Trails Accessibility information: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Tactile display for visually impaired in Sugarlands TN Oconaluftee NC River Trail is accessible and maintained.
Nature Trails and Hiking Accessibility in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Great Smoky Mountains national park is known as one of the best places to hike in the United States with more than 1,000 miles of marked hiking trails, manways and abandoned roads and trails that can be hiked on.
Most of these hiking trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park have are rugged and can be quite steep and a challenge for most and may prove difficult or impossible for people with mobility issues to enjoy.
Because most of the hiking trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have large ruts, jutting rocks, in some cases barely wider than the width of a footstep with steep edges and no railings or guides, people with impaired vision may also have significant issues without the assistance of a guide or service animal.
There are 4 trails in the Great Smoky Mountains national park that I would highly recommend as assessable where persons with mobility issues using a wheelchair or visually impaired persons can traverse on their own or with minimal help and 2 trails which although they are paved are very steep so persons who are confined to a wheelchair must be highly functional in their mobility and may still require considerable assistance.
Dogs are confined to only 2 trails in the park, but working service animals are allowed through the entire park and all of trails.
Recommended Accessible Trail: Gatlinburg Hiking Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Gatlinburg Hiking Trail: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hiking Tail Name: Gatlinburg Hiking Trail
Trailhead Location: Sugarlands Visitor Center, Gatlinburg Tennessee
Trail Length: 2.14 miles round trip
Trailhead Elevation: 1,398 feet
Elevation Gain: 101 feet
Elevation Drop: 101 feet
Trail Type: Gravel path, paved areas and wooden bridge
Trail Use: Walking, dogs allowed
Trail Condition: Excellent
Recommended Accessible Trail: Oconaluftee River Hiking Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Oconaluftee River Trail: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hiking Tail Name: Oconaluftee River Trail
Trailhead Location: Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Cherokee North Carolina
Trail Length: 3.60 miles round trip
Trailhead Elevation: 2,038 feet
Elevation Gain: 140 feet
Elevation Drop: 240 feet
Trail Type: Gravel path, paved areas
Trail Use: Walking, dogs allowed
Trail Condition: Excellent
Gatlinburg Trail: wooded areas, homesteads and rivers A Beautiful bridge on the Gatlinburg Hiking Trail
Recommended Accessible Trail: Foothills Parkway in Wears Valley, Maintained by Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hiking Tail Name: Foothills Parkway Wears Valley
Trailhead Location: Wears Valley Road (321)(73), Between Townsend and Pigeon Forge Tennessee
Trail Length: 10 miles round trip
Trailhead Elevation: 1,439 feet
Elevation Gain: feet
Elevation Drop: feet
Trail Type: Abandoned Paved Road
Trail Use: Walking, Bicycle, Horse, Dogs allowed
Trail Condition: Excellent
Recommended Accessible Trail: Sugarlands Valley Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hiking Tail Name: Sugarlands Valley Trail
Trailhead Location: Newfound Gap Road (441) less than 1/2 mile South of Sugarlands Visitors Center, Gatlinburg TN
Trail Length: 0.5 mile round trip
Trailhead Elevation: feet
Elevation Gain: Negligible
Elevation Drop: Negligible
Elevation Grade: Less than 5%
Trail Type: Paved in Cement
Trail Use: Walking
Trail Condition: Excellent
Laurel Creek Falls Trail: beautiful scenery year round Clingman's Dome Trail is paved but extremely steep.
Accessible Trail: Laurel Creek Falls Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Laurel Creek Falls Trail: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hiking Tail Name: Laurel Creek Falls Trail
Trailhead Location: Little River Road (73) Between Sugarlands Visitor Center and Elkmont Area in TN
Trail Length: 2.17 miles round trip
Trailhead Elevation: 2,311 feet
Elevation Gain: 751 feet
Elevation Drop: 751 feet
Trail Type: Paved in Asphalt
Trail Use: Walking
Trail Condition: Very good but quite steep
Accessible Trail: Clingman's Dome Bypass Hiking Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Clingman's Dome Bypass Trail: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hiking Tail Name: Clingman's Dome Bypass Trail
Trailhead Location: Clingman's Dome Parking Area, Off Newfound Gap Road near NC TN Border
Trail Length: 1.20 miles round trip
Trailhead Elevation: 6,619 feet
Elevation Gain: 504 feet
Elevation Drop: 504 feet
Trail Type: Paved in Asphalt
Trail Use: Walking
Trail Condition: Excellent but extremely steep
Smoky Mountains National Park |
