Great Smoky Mountains NP: Spruce-Fir Nature Trail (Blog Hike #221)

Trail: Spruce-Fir Trail

Hike Location: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Geographic Location: on the TN/NC state line between Gatlinburg, TN and Cherokee, NC (35.59566, -83.45870)

Length: 0.5 mile

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: May 2007

Overview: A short hike featuring high elevation pine forest.

Park Information: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm
Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=440149
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Gatlinburg, take US 441 south 13 uphill miles to Newfound Gap where it intersects the Clingmans Dome Road.  Turn right on Clingmans Dome Rd.  Take Clingmans Dome Rd. 2.7 miles to the beginning of the signed nature trail on the left.  Parking is provided as a pullout on the left side of the road.

The hike: For my general comments on Great Smoky Mountains National Park, see the Abrams Falls hike.  While the paved Clingmans Dome Trail is one way to see the higher elevation forest, for a more personal encounter, you will need to leave the pavement at and to Clingmans Dome.  The short and easy Spruce-Fir Trail described here gives visitors one such opportunity to do just that.  Better yet, this trail will be doable for almost everyone, so people you are physically unable to make the journey up the Clingmans Dome Trail can still enjoy the natural attractions of the Smokies’ higher elevations.

            The trail leaves the west side of the parking area at an information board where trail brochures are available for a nominal fee.  After only 200 feet, the trail forks.  For no particular reason, I chose to turn left and use the right fork as the return route.

            The trail maintains a level elevation as it uses boardwalks to cross over some of the wetter areas.  Due to the elevation, this hike is more like hiking in Canada than in Tennessee both in terms of weather and forest surroundings.  Moisture lingers longer on the trail here than in the warmer lower elevations of the park.  You soon pass post #1 for the brochure, which talks about the high elevation forest unique to the Smokies.

Boardwalk over wet area

            The trail curves gradually to the right as it passes post #2.  This stop talks about the balsam woolly adelgid (described in an earlier hike) that is killing the Smokies’ fir trees.  As sounds of Clingmans Dome Road come within ear shot from the left, the trail passes some exposed shiny white quartz rock and then passes a large overturned tree.  The tree’s massive root system is visible from the trail and towers above the hiker.

Large overturned tree

            After passing post #3, which talks about the natural history of the higher elevations, the trail closes the loop.  Turn left and walk the short distance back to your car to complete this simple, yet interesting, tour of the high elevations in their natural setting.  

Wildflowers along Spruce-Fir Trail