Peaks

 

41

 

 

Pursuers

 

26

 

 

Finishers

 

0

 

 

Includes all peaks along the 205.8-mile Tennessee & North Carolina sections of the Benton MacKaye Trail. It partially follows a route proposed by MacKaye for the Appalachian Trail. From the Tennessee border south of Big Frog Mountain, the Benton MacKaye Trail rejoins the Appalachian Trail across Fontana Dam, then heads to Mount Sterling before reaching its northern terminus. Note that the Benton MacKaye Trail continues 81.8 miles through Georgia; see the Georgia Benton MacKaye Trail Peak Challenge for peaks along that portion: https://peakery.com/challenges/georgia-benton-mackaye-trail-peak-challenge/

 

Highest peak

Big Cataloochee Mountain

6,155 ft / 1,876 m

Most prominent peak

Big Frog Mountain

2,493 ft / 759 m

Most summited peak

Mount Sterling

13 summits

Most difficult peak

Beech Gap South

Class 2

Difficulty breakdown

Class 1/2 1 peak

Top climbing months

September  27%

August   25%

April   9%

Highlights
"Trail is steep, but manageable for most. Conditions on my hike were wet, icy, snow and slush. Great deal of mud in areas, but these are par the course for most trails in the Smoky Mountains." — Chad • Dec 10, 2020
"Off trail from Noland Divide trail. See trip report at: http://tombstone1960.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-great-noland-divide.html or http://gosmokies.knoxnews.com/profiles/blogs/the-great-noland-divide" — grsmguy • Sep 6, 2015
"Off trail from Forest Service trail commonly used by hikers to get to Stratton Bald. Did not do this hike today due to limited time. Strawberry Knob is a bushwhack but not to bad at the top. No views other than one peak out along the ridge line. Full trip report: http://historicaleast.blogspot.com/2014/09/strawberry-knob-cherohala-skyway.html" — grsmguy • Aug 29, 2014
"Troop 246, 6 scouts, 3 adults, overnight campout and campfire on bald. Cloudy but cleared around 9:00 pm, bright moonlight and fog in the valley, temp in low 40s. Rain started 10:30 pm and continued all night. Some lightning and thunder with some sleep. Rain stops as we rise around 7:00 am and ready for our decent. Some breakfast. Made a false start leaving the bald but luckily we had placed rocks at the point we entered the bald. 1.8 mph up and 2.3 mph down. Not bad for a first timer backpacker with 45 lbs" — tom.pearson.79219 • Mar 23, 2013
"Headed up the Mt. Sterling trail to prep for our overnight on Mt. Leconte on Wednesday. Didn't see much wildlife, but the views were great. Went down and crossed the gap to Scottish Mountain." — edwandall • Apr 10, 2011