Balsam Mountain Trail

This is a great hike along the ridge with excellent views of the Smokies. Balsam Mountain Trail is a roughly ten-mile trail that heads north towards Laurel Gap and the Appalachian Trail. BMT is also a notable part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail: Segment 1A. The trailhead is along this segment, nearby Palmer Creek Trail. This is also a horse trail, so some portions of the trail can be muddy. Heading north, hikers will come across Balsam High Top and Ledge Bald (a nice spot to take a break) and have the option of branching to the left along Mount Sterling Ridge Trail towards the breathtaking Mt. Sterling fire tower. Just past the Mount Sterling Ridge Trail is the Gunter Fork Trail, which leads to Campsites #36 and #37. About 4.3 miles into the trail is the Laurel Gap Shelter. It's important to note that a permit must be acquired through the park in order to stay at this shelter. At 6.9 miles in, hikers will reach Luftee Knob and Thermo Knob, before passing Mount Yonaguska and Mount Hardison. Yonaguska is named after a Cherokee Chief, and Hardison after James A. Hardison, who helped in the creation of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The trail comes to an end at the Appalachian Trail, where hikers can either head north towards the Cosby Knob Shelter or south towards the Pecks Corner Shelter.