Backpacker Magazine has just posted, from their November issue, their annual list of best hikes in our national parks. The magazine rated trails based on: Solitude, Loop hikes, Alpine hikes, Dayhikes, Canyon hikes, Wildlife, X-Country Adventure, Wildflowers, Coastal hikes, and Peaks.
Two hikes of interest that made the list from the region, include:
> Mt. Cammerer, which won the title as best hike for wildflowers. The magazine suggests taking the 16-mile loop that begins on the Low Gap Trail, climbing out of the Cosby Campground to the Appalachian Trail, and then finishing on the Lower Cammerer Trail. The article states you'll see trilliums not seen anywhere else in the park here, as well as the dwarf-crested iris that paint the ground purple for three consecutive miles.
Tom Harrington, a volunteer interpreter in the Smokies, said that you should hike this loop around the third week of April. "The wildflowers are exceptionally beautiful, and the amazing thing is I'll rarely see anyone out there," says Harrington.
Click on the link for more information on hiking to Mt. Cammerer.
The magazine also included a list of trails that won awards in a list of "sub-categories".
> The Cedar Run Trail in Shenandoah National Park won the award for best Swimming Hole. The magazine says; "You'll never be far from an emerald plunge pool on this hike. Go in June for the perfect combination of Southern swelter and high water in the steep, cliffy canyon. Link to the Appalachian and Whiteoak Canyon Trails (with six waterfalls) for a perfect, 13-mile weekend loop."
You can see all the trails that made the Backpacker list by clicking here.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.
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