Comments on: In the Garden of Eden: Backpacking the Great Smoky Mountains https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/ America’s Best Backpacking and Outdoor Adventures Fri, 25 Jun 2021 00:44:03 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 By: Michael Lanza https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-207678 Fri, 25 Jun 2021 00:44:03 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-207678 In reply to Robert Webb.

Thank you, Robert, and enjoy the Clingmans to Fontana hike. That’s a nice area of the Smokies.

]]> By: Robert Webb https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-207667 Thu, 24 Jun 2021 21:38:33 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-207667 Great article, we have a great time in my favorite National Park, have visited 24 different waterfalls in the park and are up to 118 miles hiked in 13 trips, our new hangout since Covid hit. My son and I are planning to do Clingmans Dome to Fontana Dam in August over 3 days, really looking forward to it.

]]> By: Slade Smith https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-204021 Sun, 25 Apr 2021 23:39:56 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-204021 In reply to Michael Lanza.

Will do. Thanks again!
Slade

]]> By: Michael Lanza https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-204017 Sun, 25 Apr 2021 22:44:01 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-204017 In reply to Slade Smith.

Sure thing, Slade. I’ll probably need some advance notice and remember I’m out often in summer.

]]> By: Slade Smith https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-204001 Sun, 25 Apr 2021 13:14:32 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-204001 In reply to Michael Lanza.

Thanks for the advice Michael. If I decide to do this trip in August, will reach out to you for guidance.
Thanks,
Slade

]]> By: Michael Lanza https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-203999 Sun, 25 Apr 2021 12:42:14 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-203999 In reply to Slade Smith.

Hey Slade,

Good question, and I’ll admit all of my trips in the Smokies have been in the fall, which I think may be the time of year with the highest demand—although many backpackers also pass through in spring, some of them Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. The heat and humidity may help keep the numbers of people down in August, but I don’t know for certain. However, everything I’ve seen tells me that the backpacker traffic is concentrated on the AT and some other popular areas, while the steeper, longer trails that go from the deep valleys up to the Smokies crest (where they reach the AT)—like much of the hike described in this story—are not nearly as busy.

I hope that helps. Good luck. I hope you’ll tell us about the trip in this comments section.

]]> By: Slade Smith https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-203974 Sat, 24 Apr 2021 18:58:53 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-203974 Hi Michael. I’m looking for a short backpacking trip in August within driving distance from Louisiana. I’ve always wanted to backpack in Great Smoky Mountains NP. With the amount of visitors here in summer, think I would be able to find any solitude on this route you took in August? Being from LA, I’m used to ridiculous humidity so not concerned with that aspect. Just don’t want the trip to feel like Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Thoughts?
Thanks,
Slade

]]> By: Michael Lanza https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-182220 Wed, 18 Nov 2020 21:21:23 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-182220 In reply to Colin.

Hey Colin,

Well, that’s the $64,000 question! I think you should see my picks for “America’s Top 10 Best Backpacking Trips” and “The 10 Best Backpacking Trips in the Southwest.” Those are good places to start. But if you really loved the Tetons, you would probably also love a similar mountain trek like in Yosemite or Glacier.

Thanks for the intriguing questions.

]]> By: Colin https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-182191 Wed, 18 Nov 2020 18:32:57 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-182191 In reply to Michael Lanza.

What would you recommend for a next backpacking trip after having completed the Teton Crest Trail?

]]> By: Michael Lanza https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-182190 Wed, 18 Nov 2020 18:27:30 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-182190 In reply to Colin.

Hi Colin,

Thanks for the nice compliment and your question. I’m glad you found my Teton Crest Trail e-guide really helpful. You’ll see my complete menu of available e-guides at my E-Guides page, but I currently don’t have a Great Smoky Mountains e-guide.

However, I do provide custom trip planning for backpacking in the Smokies; see my Custom Trip Planning page to learn how I can help you plan your next trip. Plus, with a subscription to The Big Outside, you can get full access to all of my blog’s stories, including my planning advice that’s in every story I’ve written about a trip at my blog.

Thanks again for the comment and get in touch anytime.

]]> By: Colin https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-182181 Wed, 18 Nov 2020 17:30:46 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-182181 This sounds like such an amazing and beautiful place to hike. You described it so it seemed as if I was there hiking with you. This last summer I used your e-guide and backpacked the Teton Crest Trail in late July/Early August and it was one of the best experiences ever. I was wondering if you have any routes, trails, tips, or guides to hiking in the Great Smokey Mountains. And again thank you for all your great stories!

]]> By: Anonymous https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-172791 Sun, 11 Oct 2020 03:35:04 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-172791 4.5

]]> By: Anonymous https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-126875 Fri, 06 Mar 2020 14:26:17 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-126875 5

]]> By: Zachary Robbins https://thebigoutsideblog.com/in-the-garden-of-eden-backpacking-the-great-smoky-mountains/#comment-104060 Mon, 18 Sep 2017 17:53:00 +0000 https://thebigoutsideblog.com/?p=24818#comment-104060 That’s how most of the trails are on the east side of the park, you get a couple of miles in and the crowds completely disappear. The area southwest of Forney Creek where you were is usually considered the most remote area of the park, ripe for big loops. That and the area northeast of Cherokee around Three Forks and Balsam Mountain Trail. The Tennessee side of the park is a zoo unfortunately around Gatlinburg. Hopefully you got to stop at Nantahala Brewery in Bryson City, great barrel aged beers.

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