gregorybald

back to Hiking	Gregory Bald
	The most scenic hike in the cove, but also the most strenuous is the Gregory Bald hike, via the Gregory Ridge trail. To get to the trailhead travel around the loop 6 miles until you get to the Cades Cove Visitor Center. At this intersection most cars will be going around the loop road to the left, but you should continue straight on Forge Creek Road. Simply follow this road a little over 2 miles until it dead ends at a parking lot where you will find typically 3 or 4 cars parked. Just before the dead end you will have seen the Parsons Branch Road, a rugged one-way mountain road which at the present time is still closed. At the parking lot you will see the clearly marked trail to Gregory's Bald. The hike one way is 6 miles with over 3000 feet gain in elevation. The first two miles goes through a rare virgin forest with many tulip trees over 8 feet in diameter. The last 4 miles is pretty steep but well worth it. The Bald is about 10 acres of clearing where only blueberries and flame azaleas now grow. This was at one time a field where local farmers grazed their cattle during the summer months. The view is spectacular, you can see almost all of Cades Cove. There is also a backcountry campsite about a half mile from the bald. This site known as site #13 requires reservations as it is very popular. The total hike to the bald and back takes about 8 hours.
QuickInfo >>>	For an in-depth look at hiking the Smoky Mountains go to this site http://www.nps.gov/grsm/gsmsite/justforfun.html#hiking