Tennessee · Hiking

Old Settlers Trail

Old Settlers TrailPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
15.5 mi
one way
3,366 ft
climb
2,679 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Apr–Oct
best months

Is Old Settlers Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It doesn't name Old Settlers Trail, so check the source for the area it covers (4 listed).

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

Old Settlers Trail is a 15.5-mile point-to-point hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, managed by the National Park Service. The route rises from about 1,746 feet to a high point of 2,679 feet, with a total elevation gain of 3,366 feet. The climb is rolling, and the steepest stretch comes at about 6.1 miles in, where the grade reaches 23%. The trail is rated expert, and it is not open to bikes or horses. There is no fee to hike it. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable seasons. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cataloochee, North Carolina, run to highs around 74°F in May and 75°F in September, with July and August near 80°F. The Old Settlers Trail Trailhead is the starting point, and the hike takes about seven hours. Greenbrier Picnic Pavilion is just 0.4 miles away, and Rhodedendron Creek Trail is 0.6 miles off. Engine Creek Trail and Ramsey Cascades Trail lie within about 4.5 miles.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit Old Settlers Trail

    Best months: April–October. 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

      46° / 23°

    2. Feb

      51° / 26°

    3. Mar

      58° / 31°

    4. Apr

      68° / 38°

    5. May

      74° / 47°

    6. Jun

      78° / 54°

    7. Jul

      80° / 58°

    8. Aug

      80° / 57°

    9. Sep

      75° / 52°

    10. Oct

      67° / 38°

    11. Nov

      58° / 31°

    12. Dec

      50° / 27°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cataloochee, NC, 16.7 mi away at 2,650 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Rhodedendron Creek TrailPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rhodedendron Creek Trail

~1 min drive

2.06-mile out-and-back hike in Tennessee with 601 ft elevation gain

Engine Creek TrailPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Engine Creek Trail

~4 min drive

4.02-mile out-and-back trail in Tennessee with 1,059 ft elevation gain

Sweat Heifer Creek TrailPhoto: gary_leavens, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Sweat Heifer Creek Trail

~12 min drive

7.1-mile out-and-back trail in North Carolina with 4,355 ft elevation gain

Appalachian TrailPhoto: bogdanstepniak, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Appalachian Trail

~9 min drive

20.56-mile out-and-back on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina with 5,398 ft gain/loss

Jump Off TrailPhoto: bogdanstepniak, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Jump Off Trail

~9 min drive

0.78-mile out-and-back hike in North Carolina with 370 ft of elevation gain.

Porters Creek TrailPhoto: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Porters Creek Trail

~6 min drive

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Kanati Fork TrailPhoto: pmuellr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Kanati Fork Trail

~14 min drive

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HIKE

Trillium Gap Trail

~9 min drive

17.82-mile out-and-back trail in Tennessee with 3,914 ft elevation gain.

Albright Grove Loop TrailPhoto: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Albright Grove Loop Trail

~10 min drive

1.24-mile out-and-back hike in Tennessee with 471 ft of elevation gain

Ramsey Cascades TrailPhoto: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Ramsey Cascades Trail

~8 min drive

3.90-mile point-to-point trail in Tennessee with 2,490 ft elevation loss.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors