Copyright © 2010 - N2 Ventures, Inc.  All Rights Reserved

Affiliates And Sponsors

Dog Hikes
Guided Hikes
My Hikes
Your Hikes
Long Trails
Trail Favorites
Trail Books
Trail Gear
Trail Hikers
Trail Maps
Trail Photos
Trail Tales
Trail Talk
Site Agreement
Site Contacts
Site FAQ
Site Feedback
Site Links
Site Outfitter
Site Sponsors

Special Offers:

REI-Outlet 60% off or more on Top Brands!

Altrec.com Deal of The Day: 20-50% Off One Product, for One Day, Everyday

Rocky Mountain Trail Clearance Sale: The North Face, JanSport, Dakine & more: Save up to 60%!

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
MOUNT STERLING

LOCATION:  Western North Carolina
HIKE STARTS:  Big Creek Campground
HIKE ENDS:  Big Creek Campground
TOTAL DISTANCE:  21.7 Miles
HIKE TYPE:  Roundtrip, Loop Hike
HIKE DIFFICULTY:  Difficult
TRAILS USED:  Balsam Mt, Baxter Creek, Big Creek, Gunter Fork, Mt. Sterling Ridge
TRAIL TRAFFIC:  Moderate to Heavy
TRIP TYPE:  Multi-Day Hike
MANAGEMENT:  Great Smoky Mountain NP

HIGHLIGHTS:  The Great Smoky Mountains get more annual visitors than any other National Park in the U.S. Surprisingly, most people never see the backcountry which has some of the most pristine wilderness in the Southeast. The Mount Sterling hike is a 2-3 day route that starts at Big Creek Campground and follows a loop through the eastern section of the park. The hike takes you to the summit of Mount Sterling where there are outstanding views from a fire tower at the summit.  The route then follows a ridge past Laurel Gap and descends to three waterfalls along Gunter Fork and Big Creek.  It ends back at the parking area at Big Creek Campground.   

100 Hikes in The Great Smoky Mountains  100 Hikes in The Great Smoky Mountains Trails Illustrated Map Great Smoky MountainsTrails Illustrated Smokies Map
 

MORE DETAILS

bullet click to see trail photos from this hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: January 16, 2004
bullet click to view a detailed trip report for this hiking trail to Mount Sterling: January 16, 2004 (password required)
bulletclick to view or add a brief trip report at for this backpacking trip to Mount Sterling: January 16, 2004
bullet click to view trail maps from the Great Smoky Mountains:  Mount Sterling area map, Mount Sterling detailed map, Great Smoky Mountains National Park map, Mount Sterling profile map, Great Smoky Mountain National Park trail map, Mount Sterling TopoZone map
bulletclick for more information on the Appalachian Trail
bulletclick for the hiking and backpacking trails discussion forum on other Long Distance Trails
bulletclick for the hiking and backpacking trails discussion forum for other Southeastern Destinations
bulletclick for more hiking and backpacking books on the Appalachian Trail
bulletclick for access to the guidebook Trail By Trail:  Backpacking In The Smoky Mountains which has details on this destination
bulletclick for other North Carolina hiking and backpacking books
bulletclick for other hikes in Great Smoky Mountain National Park
bullet click here to add your hike, trip report, or feedback for this destination 

Although every attempt is made to provide the most accurate data possible, weather and trail conditions can vary without notice and these changes may not be reflected at n2backpacking.com.  Therefore, the use of any information provided by N2 Ventures, Inc. is entirely at the viewers own risk.  Please read the User Agreement for more details and to understand the Terms of Use for this website.