you've had your fill, head back down the way you came.  During the rainy months, you'll see small streams form near the trail that flow into the Kephart Prong. You m...

This route to Clingmans Dome is available throughout the year. But during the winter months from December 1 through March 31, the 7-mile Clingman’s Dome Road that branches off Highway 441 at Newfound Gap, stays closed. This means the usual drive to the parking area located just a half mile below the tower is inaccessible, and the journey now requires a 15-mile round-trip hike on the AT, startin...

Newfound Gap is a mountain pass in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Newfound Gap is accessible via U.S. Route 441 from Gatlinburg, TN or Cherokee, NC. You can watch the sunrise from the parking lot at Newfound Gap or the viewing platform adjacent to the parking lot.At sunrise, layers of pink and purple glowing mountains stretch out as far as the eye can see, and the forest gives the scene a...

Begin your adventure by arriving at the Newfound Gap parking lot - before first light. Why? Because you won't want to miss the incredible sunrise from the parking lot - even before you step foot on the trail! It is said that a hiker will never get overly warm hiking the Boulevard to Leconte due to the fact that you will never drop below 5,500ft above sea level. However, in the cooler months - ...

This trail starts at the Newfound Gap parking lot. Newfound Gap is situated on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. The views from Newfound Gap overlook North Carolina and are worth the trip in their own right. The restroom facilities are clean and have flushing toilets. Follow the crowds over to the Rockefeller Memorial where President Franklin D. Roosevelt formally dedicated the park -...

From the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, drive approximately 13 miles south on Newfound Gap Road to reach the Newfound Gap Parking Area (it'll be on your left). The parking area is free and there are bathrooms. Follow the Appalachian Trail towards Katahdin, Maine (1972 miles away, woah!) At this point, there will not be a sign for Charlies Bunion, don't worry, it's up there! The tr...