Elkmont Area Hiking Trails

The Elkmont Campground and Ranger Station are located on Elkmont Road, off the Little River Road.  Between Gatlinburg and Townsend, this campground offers a mountainous getaway, especially for those who want to enjoy the town life in Gatlinburg, but later escape.

While here, you can visit the old cottages where, before the park was established, people would vacation to.  Once an old logging site, Elkmont also offers a various amount of trails.  Almost every trail in this area can be accessed by either the Jakes Creek Trail or the Little River Trail.  Sugarland Mountain Trail also winds through the area.

Cucumber Gap Trail

Going off to the left from Jakes Creek Trail, which begins at Elkmont Campground, Cucumber Gap Trail stretches 2.4 miles, merging with Little River Trail.

Curry Mountain Trail

Extending 3.3 miles, Curry Mountain Trail links Little River Road near Greenbrier School to Meigs Mountain Trail near Campsite #19.

Goshen Prong Trail

Leaving Little River Trail, Goshen Prong Trail switchbacks 3.3 miles up to Campsite #23.  After this, the trail continues its switchbacks 4.4 miles up to the Appalachian Trail, between Double Spring Gap Shelter and Clingmans Dome.  All together, Goshen Prong Trail is 7.7 miles long.

Jakes Creek Trail

A 3.4-mile mountain climb starting from the end of the road at Elkmont Campground and Ranger Station and ending at Jakes Gap.  Before too long into the hike, Cucumber Gap Trail veers off to the left.  After this, Meigs Mountain Trail goes off to the right.  The trail climbs the rest of the way (2.9 miles up) to Jakes Gap, while passing Campsite #27 on the way.  At Jakes Gap, the trail turns into Miry Ridge Trail, which can be taken another 5 miles further to the Appalachian Trail, near Cold Spring Knob and Buckeye Gap.

Little River Trail

Beginning at the Elkmont Campground, Little River Trail follows the Little River all the way up the mountain, where it dead-ends. Along the way – 2.4 miles in – the trail meets Huskey Gap Trail, near Campsite #21. Before this, Cucumber Gap Trail merges with Little River Trail. Extending one more mile, Goshen Prong Trail veers off to the right. Rough Creek Trail heads down to the left after another 0.8 of a mile. Halfway on this section, the trail runs by Campsite #24. The trail then climbs up 1.8 miles to lonesome Campsite #30. Little River Trial is 6 miles total in length.

Meigs Mountain Trail

After taking Jakes Creek Trail out of Elkmont Campground, Meigs Mountain Trail breaks to the right.  This trail goes 4.1 miles, running through Campsite #20, and then meeting Curry Mountain Trail on the right.  After this, the trail runs by Campsite #19, going 1.9 miles to where it meets Lumber Ridge Trail (coming in from Tremont) and Meigs Creek Trail.

Rough Creek Trail

A 2.8-mile trail connecting Little River Trail with Sugarland Mountain Trail along Rough Creek.

Sugarland Mountain Trail

Outside of Elkmont, on Little River Road near Fighting Creek Gap, Sugarland Mountain Trail begins across the road from Laurel Creek Falls Trail.  Going a total of 12 miles, Sugarland Mountain Trail climbs up to the Appalachian Trail.  Huskey Gap Trail intersects the trail 3.1 miles in, and Rough Creek Trail comes in from the right 4.1 miles later.

After this, the trail winds 3.8 miles up-mountain to Mount Collins Shelter.  From here, it is 1 mile to the Appalachian Trail, near Clingmans Dome Road. Appalachian Trail through-hikers use the tail-end portion of this trail to get to Mount Collins Shelter to spend the night.

View the main Smoky Mountain Trails here