Hiking Trails in Monroe County, TN
Hiking in Tennessee is a popular outdoor activity. Monroe County has plenty of hiking trails you can choose from including hiking in the Cherokee National Forest. Our trails range in difficulty and length. See below for a complete list of hiking trails in and around Monroe County, TN. People come from all over to enjoy the beautiful scenery of East TN while being active and disconnecting from the distractions of modern life.
Call the Ranger Station at (423) 253-8400 or visit them at 250 Ranger Station Rd, Tellico Plains for more information before you plan your journey.
There are two National Recreation Trails on the Cherokee National Forest (CNF) - the Warrior’s Passage Trail and the John Muir Trail. The nation’s newest long distance trail, the Benton MacKaye, also runs through the CNF. Hiking is allowed in the CNF on all trails even though some trails are “designated” for Mountain Bikes, Motorcycles, or Equestrian. Please be courteous, cooperate and abide by the “share the trail” rules.
Trail Name | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Long Branch Trail | 2.6 miles | Moderate | Hiking Only. |
McNabb Creek Trail | 3.7 miles | Moderate | Hiking Only. |
Mill Branch Trail | 2.3 miles | Difficult | Hiking Only. |
North Fork Citico Trail | 5.2 miles | Difficult | Hiking Only. |
Panther Branch Trail | 2.6 miles | Moderate | Hiking Only. |
Pine Ridge Trail | 3.6 miles | Difficult | Multi-Use Trail. Hiking and Equestrian. Motorcycles and mountain bikes are prohibited. |
Rocky Flats Trail | 4.9 miles | Moderate | Hiking Only. |
South Fork Citico Trail | 9.5 miles | Difficult | Hiking Only. |
Stiffknee Trail | 3.2 miles | Difficult | Hiking Only. |
Sugar Cove Trail | 2.4 miles | Difficult | Hiking Only. |
Sycamore Trail | 5.8 miles | Moderate | Hiking Only. |
Unicoi Mountain Trail | 7.9 miles | Moderate | Multi-Use Trail. Equestrian, Mountain Bike, and Hiking. |
Benton Mackaye Trail
The Benton MacKaye Trail winds nearly 300 miles through the Appalachian Mountains. The trail runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia to the Big Creek Campground on the northern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Warrior’s Passage National Recreation Trail
This trail was first designed and constructed by Boy Scouts and Scouters from the Great Smoky Mountain Council, BSA (Knoxville, TN) in 1966. The trail fell into disuse in the late 1990s after fires destroyed much of the trail corridor. The trail was reopened in 2008 and is now maintained by Cherokee National Forest volunteers. The trail follows what is believed to be one of the routes used by the Cherokee to cross the mountains. There were many Warrior’s Passages across the Appalachian Mountains and several became pioneer routes, then later became established roads and trail corridors.
