Tennessee · Hiking · Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness

Yellow Hammer Gap

3.4 mi
round trip
1,411 ft
climb
2,086 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Jun, Aug–Nov
best months

Is Yellow Hammer Gap open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Yellow Hammer Gap, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Yellow Hammer Gap is a 3.4-mile out-and-back hike in the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, on the Cheoah Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina. The Forest Service manages the land, and the nearest town is Tapoco, North Carolina, about 1.6 miles away. The trail is rated moderate, with a one-way climb of about 473 feet from a starting elevation of 1,822 feet to a high point of 2,086 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.19 miles in, with a grade of 24 percent. The route is natural-surface and not accessible, and bikes are not allowed. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Tapoco, North Carolina, show May highs around 77°F and October highs around 69°F, though that station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. The Ike Branch Trail and the Tapoco trail both start about 0.1 mile away. Bear Creek Hunt Camp is about 1.9 miles off, and Horse Cove Campground is about 6.1 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Mar–Jun, Aug–Nov

    Best time to visit Yellow Hammer Gap

    Best months: March–June and August–November. 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

      48° / 28°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      52° / 31°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      60° / 37°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      70° / 44°

      11 wet

    5. May

      77° / 52°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      83° / 59°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 62°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 61°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      79° / 56°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      69° / 46°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      59° / 36°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      50° / 31°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Tapoco, NC, 1.5 mi away at 1,110 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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