About trails in Swain County, North Carolina

Swain County has 101 named trails on the map, covering 571 miles in total, an average of 5.7 miles per trail. That is the 9th largest mapped trail network among 80 counties in North Carolina. 79 of them are tagged for hiking and 2 for mountain biking.

The longest single trail is Lakeshore Trail, at 67.0 miles. 34 trails run 5 miles or longer. Mapped points of interest in the county include 26 trailheads, 125 campsites, 49 waterfalls, 16 boat launches, and 6 rapids. The nearest towns to these trails are Cherokee, Bryson City, and Fontana Dam.

What the trails in Swain County are like

By length, 44 are under a mile, 23 run 1 to 5 miles, and 34 are 5 miles or longer. 21 are loops, ending where they start; the longest is Lakeshore Trail, at 67.0 miles.

Of the 101 with measured elevation, Lakeshore Trail climbs the most, about 30,047 ft, and 44 gain 1,000 ft or more.

Explore by activity

Hiking

79 trails

571Total miles

125Campsites

16Boat launches

49Waterfalls

26Trailheads

6Rapids

Lakeshore TrailHike67.0 mi Mountains-to-Sea Trail: Segment 1Hike32.4 mi Deep Creek TrailHike27.8 mi Springhouse Branch TrailHike27.6 mi Noland Divide Trail22.5 mi Forney Creek TrailHike22.2 mi Thomas Divide TrailHike22.1 mi Noland Creek Trail19.4 mi Hughes Ridge TrailHike19.1 mi Sunkota Ridge TrailHike15.9 mi Smokemont Loop TrailHike15.0 mi Bradley Fork Trail14.4 mi Hazel Creek TrailHike14.3 mi Deep Low Gap Trail11.5 mi Bear Creek Trail11.5 mi Mingus Creek TrailHike11.4 mi Beech Gap Trail10.7 mi Fork Ridge TrailHike9.9 mi Jenkins Ridge TrailHike8.7 mi Eagle Creek TrailHike8.6 mi Chasteen Creek Trail8.3 mi Jonas Creek Trail8.0 mi Right LoopHike7.9 mi Indian Creek Trail7.9 mi Sweat Heifer Creek TrailHike7.2 mi Enloe Creek Trail7.0 mi Forney Ridge TrailHike7.0 mi Welch Ridge TrailHike6.3 mi Pole Road Creek TrailHike6.3 mi Wolf Ridge TrailHike6.1 mi Martins Gap Trail5.9 mi Newton Bald TrailHike5.4 mi Hyatt Ridge TrailHike5.3 mi Grassy Branch TrailHike5.2 mi Twentymile TrailHike5.0 mi Tow String Horse Trail4.5 mi Long Hungry Ridge TrailHike4.4 mi Cold Spring Gap TrailHike4.3 mi Dry Sluice Gap Trail4.1 mi Kephart Prong Trail3.9 mi Deep Creek Horse Trail3.5 mi Indian Creek Motor TrailHike3.5 mi Oconaluftee River TrailMTB3.4 mi Kanati Fork TrailHike2.9 mi Twentymile Loop TrailHike2.8 mi Lost Cove TrailHike2.6 mi Flat Creek TrailHike2.6 mi Kessel Run2.3 mi Goldmine Loop TrailHike2.0 mi Spearfinger1.9 mi Uktena1.9 mi Bone Valley TrailHike1.8 mi Windy OverlookHike1.8 mi Whiteoak Branch TrailHike1.7 mi Tunnel Bypass TrailHike1.5 mi Newton Bald Concession Horse Trail LoopHike1.5 mi Spruce Mountain TrailHike1.0 mi Cabin Flats TrailHike1.0 mi lazy elk0.9 mi fire towerHikeMTB0.9 mi Smokemont Stables TrailHike0.9 mi Stone Pile Gap TrailHike0.8 mi Tinker's Dream0.8 mi Cemetary TrailHike0.8 mi Left OverlookHike0.8 mi Smokemont Stables Trail to Towstring Horse TrailHike0.7 mi Hazel Creek Access TrailHike0.7 mi Kuwohi TrailHike0.7 mi Balsam Mountain Nature TrailHike0.7 mi Beech Flats Quiet WalkwayHike0.6 mi Gray Wolf WalkHike0.6 mi Smokemont Nature TrailHike0.6 mi Right Loop ConnectorHike0.6 mi Mountains-to-Sea TrailHike0.6 mi Clingmans Dome Bypass TrailHike0.5 mi Kuwohi Bypass TrailHike0.5 mi Waya0.5 mi Swinging Bridge Quiet WalkwayHike0.5 mi Pilkey/Posey Cemetery Access TrailHike0.4 mi Posey Cemetery Access TrailHike0.4 mi High Rocks TrailHike0.3 mi Lower Noland-Monteith Cemetery AccessHike0.3 mi Juney Whank Falls TrailHike0.3 mi Spruce Fir Nature TrailHike0.3 mi Ollie Cove TrailHike0.3 mi Carver Cemeter AccessHike0.3 mi Bradshaw Cemetery Access TrailHike0.2 mi Lower Indian-Queen Cemetery AccessHike0.2 mi Woody-Conner Cemetery AccessHike0.2 mi Lakeshore Trail Low Water AccessHike0.2 mi Conner @ Hickory Flats Cemetery AccessHike0.2 mi Campsite 67 Access TrailHike0.2 mi Kanati Fork Quiet WalkwayHike0.2 mi Campsite 87 accessHike0.2 mi 2nd AlternateHike0.2 mi Old Deep Creek Quiet WalkwayHike0.2 mi Lakeview Quiet WalkwayHike0.1 mi McClure Cemetery Access TrailHike0.1 mi Campsite 65 accessHike0.1 mi Pilkey Cemetery Access TrailHike0.1 mi Campsite 98 Access TrailHike0.1 mi

Trails by town in Swain County

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Trail geometry from OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed ODbL. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Compiled and published by Trailmonger · trail data last rebuilt September 24, 2026.