Tennessee · Hiking

Mountains-To-Sea Trail: Segment 1

Mountains-To-Sea Trail: Segment 1Photo: Michael Pellegrino, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
5.0 mi
one way
2,793 ft
climb
5,888 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Sep
best months

Is Mountains-To-Sea Trail: Segment 1 open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It doesn't name Mountains-To-Sea Trail: Segment 1, so check the source for the area it covers (5 listed).

  • Seasonal road closures

    Park closure covering Great Smoky Mountains National Park · NPS · Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  • Cherokee Orchard Road closed to pedestrian traffic

    Park closure covering Great Smoky Mountains National Park · NPS · Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  • List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene

    Park closure covering Appalachian National Scenic Trail · NPS · Appalachian National Scenic Trail

  • Straight Fork and the one-way section of Balsam Mountain Road closed.

    Park closure covering Great Smoky Mountains National Park · NPS · Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  • Park Headquarters Road is closed

    Park closure covering Great Smoky Mountains National Park · NPS · Great Smoky Mountains National Park

As of · Source: NPS · Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Mountains-To-Sea Trail: Segment 1 is a 5-mile point-to-point hike in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains National Park, within the Appalachian National Scenic Trail corridor. The route rises from about 3,065 feet to 5,888 feet, a total gain of 2,793 feet, and is rated moderate. The National Park Service manages the land. The climb is steep in places, with the steepest stretch at about 3.4 miles, where the grade reaches 25%. The route also has a total loss of 3,600 feet, so it works well as a one-way outing rather than a loop. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Mt Leconte, which sits about 600 feet higher than the trail's high point, show July highs around 66°F with lows near 50°F. Winter is cold, with January highs around 33°F. The Appalachian Trail runs just 0.1 mile away, and the Sugarland Mountain Trail and Spruce Fir Nature Trail are within a mile. For an overnight stay, Twin Creeks Picnic Pavilion is about 6.8 miles off.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Sep

    Best time to visit Mountains-To-Sea Trail: Segment 1

    Best months: September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      33° / 17°

      13 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 20°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      41° / 24°

      13 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 32°

      14 wet

    5. May

      56° / 40°

      16 wet

    6. Jun

      63° / 47°

      17 wet

    7. Jul

      66° / 50°

      17 wet

    8. Aug

      65° / 49°

      16 wet

    9. Sep

      61° / 44°

      12 wet

    10. Oct

      53° / 36°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      44° / 27°

      11 wet

    12. Dec

      37° / 21°

      13 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mt Leconte, TN, 4.7 mi away at 6,493 ft. The station sits about 600 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors