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From the north: From Greenville, TN take TN 70 for 25 miles to the trail crossing in Allen Gap 0.1 miles west of the TN/NC state line. From the south: From Hot Springs NC take US 25 /70 east (compass northeast) for 5 miles. Turn left onto NC 208 north for 9 miles to the state line. The road becomes TN 70. The trail crossing is 0.1 miles beyond the state liine.
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The marker on the Google map indicates the trail crossing. Rotate the street view to the south to see the southbound trail to Section 14. Rotate to the north to see the northbound trail to Section 13. 08/23/14
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at @ rohland.org
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The trail crossing is very hard to see from the road. Parking appears to non-existent right at the crossing. The parking area of choice seems to be a dirt lot on the south side of the highway next to a defunct store/gas station. This is about 0.1 miles east of the crossing. The marker on the attached map indicates this area which appears to be right at the state line. Rotate the street view to the west to see the parking area. 08/23/14
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0 at crossing. 7-8 in lot 0.1 miles east
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David Cullen
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If traveling west on NC 208/TN 70, there is also room for a couple of vehicles on the right side of the road just over the TN state line at the Cherokee National Forest sign. If traveling east, this will be on your left just before the TN/NC state line. 8/6/2023
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2
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susan_culbreath @ yahoo.com
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From Hot Springs take US 25/70 E 5 miles. Take USFS road 467 north fro 4 miles.https://goo.gl/maps/WzSZpQbLrX22https://goo.gl/maps/WzSZpQbLrX22
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USFS 467 is a gravel road. The marker on the attahced map indicates the location of the crossing at Hurricane Gap. At this crossing, the northbound AT goes right, the southbound left. 12/23/15
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at @ rohland.org
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Take US 25/70 to Tanyard Gap (See Mile 8.8) Take the side road off the highway. In a few feet a Y intersection is reached. A sign points to Mill Ridge to the left and Rich Mt. to the right. Go right and continue along what is obviously an old stretch of highway. It is still paved but the asphalt is deteriorating. In about half a mile the old highway section dead ends. Go left here onto a gravel road. I wasn't driving so I don't know the mileage, but according to the AT Guide, it is 4 miles to the top of the ridge and Hurricane Gap. The road is a reasonably good quality USFS gravel road. At the gap there is a sign for Hurricane Gap and a sign for Cherokee National Forest. This is right on the state line. A road intersection is here. The road straight ahead leads into Tennessee while the one to the left apparently goes to the Rich Mt. fire tower. There is probably room for a few cards roadside at the intersection
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The northbound trail goes right in the gap. The southbound trail re-enters the woods at the southwest corner of the road intersection. 10/15/11
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Few roadside
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David Cullen
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The Google map does not show Lookout Mountain Road, the gravel road from Tanyard gap, going all the way to Hurricane Gap. The Bing map does and thus is more useful for getting directions. http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=35.92591758400345~-82.79445577239977&lvl=14&dir=0&sty=r&where1=35.9358%2C%20-82.806&form=LMLTCC10/16/11
Update (12/23/15): The Google map now also shows Lookout Mountain Road.
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David Cullen
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The gravel USFS road from Tanyard Gap to Hurricane Gap has a few rough spots that require slow going, but was passable in 2 wheel drive vehicle 7/3/20. 07/08/20
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rweaver @ qcwdr.com
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The bottom 10' of steps up to the firetower cab have been removed, unclimbable. 11/05/17
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keithmertz @ hotmail.com
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At Hurricane Gap, Mile 5.4, there is a sharp hairpin turn to the left towards Rich Mtn. Fire Tower. The Fire Tower is one mile up this passable gravel road. The road circles the Fire Tower, there is room for 4-5 cars along the road at the base of the Fire Tower. From the Fire Tower there is blue-blazed trail .15 miles in length down to the AT. Northbound AT goes left, southbound goes right.
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The Fire Tower has been restored and is accessible via the stairs up from the road/parking area. 07/08/20
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rweaver @ qcwdr.com
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From I-26 Take exit for US 25, 70. This is Exit 19 if eastbound, 19B if westbound. Take US 25, 70 west for 21 miles. Turn left, staying on US 25. 70 and proceed 1.8 miles more. Take a right turn onto an unsigned road then take the first left. The AT intersects in 0.2 miles. If you reach an overpass on US 25,70 with an Appalachian Trail sign, you have gone too far.
From the intersection of US25, 70 and NC 209 in Hot Springs follow US 25, 70 east for 3.2 miles passing under the overpass with the Appalachian Trail sign. Go left on the unsigned road, then take the first left and go 0.2 miles to the AT.
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There is parking for a couple of cars here right by the trail. You could probably park more a little closer to US 25/70. The southbound trail comes out of the woods down a set of steps, then crosses the overpass over US 25/70 GPS reading for parking N35.91109 W82.79105. 10/18/2009
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5-6
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at @ rohland.org
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See directions to the intersection of Mill Ridge Road and Lookout Mountain Road in Tanyard Gap. (See Mile 8.8). Go south on Mill Ridge Road on the overpass. The AT also crosses US 25, 70 on this overpass but soon goes left into the woods.
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There is room for a couple of cars a short distance apart along the road. GPS N35.90491 W82.79046 12/16/09
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1-2
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at @ rohland.org
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I believe the parking areas mentioned are near where the southbound AT rejoins Mill Ride Road about 0.1-0.2 miles from the T intersection at Mill Ridge. See Mile 9.6. This would make it about 0.5 miles by road from Tanyard Gap. 08/22/14
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David Cullen
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See directions to the intersection of Mill Ridge Road and Lookout Mountain Road in Tanyard Gap. (See Mile 8.8). Go south on Mill Ridge Road on the overpass. The AT also crosses US 25, 70 on this overpass but soon goes left into the woods. It rejoins the road shortly before reaching a T intersection 0.75 miles from Tanyard Gap. Go left a short distance to parking for the Mill Ridge Bike Trail. The marker on the map indicates the parking area.
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To reach the AT from the parking area, walk back to the T intersection. Here the northbound trail goes right (north) while the southbound trail goes straight ahead (west)on the road. .08/22/14
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4-6
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David Cullen
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See directions to the main parking area for Mill Ridge (Mile 9.6). At the T intersection, turn right. The road across the meadow is the route of the AT. On the other side of the meadow, it bears left. There are two areas where parking is possible. (See pictures). The marker on the attached map indicates the location of one of these. GPS reading was N35.90249 W82.79120.
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12/18/10
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Several
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at @ rohland.org
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Se directions to the Silvermine parking area (MIle 14.2).
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I have not hikesd this route although I have checked out the trail head. Most information from the following:http://www.visitmadisoncounty.com/wp-content/uploads/pump-gap-loop-trail.pdf . Start up the Lover's Leap Trail . At the first switchback, go straight ahead on the yellow-blazed Pump Gap Trail. The next intersection is the beginning of the loop. Go left and ascend to the AT. The northbound AT goes to the left here. The two trails coincide for a short distance on a old woods road, then the southbound AT goes right while the Pump Gap Trail continues straight ahead. Note of the sources I found say much about mileages so I don't know the distance from the parking area to the AT via this route. 12/17/10
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David Cullen
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Se directions to the Silvermine parking area (MIle 14.2)
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I have not hikesd this route although I have checked out the trail head. Most information from the following:http://www.visitmadisoncounty.com/wp-content/uploads/pump-gap-loop-trail.pdf . Start up the Lover's Leap Trail. At the first switchback, go straight ahead on the yellow-blazed Pump Gap Trail. The next intersection is the beginning of the loop. Go right and ascend to Pump Gap and the AT. The northbound AT goes left while the southbound goes right. Note of the sources I found say much about mileages, but I suspect it is probably about a mile to the AT from the Silvermine trailhead. 12/15/10
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David Cullen
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See Mile 14.2 for directions to the Silvermine trail head
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the Lovers Leap Trail, a side trail, starts across the road from the parking area. I have never hiked this trail. Most descriptions I have found are some variation of the one on the following site. http://www.mountaintravelguide.com/Hiking%20Trails/North%20Carolina/madison/Lover's%20Leap%20Loop%20Trail.htm.
No distance is given for the trail from the parking area to the AT but it would appear to be around 0.5 mies. The trail is apparently steep. There are two excellent viewpoints in the immediate vicinity of the trail junction. 12/15/10
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David Cullen
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Travelling west on Rte 25/70, turn right on small road before crossing the bridge into Hot Springs. When the road turns right, take left where sign says No Outlet. Parking is on the right side of the road.
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This parking is along the French Broad River. There are reserved parking spaces for the rafting company. GPS reading for parking area is N35.89305 W82.82214 10/23/09
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8-10
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at @ rohland.org
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Traveling west on Rte 25/70, turn right on small road before crossing the bridge into Hot Springs. When the road turns right, take left where sign says No Outlet. Go through an underpass and continue past the rafting parking area. In a short distance the road goes left. There is a sign for Silvermine parking. Continue about 0.2 miles to a parking area on the left. The road is gated a short distance further on. The marker on the attached map indicates the approximate location of the parking area. There is a picture of this parking area in the Pictures for Section 14.
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To access the AT directly walk back along the road to the turn mentioned above. The northbound AT goes left along an old road. The southbound trail goes right, following the road until just before the underpass There it climbs up to the highway.
One may also access the AT at Mile 10.5 and 11.4 via the Pump Gap Loop Trail and at Mile 13.3 via the Lover's Leap Trail. The trailhead is just across the road from the parking area. See previous listings for more detail. 12/12/10
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6-8
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David Cullen
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I have included this listing mainly for the sake of completeness. The marker on the map is at the intersection of Andrews St. and Bridge St. (US 25/70) in what passes for downtown Hot Springs. This is just west of the railroad tracks. On the satelite view and the street views, parking is visible, especially along Andrews St. However as I recall most if not all of this is short term parking. I believe the large lot visible north of Bridge St. and west of Andrews St. is a municipal lot. I don't know the parking rules here. Best hiker parking, especially long term, is at the USFS lot on Serpentine St. (Mile 0.4 of Section 15). 08/22/14
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dlcl @ conncoll.edu
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The official southern end of Section 14 and northern end of Section 15 is at the intersection of US25, 70 and NC 209 in Hot Springs, NC. This is indicated by the marker on the attached map. The street view also shows the intersection. Northbound to Section 14 goes east on the sidewalk along US 25, 70 (Bridge St.) , while southbound goes west on the sidewalk along NC 209 (Appalachian Trail Road). There is probably no parking at this intersection. While there is parking on the streets of Hot Springs, this would be at best short term. The preferred lot for hikers is on Serperntine Street (Mile 0.4 of Section 15).
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Hot Springs has motel accommodations, inns, stores, restaurants, barbershop, coin laundry, post office (28743) and a USDA Forest Service information. During office hours, hikers may obtain information and shelter permits for the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. 12/10/09
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See directions
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at @ rohland.org
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