
Trail Description
Maddron Bald Trail is a 7.3 mile hike that passes Albright Grove (3 miles in) and the 5,212 foot mountaintop Maddron Bald (7 miles in). You can reach the trailhead directly from US-321, but the trail is often paired with Gabes Mountain Trail and Snake Den Ridge to create a long loop hike from Cosby Campground.
From the Maddron Bald trailhead, it's 3 miles to first junction with Albright Grove Trail. Albright Grove (named after Horace Albright, the second director of the National Park Service) is home to the oldest cove hardwood forest in the national park. Most of this leg of the hike (the first 2.3 miles) is on a wide gravel road. At 0.7 of a mile you'll see Baxter Cabin on your right. The cabin is labeled with a sign that reads: WILLIS BAXTER CABIN, Built About 1889. The cabin was built from a single chestnut tree as a wedding present for Baxter's son.
At 1.2 miles you will reach the intersection with Gabes Mountain Trail and Old Settlers Trail. Continue 1.8 miles to reach Albright Grove. As the trail becomes less and less like a gravel road, you will reach your first water crossing just before Albright Grove. This is the only bridged crossing on the trail.
Upon reaching the first intersection with Albright Grove, you will continue for 0.3 of a mile more before reaching the other end. After this point Maddron Bald Trail ascends for 4 more miles to the intersection with Snake Den Ridge.
On the last 4 mile leg of this trail you will find 5-6 unbridged water crossings. Most are easy enough to rock hop, but after a bout of heavy rain could be quite challenging to cross. There are two crossings that are on the more difficult side regardless of heavy rainfall. The first is located shortly after the second intersection with Albright Grove; it is the second unbridged water crossing and is marked by a large fallen tree hanging over it on your left. The easiest way to cross here is by going downstream to your right just a little further and crossing on the series of rocks in that area. The other difficult crossing (Otter Creek) is located closer to campsite #29.
Shortly after the campsite, the trail takes a sharp turn and a quick ascent up a steep mountain ridge. After climbing to the ridge the trail winds through thick rhododendron tunnels, eventually yielding to the shorter growth of the heath bald. There are several areas (look for rocks to climb on) that provide great views of surrounding peaks including Mount Guyot, Old Black, and Inadu Knob.
It should be noted that Maddron Bald (5,212 ft) is not like the maintained open space at Andrews Bald. The last mile of the trail is what comprises Maddron Bald. It is a long heath bald with many beautiful views, but doesn't really offer many places to sit and rest or eat lunch.
[+ Read More]Trail Difficulty Scales Explained
Elevation Grade
10%
Fairly Steep
Paul Petzoldt Scale
15.4
Strenuous
5
10
15
Shenandoah Scale
242
Very Strenuous
50
100
150
Hiker Tips & Trivia
- This trail and the heath bald are named after Cocke County minister Lawson Maddron (1809-1896), whose family cemetery is located near the intersection with Gabes Mountain Trail and Old Settlers Trail.
- The standalone trailhead (not Cosby Campground) is located very close to a residential area off Highway 321. There are about 3 places to park right next to the trailhead. It is not suggested to leave your car here overnight, as many hikers have reported stolen or broken into vehicles.
Photo Gallery (10)







Trail Map
- Abrams Falls Trail (4.2 mi)
- Ace Gap Trail (5.4 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)
- Crooked Arm Ridge Trail (2.2 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)
- Finley Cane Trail (2.8 mi)
- Forney Ridge Trail (5.4 mi)
- Gabes Mountain Trail (Hen Wallow Falls) (6.6 mi)
- Gatlinburg Trail (1.9 mi)
- Goldmine Trail (0.8 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)
- Indian Grave Gap Trail (3.7 mi)
- Jakes Creek Trail (3.7 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 (7.9 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)
- Roundtop Trail (7.5 mi)
- Russell Field Trail (3.5 mi)
- Schoolhouse Gap Trail (Whiteoak Sink) (2.1 mi)
- Shuckstack Fire Tower via the AT (3.5 mi)
- Spence/Russell Field Loop (13.7 mi)
- Spruce Flats Falls Trail (Buckeye) (1 mi)
- Sugarland Mountain Trail (11.9 mi)
- Swallow Fork Trail (4 mi)
- Sweat Heifer Creek Trail (3.7 mi)
- The Jump Off (Boulevard Trail) (3.3 mi)
- Thunderhead Mountain (Rocky Top) (6.1 mi)
- Trillium Gap Trail (Grotto Falls, Mt. LeConte) (8.9 mi)
- Turkeypen Ridge Trail (3.6 mi)
- Twentymile Loop Trail (2.9 mi)
- Twentymile Trail (5 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].