# Riding in the smokies



## cwsmith (Jul 3, 2011)

Me and a friend or 2 are looking at going to the great smoky mountain national park this fall to do a little riding. We would like to plan on spending one night out on the trail. Our biggest concern is we dont know how far to be able to expect to travel in one day of easy riding. We are from Mississippi and the riding around here is relatively flat so this would be something new for us. If any of yall have rode there or know somebody that might could help us out it would be greatly appreciated.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I can't answer your question, but bring lots of fly spray, both horse and human. Smokey mountains are very moist!


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## AQHA13 (Apr 19, 2017)

I think you could consider 6-10 miles as "easy"... everyone will have different opinions though.


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## cwsmith (Jul 3, 2011)

Yeah around here we ride 25 miles in 6 hours pretty easy just walking along and stopping for lunch and bathroom breaks etc. I just was tryin to decide what to account for there.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I went trail riding in Tennessee once. I remember lots of nice views and moderate hills. Nothing overly challenging. Maybe shave off an hour from walking on flat trails to account the extra energy needed for hills.


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## gamecock67 (May 26, 2009)

*They did not name them "Great" for nothing!*

The Great Smoky Mountains are a great riding adventure. I have riden them extensively and offer the following advice to newbies:
1) Stay in the Park in possible. The NPS provides 5 horse campgrounds. Make sure to book ahead, especially during the fall, "color" season. The park is also surrounded by private horse campgrounds that offer far more amenties, i.e. cabins, electricity, stalls, barns, et cetra - at a price of course!
2) Regardless of where you stay come prepared for insects of the bothersome kind: horse flys, yellow jackets, and bees particularily. The bees are particularily aggressive and each rider would do well to carry a bee spray on the trails at all times. The bees hive/home is in the ground, so pay attention to the horse in front of you - when the bees come out of the ground it is usually in reaction to the front horse's hoofs impact sending them an alert signal. They come out in mass - and guess who they go after! Yep, the trailing horse(s).
3) Pre-plan your trail riding. While information is available from the NPS, do not overlook National Geographics TOPO mapping or Goggle Earth Maps. Regardless of what mapping service you use, study them well. The "loop" trails in the Smokies are longer than most state parks or even national forest trails. Seven plus hour rides are not unusual - so pace yourself.
4) The NPS enforces safe bear practices and will ticket you, and in some cases, seize your ice chest - for example - if you do not store it properly. However, it is not the NPS rangers that you have to be concerned about - it is the bears! They _WILL_ come into the campgrounds and they most certainly will visit your outback campsite. So, study up on and excercise good bear practices - and - _NEVER_ go anywhere without grizzle grade bear sprays with each and every rider. I have never had to use the spray, but there have been several occasions when I had it "cocked and ready" to use.
5) Never leave camp without effective rain gear. Rain is a frequent visitor to the Smoky's and the elevation of the mountains make for a cold and miserable ride should you get wet.
6) Most of the trails are single track and rocky, so make sure your horses hoofs are sound and protected.
The GSM offer beautiful trials with multiple attractions such as wild life, streams, old homesteads, and of course forests. You enjoyment will be in direct ratio to the planning that you put into the trip!


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## LittleZeasel (Oct 22, 2011)

Sorry for sort of dragging this up again  But I thought there is some great information on this post already, relevant for future GRSM visitors and I thought I'd also add the links to some of the maps and phone numbers for reservation... Make things easier and such  cwsmith - I hope you had a blast!

Make sure you call the reservation office (1-877-444-6777), no matter whether you end up staying the night or not but they can usually also give you information about Bear warnings (there have been a couple of areas in the park, where the bears were especially aggressive that lead to shut downs of Camp sites and trails).

Depending on where you are from, I'd also call the visitor center to get maps and information on the park mailed - they send out info packages, which include Bear information, maps, the recent seasonal newspaper, etc. The actual trail map however costs 1USD - however, it can be downloaded for free here:

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/upload/GSMNP Backcountry Map.pdf

The dotted lines are the trails usable by horses.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Plan Your Visit (U.S. National Park Service)

The NPS site also has the information on closed campsites and trails - this year, the berry crop has been weak, but the breeding has been good because last year was a fairly good year for the bears. They are hungry and more aggressive than usual. Be sure to be informed 

Other than that: Enjoy! the GRSM is one of the most beautiful spots out here and I am myself very much looking forward to one day being able to ride it, rather than hike it on my own two feet  (not that I don't enjoy hiking... it's just that I really do prefer riding  ...)


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I rode there once when I bought my current guy, and remember it is breathtaking. I also know that the lady I bought him from had shoes on her horses (fronts) because of the sharp stones.

She actually lives in an equestrian community in the park.....I know they do rentals, but don;t remember the name of it. Small houses, each with about an acre and a 2-3 stall barn. Many trails ride right out from there.


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