One of my favorite Smokies hikes is from the Cosby Campground to Mt. Cammerer.  Admittedly, it is no longer possible for me to do this hike; however, it is enjoyable to review diaries and photos made of various locations within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

There are several ways to reach Mt. Cammerer inside the national park; however, I like to take the Low Gap Trail from the Cosby campground to the Appalachian Trail, which is 2.9 miles with approximately 1900 feet of elevation gain.  This junction is known as Low Gap.

From Low Gap, one follows the Appalachian Trail for 2.1 miles one-way to the Mt. Cammerer Trail.   The first half mile of the AT hike involves elevation gain.

From the AT, it is .06 miles to Mt. Cammerer.  The last portion of the Mt. Cammerer Trail has challenging footing.  On Mt. Cammerer, there is a two-story stone fire lookout built in 1939 by the Civil Conservation Corps.  The building is octagonal-shaped, and it has an observation deck around it on the second level.

Inside Mt. Cammerer Fire Outlook

The fire outlook was last used in the 1960s.  The view from Mt. Cammerer on a clear day is beyond description.  One can see I-40 below near the North Carolina line, and the tractor and trailers look like little tootsie toys as they move along the interstate.

Unless there has been a change, one can go inside the upper level of the building.

Prior to the national park, this location was also known as White Rock and Sharp Top.  If traveling east on I-40 on a clear day before reaching the junction with the Foothills Parkway East, one can actually see the Mt. Cammerer Fire outlook ahead at the end of the highest mountain range in front of them.

Mt. Cammerer is named for Arno Cammerer who was at one time the director of the National Park Service and who played a significant role in getting the national park established.  If a person likes history, they would likely enjoy reading the book Founding of a National Park by Fountain City’s own Carlos Clinton Campbell, who lived on Gibbs Road.

For those who like to be in the park when the fall foliage is at its peak, this hike offers some of the most beautiful leaves I have seen in the park. Normally, this section of the park is not crowded in the autumn, unlike much of the rest of the park.  Additionally, in the Spring and Summer, the hiker has the opportunity to enjoy a vast array of wildflowers.  Finally, at times, the cloud formations that one can see from Mt. Cammerer are amazingly beautiful.  One can experience an emotional high after starting a trail in the early morning hours and end up on top of a mountain above the clouds.

For sure, this hike is not easy for the average person; however, most who complete it will find it rewarding.  Mark Twain is reported to have said, “20 years from now, you will regret more the things that you did not do more than the things that you did do.  Throw off the bow lines, sail away from the safe harbor, let the wind catch your sails, and explore, dream, and discover”.

Happy Trails!

Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on his hikes and mountain stories from the Smokies. See more of his column here.

Follow KnoxTNToday on Facebook and Instagram.  Get all KnoxTNToday articles in one place with our Free Newsletter.