Customer Reviews

Day and Overnight Hikes: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this book as I had read Molloy's "Trial by Trail" book about his adventures in the GSMNP. I knew that by living in this part of East Tennessee for 20 years, if anyone would know a good overnighter to do in the GSMNP, it would be Johnny Molloy. With over 900 miles of trails in this national park, his knowledge of the Smokies environment, writing style, and accuracy has, once again, impressed me. You can tell that the writer himself has a love and appreciation for these mountains. As a reader and a resident in the Smokies foothills, I can't tell you how I appreciate that! I have a collection of outdoor guidebooks, and Molloy is becoming the major author on my bookshelf!

I've had the opportunity to hike several of these dayhikes and overnighters while in the Smokies. Malloy has done a good job identifying gems in the park. The information in this guide is accurate and useful in my experience.

However, the book is not organized as effectively as it might be. He divides hikes into day out-and-backs, day loops, and overnights (mostly all two-nighters). Each section is divided into the Tennessee and North Carolina sides, but fuller divisions by region or trailhead (Fontana Lake, say, or Cosby campground) would be more useful. The organizer map shows only a few roads so it's hard to tell where most trails are without having a second map.

However, the maps with each hike are very thorough in providing information on trails, elevation, and the like. The book is also a convenient "pocket size" if you want to take it with you on the trail.

If you are looking for great "day and overnight hikes" in the smokies, this book is fabulous. It compares the trails by solitude, scenery, difficulty, and more, helping you pick a trail that you're bound to like. We have used it for at least 3 trips and found the directions/descriptions accurate on all counts. An excellent resource for exploring the park!!!

This book was not helpful in planning the trip are looking for (2 night backcountry). There are others that are much, much better.