Mt. Sterling Trail and Mt. Sterling Ridge Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

[dropcap style="font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;"] C [/dropcap]rowning the Mount Sterling Ridge, 5842 foot Mount Sterling is another of the tall peaks that give the Great Smoky Mountains their character. Located in the far eastern area of the national park in North Carolina, the 7-mile Mount Sterling Ridge rims the scenic Cataloochee Valley to the southeast. There are trails to the summit of Mount Sterling from every direction, but the shortest and steepest begins at Mt. Sterling Gap on the east side. This six mile round trip climbs nearly 2000 feet through the type of dense mixed forest that Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known for. Awaiting you at the summit is a 60′ fire tower that enables panoramic views of other great mountains and valleys in the Smokies. This hike occurred on Wednesday, August 22, 2012 from 9:00am to 12:40pm. My plan was to tackle Mt. Sterling from the east at Mt. Sterling Gap. The Mt. Sterling Trail meets the Mt. Sterling Ridge Trail one half mile from the summit. I would return the same way, then explore some of Cataloochee on the Mt. Sterling Road.

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Hike Length: 6 miles Hike Duration: 3.75 hours Blaze: None needed

Hike Rating: Difficult, strenuous climb Hike Configuration: Up and back

Elevation Gain: 2,022 feet Elevation Change: 1,945 feet

Trail Condition: Mostly very good. Loose rocks slow your progress.

Starting Point: Mt. Sterling Gap on Mt. Sterling Road.

Trail Traffic: I did not see another person on the trail or at the summit.

How to Get There: From I-40, take the Waterville Road Exit (#451). Turn left after crossing the Pigeon River and proceed 2.3 miles to the intersection with Mt. Sterling Road. Even though a sign for the national park is straight ahead, turn left onto Mt. Sterling Road. After 1/2 mile it becomes a long gravel road that twists and turns and climbs southward. The trailhead for the Mt. Sterling Trail is located at Mt. Sterling Gap, roughly 6.8 miles from the intersection.[/box]

When you get to the Mt. Sterling Road intersection you may be tempted to go straight ahead into the Big Creek area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are several great trails to hike in there. But, if you want to climb Mt. Sterling you need to turn left. It is then 6.8 miles to the trailhead at Mt. Sterling Gap. All but the first half mile is gravel forest road. Note that Mt. Sterling Road is frequently closed by snow in winter, so it is advisable to call ahead.

There’s enough room for 4-5 cars at Mt. Sterling Gap, so don’t worry about finding a place to park. There were a couple National Park Service vehicles there when I arrived at 9AM, but I didn’t see a single person out on the trail. Mt. Sterling Road continues on southward to the Cataloochee Valley and campground. When I finished hiking I went down there a way to take a look. More about that later.

The Mt. Sterling Trail is wide and easily identifiable. At least the first mile or so was probably a road at one time. There are no blaze markers, but none are needed. The trail is easy to follow. You better get used to climbing because that’s what you’ll do all the way to Mt. Sterling Ridge. With the exception of a short couple hundred yards of flat terrain at the junction with Long Bunk Trail, you will climb at a moderately difficult grade of 700 feet per mile throughout.

The lower 1/2 mile goes through an area of old growth hardwoods that looked to include hickory and poplar. I’m far from a tree expert. At the half mile mark is that Long Bunk Trail junction. It connects with the Little Cataloochee Trail, known for a number of historic buildings and for elk sightings. But that’s a hike for another day. Mt. Sterling Trail resumes its climb soon after the junction.

The next two miles is a tiring, relentlessly uphill trudge through a series of three very long switchbacks. I’ve climbed another of the Smokies famous peaks, Mt. LeConte, a number of times. Even though More of the rocks were spilling onto the trail in a pattern that looked as if the tree has been ejecting them over time.

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