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Just finished 3 loops in the Smokies and only saw 4 other hikers total | Backpacking Routes - HW Forums

Just finished 3 loops in the Smokies and only saw 4 other hikers total

Everyone talks about how crowded the Smokies are but I got stuck on a 3-day circuit off the main trail last October and passed maybe two people the whole time. Guess it depends what route you pick... has anyone else had a quiet trip through a supposedly busy park?

3 comments

3 Comments

parker_bell3mo ago

Read a post on another forum last week from a guy who did the Mt LeConte via Rainbow Falls in mid-August and said he had to dodge selfie sticks the whole way up. Totally different experience from mine though. I did the Deep Creek area to Martins Gap in late March and saw maybe 3 backpackers and a bunch of deer. Timing is everything I guess, and picking a section that isn't on every tourist's list.

sarahsullivan3mo ago

The "timing is everything" part really hits home... I did the Alum Cave trail to LeConte in early June a couple years back and it was like a conga line of people, mostly folks who looked like they just stepped out of an REI catalog with brand new gear. But a friend convinced me to try the Bote Mountain trail in late October and it was a completely different world, maybe a dozen people total and the leaves were popping. I think the real trick is not just off-season but also avoiding the popular trailheads... like you said, picking a section that's not on every list. Even within the same park, you can get completely different experiences just by shifting your start point a few miles. Makes you wonder how many people miss the real magic because they're all stuck on the same crowded routes.

the_luna3mo ago

timing is everything" is literally the truth I had to learn the hard way. I used to be one of those people who got mad about how busy the Smokies were because i'd only ever go in peak summer to the famous spots like Clingmans Dome or Cades Cove. Felt like a crowded theme park. Then a buddy dragged me out on the Twentymile Trail in early November and it was dead quiet. Saw one other group the whole weekend and they were packing up just as we started. Completely flipped my opinion. Now I wont even bother with a trail unless i check the timing and the starting point first.