My family is spending a week in Gatlinburg, TN and exploring the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. We were here three years ago and loved it, however I didn’t do any running in the park since I was still recovering from Laurel Highlands. Here’s where I’ve been hiking/running:
Day 1, Sunday
Middle Prong Trail (Hiking) – 8 miles
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West Prong Trail (Running) – 6.5 miles
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Day 2, Monday
Laurel Falls Trail (Hiking) – 2.5 miles
My wife and I arrived a little after 8am and there were still 5-6 parking spots left at the trailhead. We knew this was a popular route so were sure to get there early.
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Sugarland Mountain Trail (Running) – 4 miles
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Day 3, Tuesday
Chimney Tops Trail (Hiking) – 3.75 miles
This has a very small parking lot so we were at the trailhead a little after 8am again.
![](https://chasing10k.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IMG_20240625_081714811-1024x768.jpg)
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Huskey Gap Trail/Sugarland Mountain Trail (Running) – 6 miles
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All three of these hikes had a decent number of people on them. The trails I picked to run were the complete opposite. Almost four hours of running and I only saw one couple on my first run. It was amazing to be out by myself cruising along enjoying the scenery. Fingers crossed the next three days can be half this good.