Distance (One Way)
Elevation Gain
Trailhead
Location
Trail Description
Brushy Mountain Trail is a connector trail between Porters Creek and Trillium Gap Trail. The trail itself is a total of 4.9 miles, but the entire hike to LeConte Lodge via this route is 9.1 miles, making it the longest one-way hike to the lodge.
The trail begins one mile into Porters Creek Trail. You will ascend on Brushy Mountain Trail for 4.5 miles before reaching the intersection with Trillium Gap Trail (8.9 miles) and the heath bald Brushy Mountain. For the best views, take a right and continue through the rhododendron tunnels for approximately 0.4 of a mile. To reach LeConte Lodge, take a left at this intersection and continue on Trillium Gap Trail for 3.6 more miles.
Alternatively, you can see the best of Brushy Mountain by hiking up Trillium Gap Trail - a more enjoyable route - and taking a quick left at the intersection onto the heath bald. It's only 0.4 of a mile to reach the spot with the best views. The Brushy Mountain heath bald provides an astounding vantage point for Mount LeConte to the right. Left of LeConte you will find Mount Kephart, the Sawteeth, the Jumpoff, and even a distant Mount Guyot to the left.
[+ Read More]
Mt. LeConte Trails
Other ways to reach Mt. LeConte: Alum Cave Trail (Mt. LeConte) (5 m) Boulevard Trail (Mt. LeConte) (5.4 m) Bullhead Trail (Mt. LeConte) (5.9 m) Rainbow Falls Trail (Mt. LeConte) (6.6 m) Trillium Gap Trail (Grotto Falls, Mt. LeConte) (8.9 m)
Trail Difficulty Scales Explained
Elevation Grade
12%
Very Steep
Paul Petzoldt Scale
11
Strenuous
5
10
15
Shenandoah Scale
173
Strenuous
50
100
150
Photo Gallery (13)
Trail Map
Read More
More Hikes
Dry Sluice Gap Trail (4.2 m)
Dry Sluice Gap Trail connects the AT to Cabin Flats Trail and Bradley Fork all the way down to the Smokemont Campground....
Elkmont Nature Trail (0.8 m)
Elkmont Nature Trail is a short, moderately trafficked interpretive trail loop in Gatlinburg. This Smoky Mountains hike ...
Chestnut Top Trail (4.3 m)
Chestnut Top Trail is a moderately trafficked 4.3 mile hike one way that begins at the Townsend Wye and intersects with ...
Bradley Fork Trail (7.3 m)
Bradley Fork Trail is a wooded hike with lots of streams, creeks, wildflowers, and trail crossings. The trail itself is ...
- Abrams Falls Trail (4.2 mi)
- Albright Grove Loop Trail (0.7 mi)
- Alum Cave Trail (Mt. LeConte) (5 mi)
- Andrews Bald via Forney Ridge Trail (1.8 mi)
- Anthony Creek Trail (3.5 mi)
- Appalachian Trail Smoky Mountains Segment (71.7 mi)
- Baskins Creek Trail (2.7 mi)
- Baxter Creek Trail (Mt. Sterling) (6.2 mi)
- Big Creek Trail (Mouse Creek Falls, Midnight Hole) (5.8 mi)
- Bote Mountain Trail (6.6 mi)
- Boulevard Trail (Mt. LeConte) (5.4 mi)
- Bradley Fork Trail (7.3 mi)
- Brushy Mountain Trail (Mt. LeConte) (4.9 mi)
- Bullhead Trail (Mt. LeConte) (5.9 mi)
- Cataract Falls (Fighting Creek, Cove Mountain Trail) (0.5 mi)
- Charlies Bunion via Appalachian Trail (4.2 mi)
- Charlies Bunion via Kephart Prong Loop (14.2 mi)
- Chestnut Top Trail (4.3 mi)
- Chimney Tops Trail (2 mi)
- Clingmans Dome Trail (0.6 mi)
- Cooper Road Trail (10.5 mi)
- Cove Mountain Trail (8.5 mi)
- Cucumber Gap Trail (2.4 mi)
- Dry Sluice Gap Trail (4.2 mi)
- Eagle Creek Trail (8.9 mi)
- Elkmont Nature Trail (0.8 mi)
- Forney Ridge Trail (5.4 mi)
- Gabes Mountain Trail (Hen Wallow Falls) (6.6 mi)
- Gatlinburg Trail (1.9 mi)
- Grapeyard Ridge Trail (7.6 mi)
- Gregory Bald Trail (Gregory Bald) (7.3 mi)
- Gregory Ridge Trail (Gregory Bald) (5 mi)
- Grotto Falls (Trillium Gap Trail) (1.4 mi)
- Hannah Mountain Trail (9.5 mi)
- Hatcher Mountain Trail (2.6 mi)
- Huskey Gap Trail (4.1 mi)
- Jakes Creek Trail (3.3 mi)
- Kephart Prong Trail (2 mi)
- Laurel Falls Trail (4 mi)
- Lead Cove Trail (1.8 mi)
- Little Bottoms Trail (2.3 mi)
- Little Brier Gap Trail (Walker Sisters Cabin) (1.4 mi)
- Little Greenbrier Trail (4.3 mi)
- Little River Trail (6.1 mi)
- Low Gap Trail (5.4 mi)
- Lower Mt. Cammerer Trail (7.4 mi)
- Lumber Ridge Trail (4.1 mi)
- Lynn Camp Prong Trail (3.7 mi)
- Maddron Bald Trail (Albright Grove) (7.3 mi)
- Meigs Creek Trail (3.5 mi)
- Meigs Mountain Trail (6 mi)
- Metcalf Bottoms Trail (0.7 mi)
- Middle Prong Trail (Indian Flat Falls) (4.1 mi)
- Miry Ridge Trail (5 mi)
- Mt. Cammerer Trail via Low Gap + AT (5.6 mi)
- Mt. Sterling Ridge Trail (5.3 mi)
- Newfound Gap to Clingmans Dome (7.7 mi)
- Noland Creek Trail (9.2 mi)
- Old Settlers Trail (15.8 mi)
- Old Sugarlands Trail (3.9 mi)
- Panther Creek Trail (2.3 mi)
- Porters Creek Trail (Fern Branch Falls) (3.7 mi)
- Rabbit Creek Trail (7.8 mi)
- Rainbow Falls Trail (Mt. LeConte) (6.6 mi)
- Ramsey Cascades Trail (4 mi)
- Rich Mountain Loop (8.7 mi)
- Russell Field Trail (3.5 mi)
- Schoolhouse Gap Trail (Whiteoak Sink) (2.1 mi)
- Spence/Russell Field Loop (13.2 mi)
- Spruce Flats Falls Trail (Buckeye) (1 mi)
- Swallow Fork Trail (4 mi)
- Sweat Heifer Creek Trail (3.7 mi)
- Thunderhead Mountain (Rocky Top) (6.1 mi)
- Trillium Gap Trail (Grotto Falls, Mt. LeConte) (8.9 mi)
- Turkeypen Ridge Trail (3.6 mi)
- Whiteoak Sink via Schoolhouse Gap Trail (2.3 mi)
The above list of hiking trails in the Smokies is incomplete and constantly being updated. If you have information or photos you would like to contribute, please contact [email protected]
Featured Posts
Mar 28, 2023
Top Easter Activities in Pigeon Forge
Planning on spending Easter in Pigeon Forge? There aren’t just fun activities on Easter Sunday in Pigeon For...
Read MoreMar 2, 2023
20 Smoky Mountain Attractions You Should Put On Your Radar
We know there's a boatload of Pigeon Forge attractions you've heard about and enjoyed on your last trip, but w...
Read MoreMar 14, 2023
Live Music in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg & Townsend
There are a handful of great spots to enjoy live music in Pigeon Forge most months out of the year. While you ...
Read More
