Sugarland Mountain Trail

Sugarland Mountain Trail is an about 12-mile point-to-point hike across a long forested ridge, from Fighting Creek Gap on Little River Road to the Kuwohi Access Road. The measured trail line plus its short Appalachian Trail connector is 11.93 miles one way. This is a shuttle hike, not a loop; allow about eight hours on foot and arrange a ride between the two road accesses. You get a long, wooded ridge walk with a few rewarding breaks in the canopy, rather than open views all day.

From Fighting Creek Gap, the trail climbs hard: more than 550 feet in the first 0.7 mile, with steep drop-offs along the way. A small opening around 0.4 mile can show Gatlinburg when the leaves are down. After that first climb, the grade eases and the path dips toward Huskey Gap, about three miles from the start. Glimpses toward Mount Le Conte and Brushy Mountain break up the forest, but most of this stretch stays under trees.

Coming from the north, a sharp bend roughly 3.5 miles from the Kuwohi Road end opens a view toward Gatlinburg; in leaf-off conditions, look across the valley for Chimney Tops. Farther along, the trail passes just below Sugarland Mountain’s 5,494-foot summit, then through spruce-fir forest with rocky natural tread. Spring beauty, trout-lilies and wake-robins have been seen here in early May. Mount Collins shelter sits about 0.6 mile from the road access. To finish, follow the Appalachian Trail for roughly a quarter-mile to the Kuwohi Access Road pullout. Pets aren’t allowed on this trail.