Kephart Shelter (via Newfound Gap)
Location: Western North Carolina
Trip Starts: Newfound Gap
Trip Ends: US 441
Total Distance: 7.4 miles
Hike Type: One-Way, Shuttle Hike
Hike Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Trails Used: Appalachian, Sweat Heifer, Kephart Prong Trails
Trail Traffic: Moderate to Heavy
Trip Type: Day or Overnight Hike
More Information:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
107 Park Headquarters Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
(865) 436-1200
Highlights:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses 800 square miles of land and 95 percent of it is forested. The park is world renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal resources and for the beauty of its ancient mountains. This hike follows the Appalachian Trail from Newfound Gap down the Sweat Heifer Trail to Kephart Shelter. The Kephart Prong is a stream and the water source for the shelter, and the trail follows it to US 441 to complete this shuttle hike.
More Details:
- click to see trail photos from this hike in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park: November 14, 1992
- click to view a daytimer report for this backpacking trip to Kephart Shelter: November 14, 1992 (password required)
- click to purchase a Trails Illustrated map of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- click for a road and facilities map of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- click for a trail map of Great Smoky Mountain National Park
- click for a topo and profile map of this hike to Kephart Shelter from Newfound Gap (password required)
- click for a map of some other trails hiked in this area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- click for a trail map of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee (password required)
- click for other trips to Kephart Shelter in December 2010 and February 2023
- click for access to the guidebook Trail By Trail: Backpacking In The Smoky Mountains which has details on this destination
- click for other North Carolina hiking and backpacking books
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Maps:
GPS Coordinates: