Rich Mountain Trail 5/4/2026

 This trail was accessed from outside the park coming in from Townsend, TN and remains a great trail throughout the seasons. On Monday the 4th, several of us hiked the 2.3 miles up from the parking area to the intersection with Indian Grave Gap trail and continued on to the previous location of the fire tower. We saw several patches of awesome flowers in bloom and enjoyed the beautiful weather. 

The approach for this trail from Rich Mountain Gap, and Rich Mtn. Road should be considered somewhat difficult due to the continual incline over most of the 2.3 miles up to campsite #5, and the Indian Grave Gap trail. 

Rangers at the GSMNP seeks your help

Hello. Below you will find a link from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), seeking assistance in locating the "perp", of a federal criminal act. On April 6th, park rangers reported a large number of dead birds along the side of the road on Foothills Parkway West. Park wildlife rangers identified that 33 black vultures had been dumped. 

Black vultures are a federally protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and it is illegal to harm or kill them without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dumping of anything in a national park is illegal. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Seeks Tips to Identify Suspect in Illegal Vulture Dumping - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service)