Great Smoky Mountain National Park - Charlies Bunion - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Great Smoky Mountain National Park - Charlies Bunion
Country:	United States
State:	North Carolina
Nearby Town:	Cherokee
Rating:
Directions:	From Atlanta and points south follow U.S. 441 and 23 North. U.S. 441 leads directly to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Follow US 441 past the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, then a few additional miles where you will see signs for the Smokemont Campground.
Total Hike Distance:	28.70 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Difficult
Permit Required:	Yes
Hike Type:	Roundtrip, Loop Hike
Hike Starts/Ends:	Smokemont Campground
Trails Used:	Appalachian Trail, Bradley Fork, Chasteen Creek, Dry Sluice Gap, Hughes Ridge Trails
Backcountry Campsites:	Yes
Backcountry Water Sources:	Streams, Springs
Management:	National Park Service
Contact Information:	Great Smoky Mountains National Park 107 Park Headquarters Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738 (865) 436-1200
Best Season:	Spring, Summer, Fall
Users:	Hikers
Road Conditions:	Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads
Hike Summary:	This hike in the Great Smoky National Park takes the long route to Charlie's Bunion via Smokemont Campground. It starts with a long nearly 4000' climb to the ridge line at the Appalachian Trail, heads west toward Charlie's Bunion, then returns via a steep decent on the Dry Sluice Gap Trail. The hike requires an overnight at Peck's Corner and Ice Water Springs Shelter and offers a bailout option to Newfound Gap (which two of us took advantage of) if a shorter hike is desired.