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steep, rocky slope. At the end of these "stairs" the trail comes to a fork with a side trail that leads on to the
Appalachian Trail about a half mile up (and not far past that to the observation tower at Clingmans Dome), and the Forney Ridge Trail continuing on to the left, down along the ridge for which it is named.
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Although the trail is relatively easy, it is advisable to use caution. The early portion can be slippery in icy winters and may contain loose rocks. In the 1920s the trees here were swept by a wildfire which has given the area an awkward mix of young shrubbery and woods, but this portion is rather
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The Forney Ridge Trail begins easily enough at the base of the paved trail to the
Clingmans Dome observation tower. The first 0.1-mile (0.16 km) of the trail consists of a series of leveled, rocky platforms, put together by the national park service apparently due to the previously hazardous,
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Down past
Andrews Bald, the Forney Ridge Trail continues its descent down Forney Ridge, eventually coming down to Board Camp Gap and its junction with the Springhouse Branch Trail at 5.6 miles (9.0 km). This trail can be taken in conjunction with the Noland and then later Forney Creek Trails
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and, at 5,920 feet (1,800 m), it is the highest bald in the national park. In mid-June, the bald provides a wonderful display of
Catawba rhododendron and flame azalea, the best show for the least effort, although it can't quite match that of the more isolated
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Due to its location high in the crest of the Great Smoky
Mountains, the Forney Ridge Trail is one of very few in the national park that actually descends from its trailhead.
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back up to the Forney Ridge
Parking Area for a long 18-mile (29 km) backpacking loop, or, by turning left at the Forney Creek Trail, down to Fontana Lake in
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From here the trail actually rises up for about a quarter mile, the only such notable jaunt along its path, before leveling out and gently sloping back down to
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The Forney Ridge Trail is shown on the following 1:24,000-scale topographic maps published by the
National Park Service:
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The trailhead is located just at the front end of the
Clingmans Dome parking area, about 7 miles (11 km) from
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short and within a mile the trail passes into the spruce-fir zone, which has also had problems more recently with
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The Forney Ridge Trail is shown in the maps of the Great Smoky
Mountains published by the National Park Service:
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288:"Clingmans Dome Quadrangle, Great Smoky Mountains 7.5 minute 1:24,000-scale series Topographic Maps"
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299:"Silers Bald Quadrangle, Great Smoky Mountains 7.5 minute 1:24,000-scale series Topographic Maps"
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The Best of the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park: A Hikers Guide to Trails and Attractions
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At the base of the paved trail to the Clingmans Dome observation tower, inside of the
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Clingmans Dome (via half mile, paved trail near the trailhead)
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5.6 mi (1.8 to Andrews Bald); 9.0 km (2.9 to Andrews Bald)
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Hiking trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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62:Terminus at junction with Springhouse Branch Trail
237:at 1.8 miles (2.9 km). Andrews Bald is a
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323:. Norris, Tennessee: Mountain Laurel Place.
104:Easy (to falls); Moderate (to lookout tower)
364:Protected areas of Sevier County, Tennessee
272:"Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Maps"
250:Andrews Bald to Springhouse Branch Trail
315:Manning, Russ; Sondra Jamieson (1991).
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342:. Norris, Tennessee: Newman/National.
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149:Great Smoky Mountains National Park
54:Great Smoky Mountains National Park
36:Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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153:Swain County, North Carolina
340:Hiking in the Great Smokies
88:Trailhead at Clingmans Dome
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96:Terminus at Board Camp Gap
80:2,600 ft (790 m)
213:Trailhead to Andrews Bald
169:Springhouse Branch Trail
338:Brewer, Carson (1962).
122:Great Smoky Mountains
228:balsam wooly adelgid
187:(Newfound Gap Road).
263:Maps and Directions
192:Landmarks/overlooks
163:and passes through
60:(Newfound Gap Road)
141:Forney Ridge Trail
19:Forney Ridge Trail
175:Vital information
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279:Topographic Maps
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185:U.S. Highway 441
76:Elevation change
58:U.S. Highway 441
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120:Andrews Bald,
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200:Forney Ridge
165:Andrews Bald
161:Forney Ridge
145:hiking trail
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93:Lowest point
239:grassy bald
133:Rocky Trail
112:Spring-Fall
353:Categories
101:Difficulty
48:Trailheads
147:, in the
56:, off of
226:and the
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32:Location
309:Sources
129:Hazards
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117:Sights
109:Season
70:Hiking
24:Length
302:(PDF)
291:(PDF)
325:ISBN
139:The
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67:Use
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