Newfound Gap to Charlies Bunion on the Appalachian Trail - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The eight mile round-trip hike from Newfound Gap to Charlies Bunion along the Appalachian Trail is one of the more popular summer hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While the route climbs over 1,000 feet and then descends nearly 600 feet to reach the rocky outcrop, the spectacular views are worth the effort. With the entire route above 5,000 feet, the temperature is usually 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than Gatlinburg. While I hiked the trail on a weekday afternoon in late June 2016, I met dozens of people along the route. On the way to Charlies Bunion, I visited with a retired couple who now volunteer as trail maintainers. Their work to keep the vegetation cut back from the trail is greatly appreciated. While there were a few hikers on the outcrop when I arrived, they all departed within about 20 minutes and left me with an opportunity to enjoy the solitude I seek in the mountains.

This is considered a strenuous hike. Make sure you have sufficient water and food to spend an entire day on the trail. Storms can quickly develop in the mountains, leaving the trail muddy and the rocky outcrop slick.

I wrote about a previous hike to Charlies Bunion here.

Topographic map with GPS route

Elevation profile

Trail sign doesn't mention Charlies Bunion

First opening in the forest provides...

...this view of Beech Flats Prong watershed in North Carolina

Another view of the North Carolina mountains

Lots of rocks and roots on the trail

Tree roots utilized as steps

View from the second overlook

Sweat Heifer Creek Trail junction - AT continues straight

Ridgetop trail

Newfound Gap Road from the third overlook

Path over and through sedimentary rock

Trail levels out atop Mt Ambler

The Boulevard Trail junction - AT turns to the right

Icewater Spring

Tennessee ridges from the trail

Horseshoe Mountain

Hikers atop Charlies Bunion

View northeast toward Douglas Lake

Single-track approaching Masa Knob

Late Catawba Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) blossom

Mount Le Conte to the west northwest

Spur trail to Charlies Bunion - AT turns right

Northbound AT at spur trail

Charlies Bunion above the single-track

Looking back up the trail from Charlies Bunion

Mount Kephart

Mount Le Conte

View northwest

Lester Prong watershed

The Sawteeth

The trail continues around the outcrop

Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.

The park website is https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm.

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail website is https://www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy website is http://www.appalachiantrail.org/.