This walk is the "Stroll Back in Time"… and beyond. We will walk through a new forest recovering from man's impact. While walking along this lovely wide trail, we will see how people used their ingenuity to live off the land. The trail is wide, paralleling a gorgeous and pristine mountain stream. We'll explore a small family cemetery, a 19th century barn, spring-house and restored cabin. The trail narrows as we leave all signs of human activity when we enter a doorway to a rare world of old growth trees. See trees that were here when the Cherokee inhabited this beautiful land. On this charming trail, we'll see plants that are found nowhere else on earth, and lunch by a gentle cascade.

This walk is a spring wildflower show-case in April and May.

Rating: For a Half Day this is Moderate.

This walk takes place in an area rich with human history, controversy and scenic beauty. The trail is a wide, gentle grade that parallels the misnamed Little River with its dramatic and scenic white water and cascades. Our walk will be peppered with several stops along the way as we learn about the plants, animals, geology and rich human history of this special region.

Rating: For a Half Day this is Easy.

Walk along a beautiful mountain stream through an old growth forest. Climb up the side of one of the most picturesque mountains, experiencing incredible views of artistic rock formations. Picnic on a beautiful rock outcropping surrounded by blueberry bushes, mountain laurel and plants found only on Southern Appalachian Heath Balds, while basking in the views of the mountains below. We may even get a glimpse of the Peregrine Falcons that nest near by. This walk is moderate, and takes place on a very popular trail.

Rating: For a Half Day this is Moderate.

Your guided walk begins in the busy Clingman’s Dome Parking lo t. Leave the crowds behind as we walk through the Southernmost extent of a forest found 1,000 miles north of Tennessee. On a clear day you’ll marvel at the sea of mountains, beautiful Flame Azaleas in the summertime, and an artist’s palette of colors in the fall, while enjoying a nice picnic lunch on a beautiful Appalachian bald.

Rating: For a Half Day this is Moderate.

Spend a morning with expert birder Carey Jones and learn everything you need to know about the wonderful world of birding! We’ll cover the basics of binoculars, field guides, checklists, and CD’s, and then learn the simple steps to identifying birds, including using our ears. Explore various habitats to discover species – from Wood Thrush to Veery, Yellow-throated Warbler to Black-throated Blue. Resident birds are common, but so too the many colorful visitors from the tropics settling in to raise families in the Smokies. Along the way we’ll discuss the miracle of flight and other bird traits, have a hands-on look at a collection of bird nests, and offer ways to attract birds to your yard.

Rating: For a Half Day this is Moderate with Difficult spots.

Come discover why the Smokies are known as the Salamander Capital of the World. The Smokies have over 30 known species of salamanders in the Smokies—more than anywhere else in the world. Spend time visiting different forest communities in the Park, observing and capturing salamanders in their native habitats, and learning the role of these animals in forest ecosystems. We will also discuss the unique life histories of these complex creatures. The beauty and diversity of Smoky Mountain salamanders will amaze you. We have captured at least 12 species during previous programs.

Rating: For a Half Day this is Moderate.

Experience what the Eastern United States was just one hundred years ago when you explore one of the few remaining stands of virgin forest. During the first part of our walk, explore an original log cabin built in the eighteen hundreds. Then walk to a magical place that was spared the logger's saw, and see and touch gigantic trees, including one of the biggest in the Park. This is a seven-mile walk. Warning. This walk has turned ordinary people into tree huggers.

Rating: For a Full Day this is Moderate.

Walk along an old logging road while passing old homesteads, cascades and small waterfalls before we turn off onto a quiet woodland path. The path is a gentle trail, thick with Eastern Hemlocks and magnolias. Plenty of small stream crossings pepper our walk as we explore this relatively new forest. We’ll learn about the important plants that protect the diversity of these streams and discover the amazing aquatic life that calls these waterways home. We finish our walk through a ghost town, the site of an ongoing controversy coming to a head after 30 years.

Rating: For a Full Day this is Easy to Moderate.

Take a peaceful stroll through a less traveled area of the Park, past some old settler's homesteads, the remains of gigantic Chestnut trees, to a pleasant waterfall. Listen to Cherokee lore and area history while learning about yesterday's and today's natural medicines and foods.

Rating: For a Full Day this is Moderate.

Walk along a beautiful mountain stream through an old growth forest. Climb up the side of one of the most picturesque mountains, experiencing incredible views of artistic rock formations. Picnic on a spot heavy with mountain history, starting with a geological anomaly to the tale of the first Cherokee to discover the bluff, to its importance during the Civil War. This guided walk is along a very popular trail, one often referred to as the most scenic in the Park.

Rating: For a Full Day this is Moderate to Difficult.

Travel a segment of one of the most famous trail in the world to one of the Park's most unique geological formations. Walk through a high elevation forest, past incredible vistas, visit an Appalachian Trail Shelter, and picnic on a rock formation that gives the viewer an almost 360 degree view of the sea of mountains that make up the Park. On this guided walk, you will learn about this Boreal forest and the plants and animals that call it home.

Rating: For a Full Day this is Difficult.