Sugarland Mountain Trail | |
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Length | 12 mi (19 km) |
Location | Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, United States |
Trailheads | Fighting Creek Gap (along Little River Road, W. of Gatlinburg) Junction with the Appalachian Trail near the summit of Mount Collins |
Use | Hiking |
Highest point | Appalachian Trail junction, 5,900 ft (1,800 m) |
Lowest point | Fighting Creek Gap, 2,300 ft (700 m) |
Difficulty | Moderate-to-Strenuous |
Season | Open year-round |
Sights | Views of Mount Le Conte, Gatlinburg and Sevier County to the east, Blanket Mountain and Upper Little River Valley to the west; multiple forest types |
Hazards | Steep ledges, ice hazards in colder months |
The Sugarland Mountain Trail is an American hiking trail, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park of Sevier County, Tennessee. The trail traverses Sugarland Mountain, a massive ridge running perpendicular to the main crest of the Smokies and effectively dividing the park's north-central section from its northwestern section. Sugarland Mountain is flanked by the deep upper valleys of two of the park's major watersheds— the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River (to the east) and Little River (to the west). The trail passes through several forest types, including deciduous forest at lower elevations, heaths ("hells") along the mountain's backbone formations, and a stand of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest in the upper elevations. Occasional breaks in the foliage allow for views of Mount Le Conte and Sevier County to the east and Blanket Mountain and the ridges above Elkmont to the west.
The trailhead is located at Fighting Creek Gap along Little River Road, between Gatlinburg and Elkmont. The trail's terminus is located just off Clingmans Dome Road, where the trail intersects the Appalachian Trail.