Lower Mount Cammerer Trail

The complete Lower Mount Cammerer hike is a 14.8-mile out-and-back from the named trailhead at Cosby Campground to the Appalachian Trail junction and back. The named corridor is about 7.4 miles each way; allow about eight hours, then add time for breaks and the campground approach. It gains roughly 1,000 feet net, but the repeated drops into hollows and climbs back out make it more work than one steady climb. The route ends at the AT. The fire tower is farther along the AT on a separate summit spur, and the familiar Low Gap circuit is a different, longer hike.

The trail narrows from the campground access and crosses Toms Creek on a footlog. From there it trades wooded ridges for creek draws and coves, with several more natural crossings along the way. Some are rock hops and can leave your shoes wet. Most stretches climb gently, but the constant dips add up, and there is a stronger ascent before the AT junction. High water after rain can make the crossings harder.

A roughly 200-yard side trail reaches Sutton Ridge Overlook, a small clearing with possible north and west views toward Cosby Valley and Maddron Bald. Trees and brush can block much of the view, especially in leaf-on season, so treat it as a possible pause rather than a promised panorama. The spur is optional and is not included in the route distance.

Gilliland Creek’s Campsite 35 sits along the route, with a lower site for hikers. Overnight use requires a backcountry permit. A short side spur also reaches Phillips Cemetery, a small old burial ground marked by low stones, many without inscriptions. The route’s name honors Arno B. Cammerer, the National Park Service director who advocated for the park. The 1930 fire tower on Mount Cammerer is beyond this trail, not at its endpoint.

Use the Hiker Parking Area marked at Cosby Campground and follow posted signs to the named Lower Mount Cammerer trailhead. Allow for a possible 0.4-mile approach on Low Gap from nearby day-use parking; the exact connector is not clearly dimensioned, so follow signs and allow for extra walking beyond the 14.8-mile figure. The campground has restrooms and drinking water before the hike. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.