For many years my family and I have been traveling to the Great Smoky Mountains (wikipedia link) and these mountains hold a very special place in my heart.

I’ve wanted to see them again in the Fall, so I went for a walk!

The Benton MacKaye Trail (wikipedia link) is about 300 miles and is pictured in red below. It is named after Benton MacKaye, who originated the idea for the Appalachian Trail (also very near and dear to my heart).

I hiked the 91.6 miles of Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT) through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GSMNP) in just over 3 days/3 nights.

I chose the Benton MacKaye Trail specifically because it traversed the entire Park AND allowed me to tarp camp the entire way.

Along the Appalachian Trail in GSMNP (pictured below as an orange dotted line through the green GSMNP), hikers MUST stay at the wooden shelters/lean-to’s, which Amber and I have done before (link to our Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2005).

Logistics

This is a great fact summary (“vital info”) sheet of the Benton Mackaye Trail (BMT) published by the BMT Association.

If you want great photos with great commentary/humor by hikers that have “thru-hiked” (hiked the entire 300 mile BMT in one go), I HIGHLY recommend ya’ll checking out Paul Magnanti’s website or Cam Honan’s site (where he did the BMT as part of a continous 15,000 mile hike….what!).

For planning the hike, I found the BMT Thru-hiker Guide by Ernest Engman (aka St. Rock) and the National Geographic Trails Illustrated GSMNP map (#229) to be indispensable.

Navigation

The BMT through the Smokies is “relatively” easy to navigate, though I easy get lost….especially when night hiking!

For the fall hiker that will experience a Trail and forest BLANKETED in deep leaves, I think using the thru-hike guide, map, and a compass is good decision making.

Gear and Food

I carried about 8.5 pounds of gear and clothing and started the trip with 7 pounds of food.

Click here for a detailed gear list and gear/technique review with some more pics..

Itinerary

Please note that all backcountry camping in GSMNP is by permit.

Day 1 (yellow): 7pm-10pm, 6 miles to Mount Sterling campsite, 5,842 feet elevation

Day 2 (red): 6:30am-8:30pm, 30 miles to Newton Bald campsite, 5,000 feet

Day 3 (green): 6:30am-8:30pm, 30 miles to Chambers Creek campsite, 1,720 feet

Day 4 (blue): 6:00am-7:30pm, 25 miles to Fontana Dam (finish) and parked car

OK, Let’s Get on the Trail!

I had 2 bear encounters along the way: on the last night of hiking, I must have snuck up on two bears at a water source. I could hear them and SMELL them (omg that strong smell).

The next morning, I met another bear ambling along in the woods. I waived and wished him well.

Thanks for hiking with me, ya’ll!

Please make sure to check back soon for the rest of Amber and I’s 2005 Appalachian thru-hike photos; my upcoming winter thru-hike of the 77 mile Foothills Trail (mentioned in the “Future Projects” section of this blog); and more fun that has not been dreamed yet!