Hello everyone,
I am looking at backpacking all or part of the AT thru the Great Smoky Mountain National Park with my family including three daughters age 7-13. I am doing my research but I wanted to tap this resource (experience of all of you on this site) Have any of you done this section of trail? Can you give me any advice or suggestions? What is it like? The youngest one in the group is my 7 year old daughter. She is the one who will probably dictate our pace and distance. I eagerly await to hear your input.

Note to parents: do not look upon children as limiting your trail legs but enriching your journey.
Thanks
Steven

Hello Steve! Hiking the AT thru the Great Smoky Mountain National Park looks like a great trip; 71 miles or so? Never been, but have taken my kids into the Sierra Nevada of California when my youngest was 7. She was really only good for 2 to 5 miles a day maximum and we played it by ear as far as campsites. My oldest was 10. We (all of us) had a great time fishing and playing games together even with lightning storms. I loved my trips with the kids!

I think the thing with kids is that the people who know them will have to make a judgement call as to what they will do in these cases. I have a friend with a 6 year old son who surfs with us. When it is overhead, it is 3 to 4 times overhead for him and he is just charging! The other kids are on the beach playing in the sand.

At 7, keep the weight to clothes and a few personal items. Maybe a pad and sleeping bag depending on how big and strong she is. The backpack should be as small as possible; no extra volume to be buffeted around by the wind. You will probably have to improvise something from a school backpack or some such.

71 miles might be a bit far for your kids. Think about the bail out spots. Maybe they could be used for Malt shop stops as well; rewards for getting so far along the trail.

Good luck with your trip!

sK

Thanks for your input. I was wondering about the distance. We have been hiking forever but only recently got into overnight backpacking. There are a number of ways that trail could be broke up. I also as an alternative have looked at the Shanandoah National Park section of the AT. I hear the terrain is a little easier than the Smoky Mountain Section. The bottom line is I want to enjoy it and I want my girls to enjoy it while staying safe. I consider a trip a success if these goals are met. I like your term of playing it by ear. Seems even more with children you need to be flexible.
Thanks again,
Steven

How about the Mt. Rogers area in Virginia, with the ponies? Next time I go back east, I might just go there for a couple of days.

The little girl that I used to hike with is 27 today. Hope my memory is OK.

Get the kids involved in the planning. The sooner you get "buy in" the better.

Children actually have good physical ability - the limiting factor is their attention span. Let them focus on something other than walking occasionally. Although, listening to my daughter and her friend singing Britney Spears songs was NOT pleasant.

Kids love lakes and streams. Let them splash in the water and catch frogs.

My daughter was allowed treats on the trail that she was not allowed to have at home. Maybe you need some "buy in" from mom?

I did half of the AT in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The northern half that is. I went from Newfound Gap to Big Creek ranger station rather than all the way to Davenport Gap. The southern half at Fontana dam to Newfound Gap will be tough. The ascend to Thunderhead mountain is really hard. So I've been told. I haven't experienced it myself, but one of the guys that went with me at Newfound to Big Creek said the southern half kicks his butt all the time. The northern half is mostly a roller coaster. You'll be going up and down all the time, but you won't experience a long descend until you get past Mt. Guyot. It will be a really long descend to Low Gap, then you climb all the way to the trail junctions of Mt. Cammerer and continuing downhill on the AT to Big Creek and Davenport Gap. Starting at Newfound Gap, the climb isn't that bad, and when you reach the "sawteeth" the terrain will be rocky (hence the name) and you get a great view at Charlie Bunion. From there you will be isolated until you reach Low Gap and Mt. Cammerer area. I have pictures of the northern half if you want to see them. Let me know if I can answer anything specific. I can get information on the southern half if you need it. I haven't hiked southern half myself, just words I've heard from hiking partners and people in the park. I just heard stories of the long climb from Fontana dam to Clingman dome (2nd highest peak on eastern seaboard). but once you get past Newfound Gap it remains pretty steady with occasional short climbs then the long descend from Guyot and from Cammerer.

That would definitely be easier, and offer a whole lot more in the way of bailout options. My sense of GSMNP is somewhat skewed as I went through there in March almost 2 years ago now --- lots of snow then. But bailout options are less, it's just more remote. Shenandoah, however, my wife joined me for that 100 mile stretch and I recall telling her periodically as we walked "This isn't the real AT, the trail is too nice". My hiking partner had hiked the AT before, so he opted to just road-walk it this time through, the road and trail cross multiple times a day. He told me that road walking it he felt he had better views and more animal encounters than he had had when he had walked the trail, FWIW.

OTOH, it "feels" less remote, of course, so it depends on the sort of experience you're looking for. It would definitely be my choice over the Smokies for hiking with kids.

What might be really good is if you had "car support", so you could be flexible about continuing to backpack or not, and perhaps adjust loads carried and so forth that way, perhaps cell phones or walkie talkies to connect via Skyline drive.

Thanks to all of you for your input. I truely appreciate this forum and being able to tap into the experience of others.
Steven

I have hiked 5 or six times in GSMNP. Advice you are getting is good. First remember you have to have shelter reservations. These can be made a month in advance! I recomend a month in advance. Hiking that entire section with young kids, sorry good luck! I would look more at Newfound gap to Icewater springs 3 Miles. than short afternoon day hike to Charles bunion and back. Maybe day two hike the Boulavard trail to Mt leconte about six miles! This is a awsome hike. Perhaps day three leconte down into roaring fork section. Remember, If not a tru hiker resevations on AT are limited to shelter only camping. Check the web site and I recomend bying the trail guide book. Not many loop hikes available in GSMNP but a few! Do the homework. Good luck!

I did the whole AT section of the GSMNP in June of 2011. It was an awesome week. That section is pretty strenuous though. I couldnt imagaine attempting a 1/8 of it with any of the seven year olds I know. I averaged 15 mile days and still barely finished on time. Theres a lot of big climbs, and you reach the highest point on the AT at Clingmans Dome. Even though I made reservations, the shelters were very crowded with section/thru hikers. I recommend hiking in and doing a series of overnighters throughout the park. Theres a ton of cool sights that anyone (ages 7 to 77) would enjoy. Going to see the synchronous fireflies in Elkmont during the first two weeks of June, wild elk herds in the Cataloochee Divide, and a ton of awesome waterfalls are just a few. IMO the best parts of the park are off and away from the AT, which is often very crowded and lacking in the "scenic solitude" dept.

And definitely try the Mt. Rogers/Grayson Highlands area if SW Virginia. Those wild ponies are a sight!

BP

THIS!! I did 16 miles in April at this place and it's incredible. It not very strenous except when you get near Mt. Rogers climbing up rocks. It got wide open ridges with big open sky that would give Montana a run for its money. (don't take my word for it, I haven't been to Montana, yet. ) Grayson Highland is one of the most pleasure hike I ever had. it wasn't strenuous, and plenty of wonderful views along the open ridges. not many bear activities, but the ponies will make up for it.

I want to go back to Mt. Rogers, but unfortunately I had bone graft surgery last month. It will be until mid or late summer or early fall before I'm comfortable enough to hike like I'm used too.

Sorry to hear that, ETSU Pride! I hope you have good healing! When the time comes for physical therapy, work hard at it, and you'll be back out on the trail before you know it!

Driving to the mountains and taking a short hike (1/4 mile) or, more accurately, a hobble, is what I did as much as possible after my extensive knee surgery 20-some years ago. It may not have been real hiking, but it definitely kept me from going stir crazy! One of the high points was "camping" (sleeping in the back of the compact station wagon, easier than crawling into and out of my tent) on a ridge with a view of Mt Rainier and getting up at dawn to watch the sunrise.