Stecoah Gap Trail
North Carolina
Free — you'll pick up right here.
3.9 mi
Distance
5,535 ft
Gain
2h 53m
Time
No verdict for this trail
We won't guess. Here is exactly what we do and don't know.
What we do know
Inside Appalachian National Scenic Trail
3 managing-area boundaries mapped — agency alerts for them feed this page automatically.
Boundary data
What's missing
No access route mapped
We don't yet know which road reaches this trailhead, so we can't tell you if it's gated.
Nobody's filed a report here yet — be the first.
Why you'll love it
Here's your day, mapped
Stecoah Gap Trail
Suggested plan · check conditions before you go
Meals
Gear for the day
Elevation & route
- Distance
- 3.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 5,535 ft
- Elevation loss
- 5,535 ft
- Highest point
- 3,744 ft
- Lowest point
- 3,134 ft
Photos
Directions & GPX
Permits & access
- Managing agency
- Forest Service
About this trail
Stecoah Gap Trail is a 9.0-mile out-and-back hike in North Carolina with 5,535 feet of elevation gain and loss. The trail reaches a maximum elevation of 3,744 feet.
Facts about this trail
The climb
- Starts at
- 3,744 ft
- High point
- 3,744 ft
- Total climbing
- 5,535 ft
- Total descent
- 5,535 ft
- Steepest stretch
- 51% grade around mile 0.5 on the way out
- Length (round trip)
- 7.9 mi
- Shape
- Out and back
The climb is steady from start to finish.
Source: Roamze elevation profile and trail geometry (DEM samples along the mapped route)
Where it is
- Cheoah Ranger District · Ranger district
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail · National Park Service
- National Forests in North Carolina · National forest
- Managed by
- Forest Service
Source: USFS EDW boundaries; NPS Land Resources boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1
Conditions
Active alerts for Appalachian National Scenic Trail as of Oct 9, 2026:
Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia
Caution · posted Aug 24, 2026
List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene
Park Closure · posted Aug 24, 2026
Source: NPS Alerts API
Nearby
- Nantahala RiverRiver fishing5.2 mi
- Cable Cove NatureHiking5.4 mi
- Cable Cove CampgroundCamping5.4 mi
- Cable Cove Recreation AreaLake fishing5.5 mi
- Bear CreekHiking5.7 mi
- Massey Branch FitnessHiking6 mi
- Massey Branch AreaPier fishing6.4 mi
- Lake Santeetlah CampsitesCamping7.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Add to a trip & share
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
