Southern Hiker
Trail guides to the Southern Appalachians: the Smokies, the Blue Ridge and north Georgia.
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Blood Mountain on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia Requires a Bear Canister
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North Georgia Mountains Where the Appalachian Trail Begins Quietly
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Looking Glass Rock Trail in Pisgah Is a Strenuous Climb to an Exposed Slab
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Max Patch Rules Have Changed Because the Bald Was Loved to Death
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Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah Side of the Southern Appalachians
By region
Latest articles
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Charlies Bunion on the Appalachian Trail Is the Best Day Hike in the Smokies
Charlies Bunion delivers the best single-day Appalachian Trail experience in the Smokies—an 8-mile round-trip from Newfound Gap with ridgeline exposure and a rocky outcrop finish.
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Chimney Tops Trail Ends Before the Pinnacle Now What You Actually Get
The Chimney Tops Trail no longer reaches the rock pinnacles—the final scramble is closed permanently after the 2016 wildfire, and the trail ends at a lower observation deck.
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Alum Cave Trail Parking Fills By Sunrise Here Is What to Do Instead
The Alum Cave trailhead lot fills before sunrise most of the year—here is where to park legally, when the shuttle runs, and what the climb to Mount LeConte actually demands.
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Great Smoky Mountains Guide for the Range's Most Crowded Half
A Great Smoky Mountains guide focused on quiet gateways like Bryson City and Townsend, dawn wildlife viewing at Cades Cove, and avoiding Gatlinburg crowds.
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Southern Appalachian Day Trips That Work From Every Base Town
Day-trip circuits from every Southern Appalachian base town, each with a wet-weather backup plan for when the mountains deliver sideways rain.
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What a Southern Appalachians Hiking Week Costs at Three Budget Levels
Three budget tiers for a Southern Appalachians hiking week, from campgrounds and meat-and-threes to Blowing Rock inns and Biltmore tickets.
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Bear Safety and Backcountry Hazards in the Southern Appalachians
Bear safety, food-storage rules, and the less-obvious backcountry hazards that actually cause trouble in the Southern Appalachians.
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Southern Appalachian Food, From Trail Resupply to Meat-and-Three Plates
Practical food guide for the Southern Appalachians: where to eat after a hike, where to resupply, and what to expect when restaurants close by 8:30 p.m.
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Your First Week in the Southern Appalachians Built Around Weather Not a List
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Getting Around the Southern Appalachians Without a Transit System
How to get around the Southern Appalachians when there is no transit, cell service drops, and GPS routes you onto impassable roads.